Last week we decided which projects the Free Rivers Fund will support in 2018. The choice fell on two very important and interesting projects which we can support with our budget. We want to thank all organisations which sent their application to us! Making the decision was not easy as we like every single project of yours!
The following text gives you a small introduction of the two organisations. We will give you more details about their projects after our Christmas break!
Marañón Waterkeeper
Marañón Waterkeeper is a community lead organisation that is working to protect the Marañón River, hydrological source of the Amazon. 20 mega dams planned along the Marañón would turn its 900km of whitewater into a series of stagnant reservoirs, block passage of 23 migratory fish species, and have massive impacts on the Amazon below.
Marañón Waterkeeper is creating conservation areas to block dams in critical areas, creating educational campaigns in local communities, and assisting community activists all for one purpose; to ensure the source of the Amazon continues to flow free, forever.
Center for Environment (CfE)
Center for Environment (CfE) is a non-profit, non-governmental and non-partisan association. Our work is mostly related to rivers in recent years, protecting them from hydropower projects and so far we have been successful in preserving Vrbas, Hrčavka and Sutjeska rivers.
Since we are running campaign against hydropower plants in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to protect rivers and its biodiversity, in 2018 our focus will be on direct campaigning, supporting and legal assistance to the grassroots organizations and local activists, nature conservation, media promotion and popularization of our rivers for water sports.
Project for the protection of Ugar canyon is related to media promotion of Ugar canyon and increasing public awareness about the urgent need for its protection.
Two hydropower plants have been built on the river Ugar and one more on its tributary Ilomska. We were campaigning against those projects for a few years, but we didn’t succeed to stop it. They have negatively influenced the water level in the river and destroyed the riverbed. So far, the Ugar canyon has remained free of hydropower plant construction, but five new hydropower plants are planned, of which three are in the canyon. Those hydropower plants will cause enormous damage to this unique canyon and its rich wildlife and we consider this research and public promotion as a major step in terms of its protection.
