Saving Sava Valley from invasive species

The SavaTIES project, with partners from Austria, Croatia, Germany, Slovenia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, has identified methods to successfully eradicate invasive alien species around the Sava river. The ERDF-funded action protects biodiversity along the environmentally important tributary to the Danube.

SavaTIES – a three-year cross-border project – has developed and shared effective ways to remove some of the most harmful invasive alien species along the picturesque Sava Valley. These include Indigo Bush, native to South America, impatiens glandulifera from the Himalayas, and Japanese knotweed, among others.

Non-native plant and animal species can quickly harm natural habitats, human health and the economy by upsetting the natural ecosystem in a region. Eradication is difficult but vital to protect native plants and wildlife. The transnational cooperation has made it possible to share knowledge to act quickly to manage unwanted species.

The project is led by the EuroNatur Foundation in Germany, and includes public organisations, research institutions, local stakeholders and expert scientists from across the region. Its EUR 1.6-million cost was met by the ERDF and the EU’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).