the area has been under threat for, especially under the communist rule of nicolae ceausescu.. he ordered land to be reclaimed and tried to set up large-scale industry. canals were dredged, particularly on the ukrainian side of the delta. you reach spawning grounds for fish were destroyed in the process. trofimov: we need to find a new solution to protect nature and us residents, too. we're on the right track. >> many of the 12,000 residents now believe that ecotourism could be the solution for protecting the future of the danube delta. locals want to attract visitors to this beast part of the european union to enjoy the river landscape with its rich ecosystem. they help paying guest will want to stay in the traditional thatched roof, mud brick cottages so that the local villages can be preserved. many residents have already left the village is in favor of modern housing and greater prosperity inside the delta. the idea of ecotourism in the delta all started in the village of mila douazeci si trei. the name literally means 23 miles, the distance between the village on the coast