EUROPARC NBS Newsletter 1/2014 http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=5108bdfadcd892894bfe63be6&... Subscribe Share Past Issues Translate Use this area to offer a short preview of your email's content. View this email in your browser Final countdown Ongoing year is the last presidency year for Estonia and Environmental Board. We are making our best to negotiate with possible next host of Nordic-Baltic Section secretariat. Many activities lie still ahead, such as interesting seminars about wooded grasslands and health issues. We rely on your good collaborations for the upcoming newsletters and other activities! Section secretariat 1 of 10 10.04.2014 9:34 EUROPARC NBS Newsletter 1/2014 http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=5108bdfadcd892894bfe63be6&... Subscribe Share Past Issues Translate President´s corner Winter in Matsalu National Park was cold, Following species are getting special but very short. Spring migration has begun attention in Estonia this year having been with first grey-lag geese, lapwings and elected so called species of the year: sky-larks here; first hundreds of whooper Ringed Seal (Pusa hispida), Common and bewick's swans have started their Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) and Alder song festival on Matsalu bay. Some of the Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). spring can be seen from home via internet - the "seal camera" of Vilsandi National In spite of good weather the mood is not Park is located in the grey-seals' kinder- very much so, the thoughts being held by garden: www.looduskalender.ee/node the tense situation in Ukraine. Who knows /19354 and "owl camera" of Matsalu how far the conflict can go, and there National Park is inside a tawny owl's nest: would be then losses both among people www.looduskalender.ee/node/19372 . and the rest of nature. Survey of local inhabitants promotes sustainable development in Protected Areas of Finland, Latvia and Lithuania / A. Balandina One of the key elements on the way to was organized in each of the territories to sustainable development in protected learn more about relationships between areas is successful relationship and the park and the people and identify topics collaboration with local communities living for further development. in and around these areas. Being aware of this, Metsähallitus Natural Heritage To increase the response rate, survey Services (Finland), Oulu University methods were adapted to local conditions. (Finland), Ķemeri National Park Fund In Finland the questionnaires were (Latvia) and Gražute Regional Park distributed and collected via mail, whilst in Directorate (Lithuania) launched a Latvia in Lithuania a special type of common project “Community house-to-house approach was tested by Programme for Sustainable bringing the questionnaires to each Development” in the end of 2013 within household and collecting them back in a the Nordplus Adult Programme . The couple of days time. The effort turned out ultimate goal of the project is to elaborate to be a success and the number of „Community programme” for protected questionnaires collected was sufficient to areas involved in developing sustainable represent the needs of local populations. tourism. It is planned to be a compilation University of Oulu is now busy with of experiences and guidelines from three analysis of the results with the study 2 of 10 10.04.2014 9:34 EUROPARC NBS Newsletter 1/2014 http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=5108bdfadcd892894bfe63be6&... Subscribe Share Past Issues Translate sample territories, different by their reports expected until the end of March. country, management system, size, population, development of sustainable After the reports are ready, the next steps tourism and other aspects – Koillismaa of the project will start with discussing the region with Oulanka and Syöte National results with all involved parties in each of Parks in Finland (Pan Park/Charter Park the territories and working out local action with 10 years of experience), Ķemeri plans to meet the needs of local people. In National Park in Latvia (awarded the Ķemeri National Park this process will be Charter in 2012) and Gražute Regional strongly supported by the managing Park in Lithuania (not a Charter Park, but institution of the park – Nature working towards development of Conservation Agency. The experiences of sustainable tourism). all the processes covered in the course of the project – survey, analysis of results, To lay profound basis for any future work elaborating action plans, etc – will then be with the communities, analysis of the put together into a common „Community current situation was necessary. programme” expected to be available by Therefore, a survey of local inhabitants the end of 2014. Towards responsible and effective management of wetlands in Latvia / Z. Z ālīte In the field of nature conservation in Latvia, February was a month when wetlands 3 of 10 10.04.2014 9:34 EUROPARC NBS Newsletter 1/2014 http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=5108bdfadcd892894bfe63be6&... Subscribe Share Past Issues Translate were in the spotlight. Various activities aiming to promote sustainable management of wetlands were organised throughout the country. LIFE+ Project “National Conservation and Management Programme for Natura 2000 Sites in Latvia” NAT-PROGRAMME, implemented by the Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia, actively contributed to raising awareness about the importance of responsible and effective management of wetlands. For the second year in a row project NAT-PROGRAMME in collaboration with the Natural History Museum of Latvia organised a seminar dedicated to the World Wetlands Day. Although Latvia is in the top 50 countries in terms of water availability, improving water quality has become a significant topic among not only scientists and experts, but also land owners. Therefore, the seminar gathered a rather diverse audience (scientists, land owners, representatives from NGOs and governmental institutions - totalling 70 participants!), to provide an opportunity to discuss the most urgent issues in water management, as well as their potential solutions. The event was opened by Juris J ātnieks – the Ramsar National Focal Point and Manager of the project NAT-PROGRAMME. He emphasized that for Latvia it is essential to recognise at all levels of society that wetlands not only accumulate and transform human induced pollution, but also maintain a diversity of organisms and support an array of functions, jointly known as ecosystem services. In order to gain feedback about the problems presented during the seminar, three discussion groups were formed, each focusing on a different topic – rivers, lakes and water tourism. The aim these discussion groups was to identify the most significant problems in water management that should be addressed in the Freshwater Habitat Management Guidelines that the Project NAT-PROGRAMME is currently drafting. Participants were also encouraged to discuss already suggested potential solutions to these problems. Altogether, 40 different solutions to existing challenges were suggested. NAT-PROGRAMME freshwater habitats expert Andris Urtāns, who is also the Ramsar National Focal point for Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel, coordinated work in these discussion groups and has summed up the suggestions, particularly highlighting the following recommendations: We need to learn and develop an integrated approach to the way we think about water management and biological diversity. We need to understand that freshwaters are not only an asset in terms of their economical value, but also host a large 4 of 10 10.04.2014 9:34 EUROPARC NBS Newsletter 1/2014 http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=5108bdfadcd892894bfe63be6&... Subscribe Share Past Issues Translate proportion of the Earth’s biodiversity. Close collaboration is needed between various organisations and institutions that represent the Water Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive, so that we can successfully achieve our joint goals for improved water quality. We need continuous evaluation of the efficiency of existing habitat restoration and management activities. A comprehensive toolkit providing the best methods for managing freshwater biodiversity is needed. As a local problem we urgently need to evaluate the effects of European beaver (Castor fiber) activity and find appropriate and site specific solutions. The current state and functionality of riparian buffer belts must be clarified at all levels to maintain water quality. Motivation and education of land owners is a crucial starting point for successful and long-term sustainable management of water habitats in Latvia. These are some of the main challenges that we need to address to stop deterioration of water quality and related biological diversity. Project NAT-PROGRAMME aims to contribute to improving the quality of water habitats in Latvia by drafting comprehensive Freshwater Habitat Management Guidelines. Restoring Fens in Latvia In Latvia, several restoration actions have been carried out in Ramsar sites were raised bog habitats were renewed. However, there is still little experience in the management of alkaline fens . Therefore, in addition to coordinating work in discussion groups, project NAT-PROGRAMME is also conducting practical habitat management activities to test various management methods in pilot territories. It is essential to document these activities and collect experience in restoration and management of alkaline fens. Hence, permanent monitoring plots have been established in the pilot areas to evaluate the effects of the tested