During 15-year period of studies of invertebrate communities in rivers, we notice that locals have a consumptive attitude to the water resources. Rivers are extensively used for drinking, household needs and irrigation. Moreover, river beds are straightened, water bodies are polluted by sewage and waste. Neither local authorities nor local people do not know the real value of water ecosystems. There is no information on the current status of aquatic ecosystems of Crimean Rivers.

We plan to hold two or three expeditions with the student’s participation, monthly. One of our main aims is to developed nondestructive methods of aquatic communities studies. After the expedition, we are going to organize laboratory processing of the material, the calculation of biotic indices, mapping of the results, using different GIS software and MaxEnt soft.After the project start we are going to conduct production of the environmental education brochures, posters, publications and media reports.

We can perform a presentations to the local administration and people, in the areas covered by our studies. It is planned to make such presentations in three districts. At the final stage, information and maps gathered together we will betray to the Republic Committee for Environmental Protection of Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Our contribution to the project:

- Selection and description of reference conditions, bringing a new approach to the protection of the ecosystems of the Crimean Rivers. This will facilitate the introduction of elements of water policy, provided Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC).

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Disturbed ecosystems could be allocated from the comparison with the reference conditions and than we will be able to begin their (rivers) rehabilitation.

- Protection of aquatic ecosystems is impossible without participation of various social groups. The local citizens will be involved in nature conservation. We are going to involve in our project school groups and non-governmental organizations, who can helps to make the protection of water ecosystems more efficient. This can provide broader view of environmental problems to schoolchildren’s and help them to form a positive attitude to the nature protection.

In the future, our project will contribute to the creation of the monitoring network of surveillance the health of ecosystems of Crimean Rivers. It will prevent further deterioration of aquatic ecosystems.