© Gavrilo Knežević

European Green Belt Initiative

Our vision: The European Green Belt, our shared natural heritage along the line of the former Iron Curtain is to be conserved and restored, to function as an ecological network connecting high-value natural and cultural landscapes whilst respecting the economic, social and cultural needs of local communities.

An extraordinary ecological network and living memorial landscape has developed along the former Iron Curtain, which divided the European continent into East and West for nearly 40 years. Along 24 countries and more than 12,500 kilometres – from the Barents Sea at the Russian-Norwegian border, along the Baltic Coast, through Central Europe and the Balkans to the Black and the Adriatic Sea – the border zone granted nature a pause and has created a zone of life. As the European Green Belt snakes from north to south it passes through a huge variety of European landscapes. Today, the European Green Belt forms the backbone of a Pan-European ecological network and provides a significant contribution to European "Green Infrastructure".

The European Green Belt Initiative aims to harmonise human activities with the natural environment and to increase opportunities for the socio-economic development of local communities.

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BESTbelt Regional Conference season is in motion!

We look forward to meeting and exchanging with you on the European Green Belt during the upcoming conferences!

The European Green Belt Initiative

Borders separate. Nature unites!

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European Green Belt Camps 2024: Register now & get involved!

The Austrian League for Nature Conservation (Naturschutzbund Österreich) is once again organising European Green Belt Camps this summer to protect and restore the European Green Belt in Austria.

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BESTbelt Pan-European Conference 2024 will take place in October in Latvia!

Read more about the conference and the agenda here!

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