Having conquered the Danube in 2006, American Mimi Hughes is now set to swim 700km down the Drava and Mura Rivers to help raise environmental awarness.
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Homepage Mimi Hughes

October 2006, Institute for Water of the Republic of Slovenia, signed the contract with the EC LIFE office for the five-year project ‘Conservation of the biodiversity of the Mura river in Slovenia (BIOMURA)’. The main aim of the project is to protect habitats and flora and fauna target species listed in the Habitat and Bird directives that are present in the area. Actions will be performed on 15.2 km2 large flood area of the Mura river in Slovenia.

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On 19 of August the community of Molve tog. with the Drava NGOs have organised the second celebration for me and my friends. I have heard it was great, as also space was given to various presentations about me and my friends, the White Stork.
We both are quit different. I prefer the wild nature - the Drava river with its gravel and sand banks, and the White Stork prefers the cultural landscape - the villages and vast meadows along the river. Therefore, on the festival we were announced as:

Little Tern - Bird of Nature!
White Stork - Bird of Culture!

It seems to be promising that we both will become symbols of nature and culture of the region and thus raising awareness of the natural and cultural heritage and attracting visitors to see our beautiful home.

Dear all!
I couldn´t believe it. Just on my way back from my wintering place in Africa to my beloved home place, the Drava River, I have realized, that my friends and I are becoming famous in Croatia. The Croatian Post Company in cooperation with WWF has dedicated the recent stamp edition to my colleagues and me. I have heard about 800.000 stamps have been issued. Can you believe this, it´s incredible! Thanks a lot.
I´m so proud, and I´m very optimistic that the public will become more and more aware that we are endangered and very close to extinction in Croatia and that the best way for saving me and my friends is to protect and restore our home - our beautiful Drava River.

Download the new stamps
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Helena Hecimovic from Koprivnica in Croatia has received the International Panda Award 2006 of WWF.

On the 27th of April, in a Gala event in Vienna, she has been awarded on behalf of the cross-border Drava Initiative, which consists of several NGOs - Drava League, Green Action, DOPPS-Birdlife Slovenia and Drava Federation.

Each year WWF is awarding important initiatives and sustainable projects which have made an important contribution to environmental protection and nature conservation. This year, the award has been given to leading companies, public institutions and important people by WWF- President Dr. Helmut Pechlaner and Barbara van Melle from the Austrian Television ORF.

Amongst the laureates, Helena Hecimovic, as member of the Drava Initiative and Vice-President of the Drava League has been awarded for her "strong commitment, devotional work and passionate and successful fight against the destruction and for the better protection of Europe´s unique Drava River in Croatia".

Photo Gallery of the event