EUROWA launched and waiting to land!
EUROWA (EURopean Oiled Wildlife Assistance) is a network of European oiled wildlife response experts who are working together to improve professionalism in marine wildlife emergency response. EUROWA have been building their network of wildlife professionals for many years and with the help of EU Civil Protection funding through the EUROWA-1 and EUROWA-2 projects, the network is now solidifying.
Marine pollution events such as oil spills are rare, but they can have devastating effects on marine life, local livelihoods, and society at large. EUROWA’s aim is to provide a well-disciplined, coordinated, and professional wildlife response team consisting of experts and their equipment, which can quickly be put together and sent to assist a European country that is facing a wildlife emergency.
For the EUROWA network to be able to respond, a national wildlife response and preparedness system must be in place, that can easily accommodate the presence of EUROWA international experts and their equipment. Ideally, there is a national oiled wildlife response plan that has made arrangements for this. To achieve a well-functioning wildlife response system, a rigid oiled national oiled wildlife response organisation should be in place, where NGOs/volunteers are involved in continued development of facilities, training and equipment – and experts should be able to keep their skills up to date. Exercise programmes should ensure that response capabilities are continually tested and improved. Training local responders to EUROWA standards ensures that providing and receiving European assistance is not only possible but seamless, and that resource use is efficient.
EUROWA’s vision is for every coastal country in Europe to be well prepared for an emergency involving wildlife. Although several countries (like the Netherlands) have made great strides forward in setting up robust arrangements for wildlife response, across Europe there is still much to be done. Ultimately it is the responsibility of authorities in each country to be able to mount and coordinate an oiled wildlife response, assisted by local stakeholders and expertise from our EUROWA network. With your help EUROWA can develop a European Oiled Wildlife Assistance system that is both financially and structurally supported by authorities, professional, firmly integrated in national and European oil spill response systems and ensures the well-being of oil-affected animals and responders alike!
Want to know more? Contact EUROWA at secretariat@eurowa.eu.