-
Home
-
European Projects
-
Cross Border Cooperation for Sustainable Managemen.. (Lakes for Future)
Cross Border Cooperation for Sustainable Management of Lake Areas in Kurzeme and Lithuania
(Lakes for Future)
Start date: Apr 1, 2012,
End date: Jan 31, 2014
PROJECT
FINISHED
Project activities covers area of Kurzeme Region in Latvia and Klaipeda,Telšiai, Šiauliai, Panavežys Counties in Lithuania. Project focuses on lakes as inland waters, what are important resources for sustainable development. Almost all lakes in Latvia and in Lithuania are affected by anthropogenic factors and have problems of eutrophication. Project is dealing with problems of lakes and its basins - lack of appropriate infrastructure, not enough resources for implementation of existing management plans, limited available data on environmet quality in lakes, weak interaction between policymakers and researchers, low citizens involvement and information on protection and management of lake areas This is resulting in problems for consevation of species and habitats, as well water quality especially in lake basins, therefore problem solving must be targeted at cross border level. Many lake areas are designated as Natura 2000 sites on the basis of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC and Birds Directive 2009/147/EC. Lakes and its basin areas are also seen at the scope of Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EC which requires protection for all waters with the objective to achieve good water quality by 2015. Project overall objective is to promote sustainable management and conservation of nature resources in lakes and its basin areas in Kurzeme region and Lithuania cross-border area. Project has 3 sub-objectives: 1)To develop the infrastructure for the management and protection of nature resources in order to prevent possible threats and improve acessibility to lakes. 2)To ensure exchange of experience between different actors and stakeholders involved in management of lakes, as well to provide decision makers with actual infomation and data on state of environment in lakes and its basins in cross-boder area. 3)To promote public involvement and information about protection and management of lake areas and disseminate the results of the Project. Main activities are preparation of guidelines for sustainable management of lake areas, construction works and planning and establishing the appropriate infrastructure, study visits, research and monitoring activities, public environment minotoring of lakes ('Lake Watch') both in LV and LT, travelling photo exhibition ,information materials and conference. Project partners are Kurzeme Planning Region, Liepaja, Durbe, Kuldiga, Saldus, Talsi, Mersrags municipalities, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre form LV and Zemaitija Nacional Park, Tytuvenai and Biržai Regional Parks Diirectorates, and Klaipeda University in LT.Total project budget is 1165852,99 EUR, out of which 1162314,49 EUR is eligible budget. Expected Results: To investigate in solution of existing problems (see AF I.Description), results of the Project will be as follows: nature resources will be managed (85000 m2 / contracts for works), negative anthropogenic load will be minimised and access to the lakes will be improved (5 objects of infrastructure/contracts for construction), local citizens involved in 'Lake Watch' (400/lists of participants), lake management plans elaborated (2/contracts), researc information provided (8/documents).