• Project title: “Joint Management of Urban Wetland Areas in border region Latvia-Lithuania”
• Project acronym: Urb-Area
• Project number: LLI – 472
• Project funded by: Interreg V-A Latvia – Lithuania Programme 2014-2020
• European Regional Development Fund co-funding: 319 700 EUR
• Project implementation period: October, 2020 – September, 2022
• Project partners:
  • Lead partner: Daugavpils City Municipality, Latvia
  • Project partner: Anyksciai District Municipality Administration, Lithuania
• Program website: www.latlit.eu
• Official EU website: www.europa.eu

The project addressed management of natural and semi-natural ecosystems of urban wetlands in two neighbouring cross border areas – Daugavpils (Latvia) and Anykščiai (Lithuania). Both municipalities had faced lack of understanding by responsible institutions and inhabitants the importance of urban wetlands’ eco-system for natural balance .

The project aimed to develop the innovative integrated and efficient approach for joint cross-border management of urban wetlands.

Two urban areas wetlands were managed within the project – ponds in the territory of Latgale Zoo (Daugavpils, Latvia) and Green pond in Anykščiai (Lithuania).

The biodiversity inventory has been implemented for both wetlands, common action plan was created and it includes recommendations and measures for future preservation of urban wetlands.

Both ponds and their surrounding areas were cleaned from litter, and overgrown plants (reeds and bushes) were removed. The cleaning of the ponds and their banks gave the impulse to wetlands’ nature to regenerate.

To manage the flow of visitors and to reduce disturbance of the nature the paths and benches for visitors were set-up. Also, visitors are able to observe the wetlands’ species remotely: outdoor cameras were set up on the territories of wetlands and videos from both wetlands can be seen on-line and on the indoor screens in Latgale Zoo and Anykščiai Tourism and Business Information Center. Also, the visitors and everybody who is interested are able to use information on both wetlands, what species live there, what are their roles in wetland bio-system, how should they be treated. The same user-friendly information can also be used on mobile devices.

Both partners had organised environmental education activities for general public: children, pupils, students, and all nature lovers. Joint lectures were held, e-catalogues were created, video materials were developed.

Visitor counters were set up at the entrances of Latgale Zoo and Anykščiai Green Pond area to monitor the amount of people entering the wetlands’ areas and prevent those from over-visiting. Besides, the security cameras to monitor the public order were set up in Latgale Zoo and connected to Daugavpils city video surveillance system operated by municipal police.

About 15 000 people each year use the results of the project in Daugavpils and Anykščiai.

More about the project: https://2014-2020.latlit.eu/joint-management-of-urban-wetland-areas-in-border-region-latvia-lithuania/