Summary Report of the 9th Pan-European Green Belt Conference 31st October – 3rd November 2016 Nature Centre Ukko, Koli National Park Finland Participants of the 9th Pan-European Conference © European Green Belt Association th The 9 Pan-European Green Belt Conference was jointly organized by The conference was financially supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the Ministry of the Environment of Finland, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation with funds of the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear safety, the BUND Project Office Green Belt, the EuroNatur Foundation and the European Green Belt Association e.V. 2 Introduction The 9th Pan-European Green Belt Conference in Finland marks a new milestone for future cooperation of the European Green Belt Initiative. More than 125 participants from 26 countries, including representatives of all 24 countries along the European Green Belt, met in the Nature Centre Ukko in the Koli National Park from 31st October to 3rd November 2016. The aim of the conference was to give an insight and outlook on the cooperation and activities along the European Green Belt. The conference focused on experiences and best practices putting into action the vision of the European Green Belt on conserving the ecological network of high-value natural and cultural landscapes while respecting the economic, social and cultural needs of local communities. In addition, the conference contributed to the development of the European Green Belt as part of Green Infrastructure in Europe as well as to the strategic development of the European Green Belt Initiative. Furthermore, the Pan-European Conference provided an important platform for exchange between all partners along the European Green Belt. Information about the 9th Pan-European Green Belt Conference is available at: http://www.ym.fi/en- US/International_cooperation/Green_Belt_of_Fennoscandia/PanEuropean_Green_Belt_Conference Further information about the European Green Belt Initiative is available at: www.europeangreenbelt.org 3 Session Overview Tuesday, 01st November 2016 Session 1 - Opening of the 9th Pan-European Green Belt Conference Welcome Speeches: • Kimmo Tiilikainen, Minister of the Environment and Agriculture Finland (video) • Risto Poutanen, Regional Mayor, Regional Council of the North Karelia • Timo Tanninen, Executive Director, Parks and Wildlife Finland • Anna Balakireva, Director of the Unit, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Russia • Bjorn Arne Naess, Norwegian Environment Agency • Gabriel Schwaderer, Executive Director, EuroNatur, Chair of the European Green Belt Association Session 2 - Green Infrastructure and TEN-G Keynote Speeches: • EU Green Infrastructure: status and perspectives Stefan Leiner, Head of Biodiversity Unit, DG Environment, European Commission • German national ecological network: legal base, scientific foundation and European context. Dr. Uwe Riecken, Head of Department, Biotope Protection and Landscape Ecology, German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) Session 3 - Insights into the Green Belt of Fennoscandia Key Note Speeches: • History and special characteristics Rustam Sagitov, Director, Baltic Fund for Nature • Green Belt Strategy until 2020 Kristiina Niikkonen, Councellor, Ministry of the Environment of Finland Panel on the future and opportunities of the Green Belt in Fennoscandia Session 4 - Strategic Planning Session I Further development of the spatial dimension of the European Green Belt • Presentation of the project "European Green Belt as part of Green Infrastructure" Dr. Liana Geidezis (BUND Project Office Green Belt), Sandra Wigger (EuroNatur) • Introduction to the working session Felix Cybulla, Freelance Consultant Parallel working groups Session 5 - Best Practices – Guided Poster Session European Green Belt Fair 4 Wednesday, 02nd November 2016 Session 6 - Presentations of Best Practices • Cooperation between governmental and non-governmental organization in the frame of the European Green Belt Initiative, Melanie Kreutz (BUND Project Office Green Belt), Sandra Wigger (EuroNatur) • Best practices from Transboundary Park in Pasvik-Inari area and trilateral cooperation (nature tourism perspective) Tiia Kalske (Finnmark County), Riina Tervo (Parks & Wildlife Finland), Marina Trusova (Pasvik Zapovednik) • Tourism, health, well-being and nature Matti Tapaninen (Parks & Wildlife Finland) • SuoMaa: Safeguarding a large-scale taiga corridor between Finland and Russian Karelia Virpi Sahi (Finnish Nature Conservation Association) • BPAN – Barents Protected Area Network Anna Kuhmonen (Finnish Environment Institute) Session 7 - Strategic Planning Session II a Development of a work programme 2017-2018 for the European Green Belt Association • Function and role of the European Green Belt Association Gabriel Schwaderer, Executive Director, EuroNatur, Chair of the European Green Belt Association • Results of the 8th Pan-European Conference in Slavonice 2014 Felix Cybulla (Freelance Consultant), Melanie Kreutz (BUND Project Office Green Belt) Session 8 - Strategic Planning Session II b Development of a work programme 2017-2018 for the European Green Belt Association Parallel working group session Session 9 - Wrap-up and Closing • Kristiina Niikkonen, Councellor, Ministry of the Environment Finland • Gabriel Schwaderer, Executive Director, EuroNatur, Chair of the European Green Belt Association 5 Opening of the 9th Pan-European Green Belt Conference The conference was opened by the Ministry of the Environment of Finland as host of the 9th Pan- European Green Belt Conference. In addition, representatives of all three countries along the Green Belt of Fennoscandia – Finland, Norway and Russia –as well as the chair of the European Green Belt Association welcomed over 125 participants of the conference. Green Infrastructure and TEN-G The European Commission defines Green Infrastructure (GI) as a “strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas with other environmental features designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services”. It incorporates green spaces (or blue if aquatic ecosystems are concerned) and other physical features in terrestrial (including coastal) and marine areas. The backbone of this network is formed by the Natura 2000 areas spread throughout Europe. At the same time GI will help improving the connectivity between sites in the Natura 2000 network as required by the Habitats Directive. Stefan Leiner, Head of the Biodiversity Unit of DG Environment (ENV) of the European Commission, highlighted in his presentation the European Green Belt as an important key example of Green Infrastructure on EU-level. According to the assessment of DG ENV a robust funding scheme for Green Infrastructure would be necessary. With regard to the already existing Trans-European Networks for Transport etc. a similar scheme should be established for Green Infrastructure (TEN-G). TEN-G would be an efficient instrument to provide a platform for developing a trans-European strategy and to provide appropriate funding. In order to convince other stakeholders on the relevance of Green Infrastructure studies on the socio-economic benefits provided by the European Green Belt are appreciated. Dr. Uwe Riecken, Federal Agency for Nature Conservation Germany, gave an insight on the German ecological network as example for Green Infrastructure on national level. The background paper and presentations are available at: http://www.ym.fi/en- US/International_cooperation/Green_Belt_of_Fennoscandia/PanEuropean_Green_Belt_Conference 6 Insights into the Green Belt of Fennoscandia The history, special characteristics, the development as well as the strategy of the Green Belt of Fennoscandia were presented through two main key note speeches by representatives of the Russian NGO Baltic Fund for Nature as well as the Ministry of the Environment of Finland. The audience was given an enhanced understanding of the features of the Green Belt of Fennoscandia through a fruitful panel discussion with eight representatives from all three countries along the Green Belt of Fennoscandia. More information and the presentations are available at: http://www.ym.fi/en- US/International_cooperation/Green_Belt_of_Fennoscandia/PanEuropean_Green_Belt_Conference Koli National Park, Finland © Sandra Wigger 7 Further development of the spatial dimension of the European Green Belt In the frame of the project "European Green Belt as part of Green Infrastructure", supported by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation with funds of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, different GIS analyses were elaborated regarding the spatial dimension of the European Green Belt. When it comes to topics such as Green Infrastructure (GI) and connectivity a clear definition of the spatial dimension of the European Green Belt is needed. Detailed analyses of any kind can only be run based on a defined spatial action space. Also the practical implementation of connectivity in spatial planning needs an assigned localization. Another important factor is that a defined spatial scope will contribute to ensuring the support on the ground. Only when stakeholders can be clearly named, they are able to identify themselves with the European Green Belt and actively campaign for it. However, such spatial delimitation is merely a geographical localization of the European Green Belt, meaning a planning or reference