Baltic Green Belt
| The aim of this project is to facilitate the preservation of biological diversity in the Baltic Sea Region by establishing the Baltic Green Belt as a permanent network of co-operation. In geographic terms, the Baltic Green Belt runs along the boundary of the Iron Curtain that was set up by the Soviet Union. For this reason the environment here remains largely untouched and unique. The plan of activities related to the Baltic Green Belt includes attempting to improve the ecological situation in the coastal zone, both in the sea and on land. This will help to promote the sustainability of social and economic aspects of the process, and it will also help to ensure economic welfare for local residents. The project includes NGOs, government institutions, representatives of business and scientific institutions – 15 partners and seven associate partners in all, all of them representing countries which surround the Baltic Sea. The Country Traveller rural tourism association is one of the partners, and its task in this project is to organise a pilot project in co-operation with the Slītere National Park. |
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This project is partly financed by the European Union (ERDF) within the Baltic Sea Region Programme |
Project results
Project progress:
09.02.2012. Coastal guidebookWe have published the "Guide to the Coast of the Baltic Sea". The guidebook contains descriptions of 55 attraction sites, 28 touring routes, 55 guest accommodations as well as information about Europe and Baltic Green Belt. The guidebook will be available in English, German and Russian languages. Download the pdf version in English here, Russian here and German here. |
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Cycling tour testing in Lithuania
| In August 28. – 29. we organised a testing tour along the Baltic sea coast and to the Curonian Dune in Lithuania. The aim of the testing tour was to inspect nature territories of high ecological value and military heritage objects along the Baltic sea coast in Lithuania. Cycling tour started from Ķoņu village in Pape, Latvia. The village exemplifies a traditional fishing village. We crossed the Latvian-Lithuanian border riding along the shoreline and continued to Šventoja. From there a cycling road starts to Palanga and further to Klaipeda. |
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Management Guidelines for Military Heritage Objects
The Management Guidelines for Military Heritage Objects have been developed under the project to learn from the best European practices and stimulate new tourism products, based on military heritage as well as to draw public attention to the issues of protection of the former military objects and their prevention from destruction. See the guideline document in Latvian here.
Coastal itineraries
We have developed 5 new touring routes along the seacoast in Latvia:1. Cycling along the Baltic Sea Coast in Latvia (in Kurzeme region, 11 days)
2. Walking along the Baltic Sea Coast (in Kurzeme region and Ķemeri National park, 7 days)
3. Canoeing in Kurzeme Western part of Latvia (7 days)
4. Spring birdwatching tour (10 days)
5. Migration passion, owls and woodpeckers (6 days).
See full descriptions here.
Baltic Green Belt inside newsletter No. 4
| Project internal newsletter will inform you about activities and news related to the Baltic Green Belt from the past two months and point out to some upcoming activities. The newsletter read here. |
Media trip to military heritage sites
| On May 31, a media trip will take place visiting the sites enclosed in the Military Heritage Map to promote the Baltic Green Belt tourism products and stimulate development of new products. See the programme here (LV). See the media trip photo gallery here. |
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Nature tour options along the coastline explored
| In April 13 -17, specialists of Lauku Ceļotājs and rural tourism providers explored options to develop nature based Baltic Green Belt tourism products along the coastline. The new products will focus on nature values and military heritage in Ķemeri National Park, Engure, Mērsrags, Kaltene, Slītere National Park, Roja, Kolka, Ovīšrags, Svēte, Cena. Bird, animal, plant, insect watching, visiting former military objects with local guides and other product options were assessed. The new routes will be promoted in the Green Belt guide - Latvia. |  |
23.03.2011 - Nature Tourism Conference
| On 22nd and 23rd March the Baltic Nature Tourism conference took place in Riga to illustrate management models adapted by protected areas in Europe and the Baltic Sea Region countries to balance economic activities, including tourism, and nature conservation. The event was attended by 260 registered participants, including 100 foreign guests. Nature tourism is now the tourism industry topicality, and it has high competitiveness. It's time for professionally developed nature tourism offer, which allows city people to enjoy nature, and educate them about its values in entertaining way. By protecting nature, it is equally important to respect the people's needs. Within the Baltic Green Belt project on the second day of the conference there was held a workshop "Dimensions of sustainability in tourism at the Green Belt: nature protection, mobility and beyond” to present the project progress and results to national and international participants. Workshop summary see here. The workshop was continued with the practical field trip to Slitere National Park. More about the conference read here. |
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21.03.2011 - Baltic Green Belt Panorama No.4
The latest news from the BSRP project Baltic Green Belt, selected topics about the Baltic Sea environment and the European Green Belt, including:- 3rd Baltic Green Belt Forum announcement
- Green Belt resolution of Stralsund
- BUND invites you: cycle the Green Belt in August
- Case study: Sustainable tourism at the Latvian Green Belt
- new project initiative: MobEE
- new Interreg project for the Central European Green Belt
- ... and more
http://www.balticgreenbelt.uni-kiel.de/index.php?id=157
24.02.2011 - Presentation of Map of Military Heritage
| On February 24th at Latvian War Museum Lauku celotajs invited all stakeholders to presentation of Map of Military Heritage and common discussion about the development of the map, whether or not military history of Latvia – sites and stories – are important only to us who have experienced it or it also holds tourism potential. Presentation was attended by 83 participants – tourism providers and specialists of the field, representatives of national and local government bodies, media and other stakeholders. European Green Belt initiative and Baltic Green Belt activities in Latvia were presented at the event. More about the event – presentation of Map of Military Heritage (ppt, LV) and photos. |  |
11.-13.02.2011 - Balttour 2011
| Lauku ceļotājs participated in the travel trade fair Balttour 2011, which was held from February 11 to 13. This year developed cultural heritage and natural routes were presented at the stand. Latest developments in the Baltic Green Belt project were presented - nature and active tourism routes "Plants on the Sea Coast" and the bike / hiking "Mazbānīša nature trail" and the latest “Slitere news” issue invited to travel Slitere national park. Also newly issued Map of Military Heritage was presented to visitors at the tourism fair. International tourism fair was attended by 22,500 visitors, of whom 4500 were invited tourism professionals and customers. At the "Balttour 2011" were exposed 230 stands presenting more than 600 exhibition-fair participants from 34 countries. All travel and tourism-related industries - both national and local tourist agencies and tourist information centers, and transport and other tourism representatives were represented. More about the travel fair - www.balttour.org |
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30.01.2011 - Military Heritage Tourism map published
| In close cooperation with project's experts Lauku celotajs has published map of military heritage. This map of Latvia’s military heritage is aimed not just at inviting people to go on a unique trip to learn about Latvia’s military history, but also at offering a single source of information about little known, but very interesting objects about which we have very little evidence. This map includes descriptions of 60 military objects, complete with photographs, including historical ones. The map mostly covers military objects from the last few centuries – objects which are related to different military forces and the things that they did. There is also information about 239 places which offer accommodations. Many of the objects are in NATURA 2000 territories, and some are cultural monuments. Lauku ceļotājs would like to thank everyone who made an investment in preparing this map. See electronical version of the Map of Military Heritage here. |
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10.01.2011 - New edition of “Slitere National Park News” has been published
| The new edition of „Slīteres nacionālā parka Ziņas” („Slitere National Park News”), is now available in Latvian and English. Slitere National Park Administration informs tourists about natural and cultural heritage and gives practical information for their visit to the national park.This time the newspaper has 16 pages and is full of interesting articles and nice photos. A central spread sheet contains a brief roundup of tourism routes and events planned this year. See the newsletter here and "Slītere National Park News" here. This issue was prepared in cooperation with the Latvian Nature Conservancy Agency, Latvia’s rural tourism association „Lauku ceļotājs” and the tourism information centre at Dundaga municipality with a contribution from Kiel University. |
06.12.2010 - Practical experience of the nature and cultural tourism product development
On December 6, a seminar on "Practical experience of nature and culture of product development" took place in a guest house Karla muiza. Workshop was attended by 61 participants – rural tourism stakeholders, tourism professionals, representatives of nature protected areas, nature guides etc. Speakers focused on nature protection and sustainable development at the seminar. More about the seminar - agenda (LV), list of participants, photos, workshop evaluation (LV).Event presentations:
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12.10.2010 Latest news from Green Belt
The latest news from the Baltic Green Belt and selected topics about the Baltic Sea environment and the European Green Belt, including:
The European Green Belt initiative informs that the first issue of the European Green Belt newsletter in 2010 is available under http://europeangreenbelt.org/005.database_newsletter.html. |
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06.10.2010 4th European Green Belt conference
| There has been held 4th European Green Belt conference on 6th of October in Kuhmo, Finland. The conference displayed the strength of the idea of cooperation along the Green Belt route from Barrens to Black Sea. There are also some differences and particularities of the regions thus actually reaffirming the rationale of the initiative. There was not enough time to tackle all the relevant topics, but the discussion continues. One of the issues brought up was how to strengthen the initiative and make it even more efficient and influential in the future. There is a great deal of activities taking place or being in the pipeline all along the route, it is quite lively and vivid on the ground, so the question is how to utilize all the knowledge and resources in the best possible way, how properly to coordinate the whole of the initiative and manage its future development. Agenda - here (pdf) Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/sdesnik/4ThPanEuropaeanGreenbeltMeetingKuhmo2010Finnland?feat=directlink Presentations: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13204379/4th%20EuGB%20Conference%20Presentations.zip |
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News Archives
Lead partner:
| University of Kiel Institute of Geography D-Kiel GERMANY m.schultz@geographie.uni-kiel.de |
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Pilot project is done by:
| Latvian Country Tourism Association "Lauku ceļotājs" Kalnciema street 40 Riga, LV-1046 Phone: +371 67617600 Fax: +371 67830041 asnate@celotajs.lv |
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