Pan-European Green Belt Conferences

BESTbelt Conference 2022

 

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

  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

  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

 

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

 

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

10th Pan-European Green Belt Conference 2018

 

The 10th 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)

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

5th session – poster session: Sharing best practice examples    

 

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

 

Eisenach Resolution

Press articles  (in German)

Full conference report (pdf barrier-free)