Press release

June 25, 2018

New project to improve green infrastructure in lowland rivers in Zemgale region and Northern Lithuania

Zemgale Planning Region (ZPR) together with the Partners: Baltic Environmental Forum – Latvia, Jelgava and Rundale Local Municipalities, Bauska Local Municipality Council, Biržai district municipality administration and two Directorates of Biržai Regional Park and Zagare Regional Park has started implementation of the project LLI-291 “Enhancement of Green Infrastructure in the Landscape of Lowland Rivers” (ENGRAVE) supported by the Interreg V-A Latvia-Lithuania Programme 2014-2020.

The extensive plains and branched network of small rivers linked with a green environment and unique diversity of habitat are one of the dominant of the surrounding landscape in the areas of the two neighbouring countries. Therefore the new project aims to enhance river-based green infrastructure by integrating ecosystem and landscape concepts in to the planning and integrated management of the lowland rivers at local and regional scale.

Almost all partners have already participated in the implementation of several significant Latvian-Lithuanian cross-border cooperation programs and other projects supported by the European Union financial instruments, including project implementation in the field of environmental protection, by improving the environmental quality of the Lielupe River basin and by joint cooperation for the efficient management of water resources.

During this project the main part of the activities will be devoted to the preparation of development planning documents. In order to increase the capacity of municipalities and other institutions involved in the project, it is planned to organize training on integrating different approaches to preserving the environment into the development of landscape and green infrastructure planning, as well as to organize a study visit to Great Britain. Besides that partners will jointly elaborate the methodology for regional and local landscape and green infrastructure planning in lowland areas. Taking into consideration the developed methodology there will be elaborated four Landscape and Green Infrastructure Plans: landscape and green infrastructure plan of Zemgale region, the development plan of the Svēte River catchment area in the Jelgava county and the landscape and green infrastructure plan in Bauska local municipality. Lithuanian partners will elaborate landscape and green Infrastructure plan of arrangement, preservation and development of green infrastructure alongside Apaščia and Agluona Rivers in Biržai town and Širvena Lake in Biržai district.

The project includes also the practical contribution to the conservation and improvement of green infrastructure. For example, the cleaning of overgrown waterways from aquatic weed with an amphibious mower in rivers Mūsa and Mēmele in the Bauska district, Landscaping of Vīna Hill area of Mežotne Hillforts in Rundāle county. Lithuanian partners plan to create pedestrian and cyclist path along the valley of the river in Biržai, as well as to make a fence and a staircase replacement at the caves in Karajimiškio Village, to cultivate and to improve the scenery in the Cherry Garden of Zagare. The partners will also prepare public video clip in Latvian, Lithuanian and English to provide the public with information on achieved results during the implementation of the project.

Project implementation ends on 30 April 2020. The total amount of financing is 583 300,34 EUR, including ERDF co-financing – 495 805,26 EUR.

Contact details: Mr. Juris Kālis

ZPR Public relation specialist

Phone: +371 29144960