Last year the Free Rivers Fund cooperated with the Montenegrin NGO “Ekološki Pokret Donja Bukovica” (Environmental Movement Donja Bukovica). When they applied for support in autumn 2018 they already had quite some struggle behind them and a number of achievements to be proud of. Between 2017 and 2019 they developed from a small group of…
It’s time to officially introduce the project Ekološki-Pokret Donja Bukovica to you! In the municipality of Savnik, Montenegro, locals are fighting against mini hydro power plants on one of the cleanest rivers of the Balkan. The projects ‘Bukovica 1’ und ‘Bukovica 2’ are threatening the ecosystem of this region. As the water of the…
Anup Gurung is a passionate Nepali kayaker and the founder and president of Nepal Kayak Club. Together with the Club he has been organizing training and events to promote the Nepali whitewater scene and has been promoting awareness about rivers threatened by hydropower such as the Bhotekoshi, Marsyangdi and Modi Khola. Now, with team Mission…
The “Balkanka” Association is a Bulgarian non-profit, non-governmental organization that is trying to save and protect all Bulgarian rivers – the main objectives being the protection and conservation of river biodiversity in general, as well as the conservation and restoration of indigenous Balkan trout populations in particular. These are some steep goals and the members…
In this year’s pile of applications there were some surprises – one being the Bisri valley project. First we are happy to have reached people all over the world and river conservationists even in Lebanon have heard about the Free Rivers Fund and applied for grants. The second – not so happy – surprise was…
Marañón Waterkeeper is a community lead organisation working to protect the Marañón River in Peru in its natural, free flowing state, as well as protecting the greater Amazon below. Endangered Marañón The Marañón river is the second longest river in Peru and is considered the hydrological source of the Amazon. The terrain it covers is…
These five amazing river conservation projects have been selected for support in 2019. 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…
The three organisations that started the Free Rivers Fund will not be included in the grant programm 2019. Each of them has decided that it is time to give their share to new grassroot projects. In 2016, WET – Wildwasser Erhalten Tirol, Save the Conwy and the Balkan Rivers Tour started the Free Rivers Fund…