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Information Manager:

Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften
Lohbrügger Kirchstraße 65
21033 Hamburg
DE
Veronika Schulte / Natalie Fischer
E-mail: waterpraxis@ls.haw-hamburg.de
Phone: +49 40 42875 6331
Fax: +49 40 42875 6079

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Summary description of the project:

Eutrophication caused by nutrient loading is the biggest environmental problem of the Baltic Sea. Practical measures to reduce it are included in River Basin Management Plans (RBMP), outputs of the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive. However, putting general-level RMBPs into practice, i.e. applying water pollution control methods and changing land-use practices, is hindered by many barriers. For example, RBMPs cover large geographical areas and thus, it is difficult to apply public participation principles in planning process and get common acceptance on local level for measures planned. Also, cost- and eco-efficient realisation of measures is demanding, as no examples of best practices for it have been presented. Without proper knowledge of environmental-efficiency of different measures, it is difficult to get adequate political and financial support. As well, changing climate and institutional structures in BSR countries are challenges for efficient water management.

The project "From theory and plans to eco-efficient and sustainable practices to improve the status of the Baltic Sea - WATERPRAXIS" was based on this background. It followed closely the BSR IIIB project Watersketch (2004-07) and results gained in Trabant, Bernet, Bernet Catch and Astra projects. Partnership consisted of authorities in charge of water management and of experts on environmental technology, economy, nature and social sciences and education. Consortium covered 7 coastal countries of the sea ensuring expertise required for achieving the goals set and effective knowledge change and result dissemination widely across BSR. Project's overall objective was to improve the status of the Baltic Sea by contributing to practical implementation of measures chosen in RBMPs in the region.

Specific objectives were to: 1) identify and suggest improvements to present water management practices by analysing the contents and planning processes of RBMPs

2) establish action plans based on RBMPs for pilot areas in Poland, Lithuania, Denmark and Finland representing best practices and measures for water protection and public participation; 3) prepare investment plans for water protection measures for selected sites in pilot areas; 4) disseminate information of best practices and measures of water management and 5) offer education for planners of water management and environmental economy.

Action and investment plans and planning methods were prepared in transnational cooperation with authorities and scientific partners. The project had a strong pre-investment character aiming at realising investments for water protection measures following this project.

Achievements of the project so far:

The activities of Waterpraxis project have been finalised and the results have been collected in the final report published in electronic form on the project's website at www.waterpraxis.net/en/results.html.

In WP3 the project analysed the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in different Baltic Sea Region countries. The results show that there are significant differences in the selected planning methods and processes and the implementation plans around the Baltic Sea Region. As the first official River Basin Management Plans will be revised by 2015, it is possible to utilize the collected experiences around the BSR and also elsewhere in Europe. In WP4 the project collected earlier experiences of realised water management and restoration projects from partnering countries. In addition, the four pilot areas of Waterpraxis in Finland, Denmark, Poland and Lithuania prepared new or revised existing water protection action plans.

Based on them, the detailed plans for environmental investments responding the most acute problems in water management for each pilot area were prepared and funding possibilities for realization of these investments after the project's implementation period were surveyed in WP5. Based on earlier and new experiences gathered in the WP3 analyses and the activities in project's pilot areas, potentially good practices for planning of water management and implementation of measures were suggested. Also all these experiences can be utilized elsewhere as successful examples of practical water management approaches.

As an addition to the original project plan, the Waterpraxis project was able to realize pilot scale investments for drinking water purification facilities in rural villages in the Lithuanian pilot area. As well, two smaller scale case studies were realised. In Latvia the main focus was on detailed assessing of the ecological status of the River Daugava.

In Sweden, the specific water management problem, acidity originated from the soil, was studied in detail.

The dissemination of project activities and results has been very active during the project implementation. The main results of Waterpraxis have been compiled in the final project booklet available both in printed and in electronic form. The project also published six Newsletter issues also available on the website. They can be found on the project's website in the section "Downloads & Results". During its lifetime, the project organised/co-organised a wide set of events covering, for example, the topics of sustainable river basin planning and management, land-use modelling with GIS tools and environmental economy. More information of them are avaible on the website in the section "Events". The main results of Waterpraxis will be further disseminated through the BSR Programme Cluster Initiative focusing on environmental issues.

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