News

This year, Green Balkans celebrated the European Green Belt Days in an unusual way with an amazing exhibition. At the opening of the event entitled “The Living Exhibition” Green Balkans and the Historical Museum Svilengrad made a connection between the Green Belt and some of its rare birds species.

The Virolahti municipality, the southeastern-most municipality of Finland at the border of Russia, has been running an exciting two-year project aiming to connect people on the European Green Belt.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the German reunification, the federal states bordering the German Green Belt and the Federal Ministry for the Environment have declared that they intend, in dialogue with the stakeholders, to completely secure and if possible designate the German Green Belt as a National Natural Monument. In addition, they intend to strengthen the ecological network along the Green Belt, including the section on the German border with the Czech Republic.

The cross-border areas along the European Green Belt are special: Over a long period of time there was low human activity, providing nature the opportunity to unfold its values. These areas have turned into a green stage to celebrate the European Green Belt Days (each year between 18-24 September).

Despite the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions conservationists along the European Green Belt are happy to again celebrate this year’s European Green Belt Days between 18-24 September! A bit different, but special.

Populations of the endangered freshwater pearl mussel are studied and new conservation methods developed far north of the EGB, in Fennoscandia. This summer, field mappings of Finnish rivers revealed at least ten unknown populations, laying the basis for further research on the species.

In Latvia, the smallest among the four national parks, Slītere National Park, has great things to offer: A new exhibition dedicated to the Calidris waders.

The project “DaRe to Connect”, led by BUND Department Green Belt, took part at the 2020´s “Festival of Lights” in Germany´s capital Berlin. The “Festival of Lights” aims to set an example of solidarity, unity and togetherness, following an approach of light-art with over 100 works at 86 locations around the city.

A study is currently underway in South Moravia, focusing on eight large forested areas to study social values of free access to forests of the European Green Belt in Czech Republic. A primary study area is in the vicinity of the Podyje National Park to investigate the diversity, intensity and frequency of human use of forested lands. For this particular site approximately 4,700 users were observed during July, August and September 2019.

Like millions of other organisations around the globe, the Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP) tried ambitiously to accommodate the extraordinary demands of working through the Covid-19 pandemic – how has the organisation responded?