Background
Extending from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic Ocean, the Green Belt includes valuable natural areas in Finland, Russia and Norway. Its core is made up of national parks and other protected areas in all three countries. The Green Belt of Fennoscandia is the northern portion of the European Green Belt.
Finland, Russia and Norway share responsibility for protecting the biodiversity and maintaining the vitality of the natural areas in the Green Belt. Cooperation between the countries is based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2010. The cooperation between the countries includes the implementation of international objectives on biodiversity.
The Green Belt of Fennoscandia has the potential to develop into an internationally distinctive model area, where both nature and people benefit from cross-border cooperation.
Aims
Aim of the project is to coordinate the development of the Green Belt of Fennoscandia (GBF) into a new, widely acknowledged transboundary model area for cross-border cooperation on biodiversity conservation. The development process is guided by the commonly adopted strategic priorities.
Activities in 2015–2017
- coordination of the implementation of the Strategy for the Green Belt of Fennoscandia in the network of three countries and nationally
- support for the regional Green Belt activities and project planning by organising workshops and delivering information on funding opportunities.
- communication on the values of the Green Belt and biodiversity conservation in the area as well preparing a strategic communication, education, participation and awareness
- coordination of the arrangements of the 9th Pan-European Green Belt
More information
www.ym.fi/greenbelt
Project Leader Anna Kuhmonen, Finnish Environment Institute SYKE,
firstname.surname@environment.fi, tel. +358 295 251 322