Pan-European Green Belt Conferences

The first BESTbelt Conference took place from 01 to 04 November 2022 in the beautiful costal town of Ulcinj, Montenegro. This conference gave the participants the opportunity to connect again in person, share experiences, increase networks and discuss new approaches to strengthen the European Green Belt. The main focus of the BESTbelt Conference was the implementation of the EU-funded BESTbelt project, its ability to unlock the local potential to conserve biodiversity and to increase the visibility of the European Green Belt. 

In Montenegro, the coastal and border region around Ulcinj provided an ideal setting for the thematic aspects of the BESTbelt Conference and the participants were able to see local examples on a field trip day. 

Programme of the BESTbelt Conference 2022 (pdf)

Opening and Welcome Speeches

• Ivana Karađinović, manager of municipality Ulcinj
• Tamara Brajović, Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism
• Laura Zampetti, EU Delegation to Montenegro
• Jutta Paulus, Member of the European Parlament, video message
• Milena Bataković, Environmental Protection Agency Montenegro
• Ben Caspar, DG Environment

Session 1: BESTbelt - More power for the European Green Belt

• BESTbelt – More power for the European Green Belt: Connecting people and creating sustainable long-term perspectives, Anne Katrin Heinrichs, EuroNatur (pdf)
• Project Rallye of funded projects of BESTbelt Call 2022:

1. ECO-TOURISM SOLUTIONS FOR THE SMALL RURAL ENTREPRENEURS ALONG EGB IN LITHUANIA, Agne Vaitkuviene, Lithuanian countryside tourism association (pdf)
2. Reduction of eutrophication in underwood and advanced growth of grey and wooded dune habitats, Janis Matulis and Ilmārs Bodnieks, Latvian Green Movement (pdf)
3. A common Code of Conduct for Green Belt coastal nature territories in Latvia, Juris Smalinskis, Latvian Country Tourism Association (pdf)
4. Restoring biodiversity along the Italian Greenbelt: forgotten bunkers, abandoned meadows and disappearing ponds, Francesca Visintin and Davide Scridel, Associazione Rete Italiana European Green Belt APS and WILD ROUTES (pdf)
5. Stitary - Centre of Local Biodiversity, Erika Smrtová and Matěj Pokorný, Obec Krasna (pdf)
6. Mitigation of the impacts of electrocution on Eagle Owl in Western Slovenia, DOPPS – BirdLife Slovenia (pdf)
7. Mapping and restoring fens and lean wet meadows, Christine Pühringer, Margit Gross and Thomas Wrbka, League of Nature Conservation Lower Austria (Naturschutzbund NÖ), University of Vienna – Department of Botany and Biodiversity Resarch (pdf)
8. Micro wetlands: Fountains of Life for Biodiversity and Human Wellbeing, Petar Vanev, Topolovgrad Municipality and Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation (BBF) (pdf)
9. Towards Biodiversity Conservation and Strengthening Protected Area management of Cijevna River, Andrijana Mićanovic, NGO Montenegrin Ecologists Society and Eco-team (pdf)
10. OLD MOUNTAIN-NEW PRACTICES: a circular economy focused on people and nature, Dobrila Sudimac Mratinkovic, Citizen Association TEAM (pdf)
11. Bees & greens: Evidence-based advocacy for polilnator-friendly best management practices in protected areas of the Green Belt in Serbia, Organisation for Respect and Care of Animals - ORCA (pdf)

Session 2: Potential of green jobs for the European Green Belt

• Potential of sustainable jobs along the European Green Belt and its valorisation in the frame of BESTbelt, Pavla Cihlarova and Oana Forestier, Trinomics (pdf)

• Best Practices from the European Green Belt:

1. „Training of guides through the local landscape of the Pilsen Region“, Alexandra Hrušková, REVIS (pdf)
2. “Pasvik-Inari potential for green jobs in the North of Green Belt of Fennoscandia”, Aimo Saano, Metsähallitus (pdf)
3. “Creation of hospitality jobs along the Baltic coastline”, Juris Smalinskis, Latvian Country Tourism association "Lauku celotajs" (pdf)

• Panel discussion between Ksenija Medenica (CZIP), Oana Forestier (Trinomics), Petko Tzvetkov (BBF) and Benjamin Caspar (EU Commission) on the potential of green jobs along the European Green Belt and how to address challenges, moderated by Gabriel Schwaderer (EuroNatur)

Session 3: Potential of the European Green Belt for Climate Protection and Nature Restoration

• “LIFE for MIRES: Trans-boundary mire restoration along the Czech-German Green Belt” and “Cross-Linking Green Belt”, Melanie Kreutz, BUND Department Green Belt (pdf)
• "Rewetting of Coastal Meadows on the Baltic Sea Coast", Jörg Schmiedel, BUND Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (pdf)
• “Nature restoration measures in Salina Ulcinj”, Ksenija Medenica, CZIP (YouTube link to the video)

Session 4: Success stories of nature restoration and protection along the European Green Belt

• "Habitat classification & connectivity analysis along the European Green Belt using high-resolution satellite imagery", Stefan Fuchs, Florian Danzinger, Markus Pöchtrager, Martin Neuwirth, Gebhard Banko, Thomas Wrbka, Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation Group, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Soil & Land use management, Federal Environmental Agency GmbH, Vienna (pdf)
• "Lesser Kestrel in the Balkan Green Belt", Gradimir Gradev, Stilyana Yaneva, Green Balkans – Stara Zagora NGO, Agricultural University of Plovdiv (pdf)
• "Supporting Danube Region´s ecological Connectivity by linking Natura 2000 areas along the Green Belt", Martin Kuba, BUND Department Green Belt (pdf)
• "Caspian Whipsnake populations along the Danube: meeting the Green Belt, but separated from each other", Balazs Trocsanyi, Druna-Drava National Park (pdf)
• "Notes on the features of the flora and vegetation of the Republic of Kosovo", Fadil Millaku, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Prishtina (pdf)
• "Opportunities and challenges in sustainable development and nature protection on site “The opinion of those left behind – Jablanica Mt.”, Robertina Brajanoska, Bogoljub Sterijovski, Ivana Vuchkova, Despina Dinova, Macedonian Ecological Society (pdf)
• "Progress along the Balkan Green Belt", Robertina Brajanoska, Despina Dinova, Macedonian Ecological Society (pdf)
• "Rural Karst – Romania", Sofia Galceava, Explorers Caving Association (pdf)

Opening of exhibition “'Borderbarriers and Ecocorridors at the Edge of Europe” (pdf)

Session 5: Working groups on the road (pdf)

Parallel field-trips to visit best practices at Saline Ulcinj and Ada Bojana. Exchange and discussion on potential of green jobs, restoration measures, threats and successful strategies.

Session 6: Review of BESTbelt Conference (pdf)

Session 7: Sharing of knowledge and experiences (working groups) (pdf)

1. Promotion of the EGB Days and discussion how to improve the performance; Lead: EuroNatur together with Green Balkans (Bulgaria) and PPNEA (Albania)
2. Spatial delineation of the EGB: Presentation of methodological approach in Italy and exchange of experiences; Lead: Rete Italiana EGB
3. Workcamps and youth exchange: Lead: BUND Thuringia
4. Future Workshop: European Green Belt - Challenges and potential for the next 30 years, Lead: EuroNatur

The 10^th Pan-European Green Belt Conference 2018 was held from October 15 to October 19 at the World Heritage Site Wartburg in the city of Eisenach/Germany. The conference was jointly organised by BUND (Friends of the Earth Germany), EuroNatur, the Thuringian Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Nature Conservation (TMUEN) and the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN).

More than 120 representatives from NGOs and GOs coming from 21 adjacent countries as well as Korea and Liechtenstein were present. The aim of the conference was to provide a platform to exchange experiences and knowledge, as well as developing further joint activities and partnerships. In addition, the bi-annual General Assembly of the European Green Belt Association e.V. was organized in the context of the Green Belt Conference.

A thematic focus of the conference was the presentation and discussion of the results of the BfN-funded project "The Green Belt as Part of the Green Infrastructure" implemented by BUND and EuroNatur. Furthermore, approaches for better protection and development of the Green Belt Europe from the different regions were presented and discussed in presentations and a poster session on best practice examples. In addition, six workshops offered the opportunity for thematically focused cooperation and networking. As a joint message, the participants of the conference adopted the "Eisenach Resolution on the European Green Belt”.

Programme of the 10th Pan-European Green Belt Conference(pdf)

Opening and Welcome Speeches

Video message from Svenja Schulze, German Federal Environmental Minister

1st session: Update from the four regions of the European Green Belt(pdf)

2^nd session: European Green Belt as model for EU-level Green Infrastructure  

• Definition of a spatial reference area of the European Green Belt (pdf), Petko Tzvetkov, Board of the European Green Belt Association and Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation
• Contribution of the European Green Belt to the implementation of EU-level Green Infrastructure (pdf), Werner Rolf, Landwärts

3rd session - panel discussion: The European Green Belt as Green Infrastructure: challenges, strategies and partnerships (pdf)

4^th session: Instruments to secure and improve the functionality of the European Green Belt 

• The Green Belt on the way to a National Nature Monument – BUND Thuringia´s campaign for local acceptance (pdf), Karin Kowol, BUND Thuringia          
• The European Green Belt Factor – Dare to Connect (pdf), Melanie Kreutz, BUND Department Green Belt
• Stakeholder involvement in activities of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM): lessons and prospects (pdf), Mikhail Durkin, HELCOM              
• Feasibility study: Green Belt Region Upper Palatinate (Bavaria) - Czech Republic (pdf), Peter Blum, Planning office Dipl.-Ing. Blum, landscape and spatial development
• The Prespa-Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) – Financing transboundary conservation in Southeast Europe (pdf), Vasiliki Roumeliotou, Society for the Protection of Prespa, Greece
• Spectrum of actions along the Fennoscandian Green Belt - examples of implemented, ongoing and planned projects (pdf), Mikko Tiira, Metsähallitus, Parks and Wildlife Finland

5^th session – poster session: Sharing best practice examples    

• The Green Belt, Predators and Semi-Domesticated Reindeer (pdf), Alfred Colpaert, University of Eastern Finland
• Fragmentation of Western Capercaillies’s Biotope in the Šumava Mountains and the Bavarian Forest (pdf), Ondřej Volf, Eva Volfová, Ametyst
• Goričko Landscape and guided hikes for nature experience (pdf), Gregor Domanjko, Stanislava Dešnik, GoričkoNature Park Public Institute      
• Einsatz für das Grüne Band Thüringen (pdf), Stiftung Naturschutz Thüringen     
• The return of white-tailed eagle (pdf), Ivan Darco Grlica, Natural History Society Drava 
• Use of History in Ecotourism and Conservation in the Fennoscandian Green Belt (pdf), Maria Lähteenmäki, University of Eastern Finland    
• Survey for a return of the European mink (Mustela lutreola) along the Bavarian-Czech Green Belt (pdf), Lisa Deak, Dr. Liana Geidezis, Melanie Kreutz, BUND Department Green Belt             
• D2C - DaRe to Connect: Supporting Danube Region´s ecological Connectivity by linking Natura 2000 areas along the Green Belt (pdf), Martin Kuba, BUND Department Green Belt
• Feasibility Study Green Belt Region Upper Palatinate (Bavaria) – Czech Republic (pdf), Peter Blum, Planning Office Dipl-Ing. Blum, landscape and spatial development          
• Improving the European Green Belt Initiative with an international photo contest: a preliminary proposal (pdf), Philippe Fayt, School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland
• Large-Scale Conservation Project, Green Belt Rodachtal-Lange Berge-Steinachtal (pdf), Stefan Beyer, Zweckverband Grünes Band Rodachtal - Lange Berge – Steinachtal         
• Green Belt in Virovitica Podravina county, Croatia (pdf), Tatjana Arnold Sabo    
• Spatial distribution of protected areas in Balkan Green Belt, border of Serbia with Romania (pdf), Tea Požar Department of Geography, University of Bamberg
• Cosing Gaps in the Green Belt Germany (pdf), Uwe Friedel, BUND Department Green Belt

6^th session – parallel working groups: The European Green Belt – today, tomorrow and beyond

• Report on the results of the working group session
• Hand-outs

Eisenach Resolution

Press articles  (in German)

Full conference report (pdf barrier-free)