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  • Bringing neighbours closer

    Bringing neighbours closer

    Welcome to the Interreg V-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme 2014–2020!

    About the programme
  • Bringing neighbours closer

    Bringing neighbours closer

    Welcome to the Interreg V-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme 2014–2020!

  • Bringing neighbours closer

    Bringing neighbours closer

    Welcome to the Interreg V-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme 2014–2020!

Seminar Week

05 June 2019

In frame of Latvian-Lithuanian InterReg project “Innovative brownfield regeneration for sustainable development of cross-border region” teachers and students of the Faculty of Environment and Building Science of Latvia university of Life Sciences and Technologies together with project partners from Ludza municipality (Latvia) and Kupišķi and Ignalina municipalities (Lithuania) organised and participated in 3 seminars . Seminars were held from 20 to 24 May.

One of the main tasks of the project was to select one degraded (polluted) area in each municipality and to decontaminate it using fitoremediation method. Project’s co-operation partners prepared the planned areas for application of this method – planting the suitable plants to eliminate pollution.

First seminar “The brownfields and their impact on the sustainable development of territories” took place in Kupiški on May 20 and 21. On the first day of the seminar, project leader, professor Daiga Zigmunde presented to participants project’s goal, development and results. Problems of brownfields were presented by project coordinator, assistant professor Maija Berzina. Senior expert of Land Policy Department of Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Mārtiņš Turks informed about progress in development of legislative acts regarding degraded territories in Latvia. Velta Paršova, professor of the Department of Land Management and Geodesy presented application of legislative acts in identification and management of brownfields.

Participants of the seminar discuss about the identification of brownfields

The seminar was attended by landscape architecture Master’s degree students of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies and land management students of Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania). In the second part of the seminar students were involved in practical works – they identified and evaluated the degraded area in the field. On the second day of the seminar students helped to plant previously grown plants on the territory of the former fuel filling station to revitalise the soil from oil products.

On the territory of the fuel filling station Kupiškis municipality

From Kupiški participants moved to Ignalina municipality, where on the territory of former boiler house four varieties of willow-trees were planted to help the soil get rid of mazut pollution. On May 22, in Ignalina was held theoretical seminar on the topic “Brownfields and possibilities of their recovery”. In the beginning of seminar project leader, professor Daiga Zigmunde introduced the audience with the project’s goal, development and results. Presentation on the landscape ecological approach to brownfield revitalization and examples of good practice in Latvia, Lithuania and abroad was presented as well. Assistant professor of Department of Environment and Water Management and researcher of Laboratory of Forest and Water resources Inga Grīnfelde and scientific assistant of mentioned laboratory Jovita Pilecka presented the possibilities of applying of phytoremediation in the rehabilitation of brownfields, as well as experience of using this method in other countries.

Seminar in Ignalina municipality

 Students of Kaunas Forest and Environmental Engineering College were involved in this seminar. Together with students from Latvia they participated in practical work organised in the second part of the seminar. The task of practical works was to detect air pollution in Ignalina town territory and analysing amount of lichen on tree trunks.

Air pollution analysis in Ignalina

Revitalization has started in Ignalina municipality project pilot area

From Ignalina we mowed back to Latvia, Ludza town, where the seminar week ended with the theme “Solutions for brownfield regeneration”. On 23 May theoretical seminar was held in Ludza municipality. The introduction was made by the project leader, professor Daiga Zigmunde, informing participants about project’s goal, development and results. Anda Jankava, professor of Department of Land Management and Geodesy made presentation on benefits from brownfields regeneration in regional development and sustainable use of resources. Natālija Ņitavska, assoc. professor of Department of Landscape Architecture and Planning continued this topic, emphasizing the importance of territory identity in brownfields revitalization, and analyzing methods of public engagement in these issues.

Opening the seminar in Ludza municipality

In practical work of the seminar students together with pupils of Ludza Secondary School No 2 evaluated development possibilities of former Ludza flax factory. The methodology developed by Department of Landscape Architecture and Planning was used.

Development possibilities of former Ludza flax factory

On the last day of seminar, 24 May, on the part of territory of former flax factory the plants were planted and sown. It will help to relieve the soil from heavy metals.

Plants helps to relieve the soil from heavy metals in former Ludza flax faktory

Total number of seminar participants was 145, including:

  • 21 from Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies;
  • 18 from Kaunas Forest and Environmental Engineering College (Lithuania);
  • 7 from Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania);
  • 21 employee of Kupiški, Ignalina and Ludza municipality;
  • 22 from Ludza Secondary School No 2;
  • 1 from Ludza Gymnasium;
  • 6 entrepreneurs;
  • 10 farmers;
  • 2 individual businessman;
  • 1 performer of economic activity;
  • 3 inhabitants of Ignalina town.

Last updated: 26.03.2024 16:20