– Conservation and Development of the natural and cultural heritage along the former Iron Curtain –
The Baltic Green Belt project was launched as part of the European Green Belt (EuGB) initiative in January 2009 and ended in January 2013; funded by the EU. EuGB’s approach is to save the natural and cultural assets that had grown alongside the Iron Curtain in over 40 years as a result of restricted access in former border regions.
The Baltic Green Belt project as regional development project adopted this approach and adapted it to the specific situation at the Baltic Sea coast: The cross-border cooperation needed to be complemented by the integration of land and sea issues. As only seaside stretch in the otherwise mainly continental Green Belt, the “Baltic Green Belt” is unique. It aimed at closing the longest “missing link” in the Green Belt network: The southern and eastern Baltic coast.
To fulfil one main goal, a set of diverse partners engaged in sustainable economy and ecology development were brought together during the project; Partnerships of NGOs, scientific institutions, public authorities and economic stakeholders were initiated with more than twenty project partners - non-governmental, governmental and scientific - from Russia, Germany, Poland and the Baltic States Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Under the umbrella of the EuGB, a permanent and growing platform for transnational cooperation between stakeholders was established. Thereby, each country was pursuing single, as well as cross-border initiatives and projects.
To exchange knowledge, joint education of junior coastal planners, and collaboration in scientific analyses and political statements, several meetings –transnational and national- were held all over the region. Among others, conferences like the “@ Nature Tourism Conference” 2011 in Riga, workshops e.g. on Agriculture and Baltic Sea Eutrophication, as well as seminars, exhibitions and the annual Baltic Green Belt Forum were organised. Moreover, student excursions and special traineeships were initiated within the Baltic Green Belt.
To secure the ecological situation of the coastal strip on both sides of the waterline was a major aim as well as ensuring economic prosperity. By preparing suggestions for alternative developments, the awareness among the general public and decision makers could be improved. Among others, more than 800 farmers were educated in environmentally friendly farming practice. Soft tourism guides and information material were provided.
Within the project, a number of studies were carried out, which evaluated the implementation of international agreements for coastal nature protection along the Baltic Green Belt. They identified barriers and success factors within sustainable coastal development and compiled tangible lessons learned to foster transnational knowledge transfer. All results can be found in the Synthesis Report as well as additional reports published for free-access download on the project website.
Moreover, the project has contributed to the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan for the protection of the Baltic. This has been achieved by local and regional examples of improving general practice in preserving natural zones and biodiversity. Participation in public discussion of international policy documents and raising environmental concerns in individual regional planning processes and educating local residents, children, students and even professionals in (environmentally, economically and socially) sustainable regional development contributed to the fulfilment of the goals of the action plans and strategies mentioned above.
All in all, the project was celebrated as a huge success: The Baltic Green Belt has closed the last gap within the European Green Belt. Moreover, the durability of the network and the willingness of partners to continue their cooperation was jointly demonstrated by signing a memorandum of understanding with the majority of project partners as well as associated partners and outside parties who decided to join the initiative.