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Funded Projects

In this database you can find information on projects funded in the period 2007-2013.

- Application calls -Round 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Round 9

Select one or more priorities

1. fostering innovations
2. Internal and external accessibility
3. Baltic Sea as a common resource
4. Attractive and competitive cities and regions

- Lead partner country -DEDKFILTLVNOPLSE

- Partner country -BELARUSBELGIUMDENMARKESTONIAFINLANDGERMANYLATVIALITHUANIANORWAYPOLANDSWEDENUNITED KINGDOM

- Partner Region -[ BE ] Région de Bruxelles-Capitale / Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest[ BE ] Prov. West-Vlaanderen[ BY ] Minskaya Oblastj, g. Minsk.[ BY ] Grodnenskaya Oblastj.[ BY ] Brestskaya Oblastj.[ BY ] Vitebskaya Oblastj.[ BY ] Gomelskaya Oblastj.[ DE ] Niederbayern[ DE ] Berlin[ DE ] Brandenburg - Nordost[ DE ] Brandenburg - Südwest[ DE ] Bremen[ DE ] Hamburg[ DE ] Mecklenburg-Vorpommern[ DE ] Braunschweig[ DE ] Hannover[ DE ] Lüneburg[ DE ] Chemnitz[ DE ] Sachsen-Anhalt[ DE ] Schleswig-Holstein[ DK ] Hovedstaden[ DK ] Sjælland[ DK ] Syddanmark[ DK ] Midtjylland[ DK ] Nordjylland[ EE ] Eesti[ ES ] Cataluña[ FI ] Itä-Suomi[ FI ] Etelä-Suomi[ FI ] Länsi-Suomi[ FI ] Pohjois-Suomi[ FI ] Åland[ LT ] Lietuva[ LV ] Latvija[ NO ] Oslo og Akershus[ NO ] Hedmark og Oppland[ NO ] Sør-Østlandet[ NO ] Agder og Rogaland[ NO ] Vestlandet[ NO ] Trøndelag[ NO ] Nord-Norge[ Ot ] Other[ PL ] Lodzkie[ PL ] Mazowieckie[ PL ] Malopolskie[ PL ] Slaskie[ PL ] Lubelskie[ PL ] Podkarpackie[ PL ] Podlaskie[ PL ] Wielkopolskie[ PL ] Zachodniopomorskie[ PL ] Lubuskie[ PL ] Dolnoslaskie[ PL ] Opolskie[ PL ] Kujawsko-Pomorskie[ PL ] Warminsko-Mazurskie[ PL ] Pomorskie[ RU ] St Petersburg[ RU ] Leningradskaya Oblast[ RU ] Karelia Republic[ RU ] Kaliningradskaya Oblast[ RU ] Pskovskaya Oblast[ SE ] Stockholm[ SE ] Östra Mellansverige[ SE ] Småland med öarna[ SE ] Sydsverige[ SE ] Västsverige[ SE ] Norra Mellansverige[ SE ] Mellersta Norrland[ SE ] Övre Norrland[ UK ] East Anglia[ UK ] Inner London

- Partner town - Gdańsk Katowice Lübeck Tallinn WarszawaAalborgAalborg OEAalborg OestAalborg Ø AalesundAaltoAarhusAcademy, Kaunas DistrictAllingeAlytusÅngeÄngelholmÅrhusÅrhus NArsenal am Pfaffenteich, Alexandrinenstraße 1ÅsAskimÅstorpBad SegebergBaranovichiBentwischBergenBerlinBialystokBiałe BłotaBiałystokBodøBorasBorlängeBorn/DarßBrabandBrandbuBraunschweigBremenBremerhavenBrestBrusselsBüsumBuxtehudeBydgoszczBøCesisCopenhagenCopenhagen KCopenhagen ØCottbusCuxhavenCzechowice - DziedziceDaugavpilsDessau-RoßlauDreiswaldElblągElmshornElverumEsbjergEskilstunaEspooFalunFlemingsberg StockholmFlensburgFlintbekFrankfurt (Oder)FredericiaFredericia KommuneFrederiksberg Frederiksberg CFredriksbergGargzdaiGävleGdanskGdanskoGdyniaGeesthachtGliwiceGomelGorkiGöteborgGötenburgGothenburgGreifswaldGrenaaGrevesmühlenGrobina municipalityGrodnoGülzowGülzow-PrüzenHalmstadHamarHamburgHamburg Chamber of Skilled Crafts and small busineHämeenlinnaHankoHannoverHärnösandHässleholmHelsingborgHelsingin kaupunkiHelsinkiHinnerupHirtshalsHohen LuckowHohenzieritzHorsholmHuddingeHulloHørsholmIgnalinaIvaloJärnaJaunmarupeJelgavaJoensuuJõhvi JokioinenJoniškisJönköpingJurmalaJyväskyläKajaani KajaaniKalmarKalundborgKärdlaKarlshamnKarlskronaKarlstadKaskinenKatowiceKauhavaKaunasKėdainiaiKedainiai dKehtnaKgs. Lyngby Kgs. LyngbyKielKistaKlaipedaKlaipeda Science and Technology ParkKlaipeda universityKlaipeda University, Coastal Research and PlanningKohilaKohtla-JärveKokkolaKoldingKöpenhamn NKoszalinKotkaKouvolaKrakowKrāslavaKristiansandKristianstadKuopioKuressaareKurtuvėnai, Šiauliai distrKøbehavnKøbenhavnKøbenhavn KKøbenhavn S. Køge (KOEGE)LahtiLancken-GranitzLappeenrantaLeborkLeezenLigatneLinköpingLodzLodz City Council (LCC)LondonLübeckLublinLudwigsfeldeLudwigslustLuebeckLuleåLundLyckseleMagdeburgMalmöMariboMariehamnMikkeliMinikowo MinskMisnkMoldeMolodezhno MosjøenMünchebergMustveeNakskovNarvaNARVIKNERINGANeuruppinNiepołomiceNorrköping NorrkopingNorwichNotodden NovogrudokNovopolotskNykøbingNykøbing FNæstvedOdenseOdense COdense MOldenburgOlsztynOlzolnieki, Jelgava ditrOpoleÖrebroOrgeOskarshamnOsloOsterholz-ScharmbeckÖstersundOstrovecOuluOulun yliopistoOzolniekiPanevėžysParchimPārgaujaParikkalaPiaseczno PlateliaiPoriPostdamPotsdamPoznańPulawyRadomRakvere RaplaRaszynRegensburgRehnaRendsburg RezekneRigaRiga City Council Traffic DepartmentRiga, Ogre distr.RöbelRoggentinRomaRönneRonnebyRoskildeRostock Rostock-WarnemuendeRostock-WarnemündeRõugeRøndeŠakiaiSakuSalacgrivaSalaspilsSarpsborgSassnitzSavonlinnaSchwerinSeebad BansinSeinäjokiSiauliai SilkeborgSkoklosterSkövdeSöderhamnSödertäljeSoltauSopotSoptSoroeSorøStavangerStavernSteinkjerStockholmStralsundSundbybergSundsvallSuwalkiSzczecinSønderborgSłupskTaastrupTähtvere TartumaaTallinTallinnTalsiTamparaTampereTarttuTartuTartu ÜlikoolTeltowTjeleTranemo kommunTrebbinTrelleborgTromsøTrondheimTurkuTurun yliopisto TynsetUddevallaUmeåUniversity of HelsinkiUppsalaVaasaVällingbyValmieraVALTIONEUVOSTOVantaaVästeråsVästervikVäxjöVecauceVejleVentspilsVilniusVilnius - 40Vilnius Gediminas Technical UniversityViniusVisaginasVisbyVitebskVolkoviskVollenVõruWarsawWarszawaWildauWismarWittenbergeWolfenbüttelWrocławYlivieskaZarasai Zielona GóraŁódź

Project acronym: Parks & Benefits

Project title: Parks & Benefits - Generating socio-economic effects by a sustainable management of protected areas for the benefit of their regions

Application call: 1

Priority: 4. Attractive & competitive cities and regions

Project website:

Information Manager:

Summary description of the project:

The BSR holds many sites of typically Baltic or even outstanding natural heritage which are preserved in protected areas. While respecting their conservation and development objectives, sustainable nature tourism within/ around protected areas can be an important element of the regional economies. Up to now this economic potential is often underdeveloped offering vast possibilities for the development of tourism, public-private partnerships & improved nature conservation. At the same time existing economic performance can be widely underestimated, which often results in mislead discussions and prejudices about nature protection.

The project “Parks & Benefits” has introduced & strengthened sustainable nature tourism approaches in the BSR and communicates the mutual benefits to protected areas and to their surrounding regions for regional development & sustained natural development. Thinking holistically the project has established a network of 8 protected areas, regional authorities,

stakeholders in tourism / environment & academic institutions backed by EUROPARC Federation as European umbrella organisation. In close and trustful cooperation the partnership has achieved the following results (among others):

• Joint implementation of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism being a practical instrument to generate socio-economic effects within protected areas

• Providing a number of opportunities & advantages in dealing with local processes, visitor impact monitoring & marketing

• Development and introduction of the Charter Part II to the BSR

• Elaboration of an action plan on generating socio-economic benefits

• Development of an action programme on a “low impact” transport system network

• Investment in the fields of visitor monitoring, accessibility for all and ICT solutions/ GPS systems

• Development of a quality / eco label guide for protected areas

The described results have a significant influence on the cooperation of protected area managements

& their local tourism stakeholders as this is acknowledged to be a key factor for a positive regional development combining nature conservation and tourism in the greatest possible sustainable way.

Parks & Benefits has influenced the various processes in protected area management by introducing and implementing the European Charter at park level in the BSR. Long-term tourism strategies have been developed that will be implemented on the basis of 5 years action plans. The parks also have built up strong communication to their tourism stakeholders establishing regular tourism forums & involving them into the future development of the protected area. Further, a basis for regular monitoring of social, economic and ecological benefits has been set to be implemented by parks across Europe. Strong dissemination activities have raised awareness for sustainable tourism issues and the European Charter itself among European practitioners in nature conservation & tourism.

Achievements of the project so far:

The main instrument of the Parks & Benefits project is the transfer of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas from Western and Mediterranean Europe to the Baltic Sea Region and the joint implementation in seven involved protected areas. The Charter process as well as “Parks & Benefits” comprises carrying capacity analyses, visitor management methods, quality development and cooperation with local tourist stakeholders and a progressive communication of substantial mutual benefits on a regional and international level.

The results of the Parks & Benefits project indicate an important progress towards a qualitative improvement of protected area and regional tourism management at project level by building up a basis for strengthening relationships between park managements, tourism stakeholders and regional authorities. The Charter process at local level also revealed that the charter and tourism development provide a chance for a new look at nature protection

focusing on positive actions (what can be done). It also provides a better understanding of the area as a whole for all parties who also realised a kind of “puzzle-effect” learning that each piece is essential to create and maintain the whole picture – a sustainable regional development.

The Charter also offers to protected areas:

• The opportunity to influence tourism development in the area

• A higher profile in the European arena as an area devoted to sustainable tourism

• An opportunity to work with and learn from other European “Charter parks” in a network

• Public relations and awareness-raising opportunities

• Helpful internal and external assessment

• Greater credibility amongst potential funding partners

The joint development of a socio-economic benefit monitor has further been defined as key activity providing a systematic collection of data on different scopes to be used to communicate the significance and benefits of protected areas to tourism stakeholder groups and

regional authorities. It also provides a useful inventory for the protected area management and a profound basis to influence and guide the most important decisions and activities within the protected area.

Comparative investigations on transportation and accessibility of the protected areas have been used to influence the Charter implementation processes of each park in terms of mobility and accessibility requirements. Two guidelines have been derived from the analyses as well as one action plan on low impact transport network systems with the ambitious task to increase the attractiveness of the region for visitors while preserving natural and cultural values.

The project results will be applied in practice by the involved park representatives. Tourism forums set up within Parks & Benefits shall be established as reliable and long-lasting institutions that identify necessary actions & decide on priorities in close cooperation with park authorities.

List of partners