COASTLINE 2012-20 REPORTS Development Concept for the Territory of the Baltic Green Belt - A Synthesis Report of the INTERREG IVB Project Baltic Green Belt Editors: H. Sterr, S. Maack & M. Schultz The Coastal Union Germany EUCC-D Die Küsten Union Deutschland Coastline Reports 20 (2012) Development Concept for the Territory of the Baltic Green Belt A Synthesis Report of the INTERREG IVB Project Baltic Green Belt Editors: H. Sterr, S. Maack & M. Schultz Department of Geography, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Kiel, 2012 ISSN 0928-2734 ISBN 978-3-939206-05-7 This report was prepared as part of the INTERREG Project Baltic Green Belt funded by the INTERREG IVB Baltic Sea Region Programme. The publication was part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) Imprint Cover pictures: Part of the Baltic Green Belt community near old watchtower of Saka Manor, Estonia (Photo: Henri Järv) Insets (top-down): The Sea holly is a protected dune plant on the terrestrial part of the Baltic Green Belt (Photo: Jan Barkowski) Learning with and from each other at the Baltic Green Belt (Photo: Stefanie Maack) Beds of blue mussel are an important component of the marine part of the Baltic Green Belt (Photo: Wolf Wichmann) The Baltic Green Belt at the Latvian Coast (Photo: Stefanie Maack) A Baltic Green Belt workcamp (Photo: Jurate Morkvenaite-Pauluskiene) Coastline Reports is published by: EUCC – Die Küsten Union Deutschland e.V. c/o Leibniz-Institut für Ostseeforschung Warnemünde Seestr. 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany [email protected] Coastline Reports are available online under http: //www.eucc-d.de/ and http://www.eucc.net/. For hardcopies please contact the editors or the EUCC-D. The responsibility for the content of this report lies solely with the authors. Printed climate neutrally on FSC certified paper. Preface & acknowledgements The Baltic Sea in the Northeast of Europe is a semi-enclosed body of water with unique marine, littoral and terrestrial ecosystems. Unlike other coastal regions in Europe, such as the North Sea and the Mediterranean, the coasts of the Baltic Sea are less strongly modified by man and its multiple uses of the coastal zone. This is partly due to the fact that the Baltic Sea hinterland is less densely populated than other European regions. Another kind of “coastal conservation” came by a “whim of history” to the Southern and Eastern parts of the Baltic. Political ideologies and decisions were responsible that the Baltic coast from Lübeck in Germany to St. Petersburg in Russia served as “iron curtain” border between the eastern European countries under Soviet influence and the remainder of Europe for 45 years. Irrespective of the fact that this border situation was unfortunate and sad from a human perspective, the coastal environment and landscape received noticeable benefits from this situation. Sealing off most of the coastal strip from intensive residential, industrial and recreational uses gave room to nature and wildlife. Thus, valuable coastal ecosystems and habitats could develop here over decades. After the regime changes in the early 1990s the line of the Iron Curtain was transformed into a Green Belt, a nature conservation zone, through Europe from the Barents to the Black Sea. Until recently this European Green Belt had a significant gap – the stretch along the Baltic Coast. Thus, it seemed obvious that this gap ought to be closed and a Baltic Green Belt needed to be established and linked to the neighbouring Belts so as to create a Pan-European Green Belt system. The idea for a Baltic Green Belt project was proposed in 2008 and was welcomed by the EU INTERREG community for the Baltic Sea Region. As more than 15 years had passed after the political turnover, the changes along this coastal zone were in full progress and the human pressures on the coastal landscape and seascape were building up. At an increasing speed tourism and recreational activities are conquering the coast with its wonderful natural features such as pristine forest, impressive dune systems, soft and hard rock cliffs and many others. Moreover, agriculture, urbanization, harbour and marina developments are spreading out towards and along the waterfront. Therefore, it seemed wise to initiate a dialogue and concerted actions among and between the key stakeholders in all iron curtain countries, i.e. Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The stakeholders defined the following goals as primary objectives of the Baltic Green Belt project: development of an ecological network under the umbrella of the European Green Belt following the Green Belt vision collaboration of environmental NGOs, universities and authorities for a sustainable development of the coast protection of the environment and natural resources; improvement of the ecological status of the marine and terrestrial Baltic Sea area (eutrophication, waste water, agriculture, tourism) supporting the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea action plan for the protection of the Baltic evaluation of the implementation of international agreements for coastal nature protection along the Baltic Green Belt identification of barriers and success factors/indicators of sustainable coastal development contribution to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea by preserving natural zones and biodiversity. The stakeholder community of the project is comprised of NGOs, scientific institutions, public authorities and economic stakeholders and thus excellently mirrors the Green Belt tradition of successfully integrating a wide set of actors and supporters. Although, for political reasons, Russia could not serve as an official partner in projects funded by EU INTERREG at the starting point of the project, joint efforts of the partner community succeeded in incorporating Russian NGOs and institutions as associated partners who actively participated in the project work. For the purpose of project guidance a Steering Committee was established in order to provide both scientific and practical advice for the project work. At this point, in April 2012, after numerous meetings, conferences and workshops the Baltic Green Belt project has finished its designated work. The results of this work are summarized in this volume. Across many borders, similar problems have been found and problem solutions have been discussed and often identified. As a whole our work has demonstrated (once again) that sustainable coastal development is to be reached only by transnational and concerted multi-stakeholder efforts. Everyone involved in the project has also realized that there is no alternative to sustainable development for this coast, if remaining treasures of nature ought to be preserved. It’s up to the individual reader now to decide which and how many of the results and insights presented here are relevant to him or her. For the lead partner of the project it is clear that the benefits of the project cooperation are enormous and go far beyond the results published here. Personal friendships, mutual visits, intensive communication pathways and collegial partnerships were established along the progress of the BGB project. Many of these will continue a long time beyond the project phase. Therefore, we want to thank the EU INTERREG BSR Programme for financing the project work as well as the State government of Schleswig-Holstein for additional support to keep the Russian partners involved. Most of all, however, we express our gratitude to all partners and persons who have been engaged in the Baltic Green Belt idea and project in one way or another. It has been a great pleasure to work in this team! Horst Sterr Stefanie Maack Michael Schultz For the lead partner Branch of Coastal Geography Department of Geography University of Kiel, Germany Involved Project Partners and Team Members Project Partners: Hans-Jörg Lüth (BUND regional association Schleswig-Holstein e.V.; Germany) Elke Körner (BUND regional association Schleswig-Holstein e.V.; Germany) Corinna Cwielag (BUND regional association Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania e.V. Germany) Jan Barkowski (BUND regional association Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania e.V. Germany) Jakup Skorupski (Green Federation GAJA; Poland) Aneta Kozlowska (Green Federation GAJA; Poland) Dawid Zyskowski (Green Federation GAJA; Poland) Jurate Morkvenaite (Environmental Club Žvejonė; Lithuania) Saulius Gulbinskas (Coastal Research and Planning Institute, Klaipeda University; Lithuania) Dr. Nerijus Blažauskas (Coastal Research and Planning Institute, Klaipeda University; Lithuania) Sergej Suzdalev (Coastal Research and Planning Institute, Klaipeda University; Lithuania) Rosita Milerienė (Coastal Research and Planning Institute, Klaipeda University; Lithuania) Angelė Aliukonytė (Coastal Research and Planning Institute, Klaipeda University; Lithuania) Raits Čakstiņš (Slitere National Park; Latvia) Andra Ratkevica (Slitere National Park; Latvia) Vilnis Skuja (Slitere National Park; Latvia) Ilze Burnevica (Slitere National Park; Latvia) Asnate Ziemele (Lauku ceļotājs; Latvia) Antra Damberga (Lauku ceļotājs; Latvia) Baiba Ornina (Lauku ceļotājs; Latvia) Kristīnes Pētersone (Lauku ceļotājs; Latvia) Elle Puurmann (Läänerannik, Vormsi Island; Estonia) Mikk Puurmann (Läänerannik, Vormsi Island; Estonia) Prof. Dr. Kalev Sepp (Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Estonia) Kristina Raudsepp (Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Estonia) Henri Järv (Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Estonia) Gunnar Noren (Coalition Clean Baltic;