Ambassador profile

Organisation profile

• Local and regional visitors: 70% - 80%,
• Other regions: 10% - 15%,
• Foreigners: 5% - 10%.

Coastal meadows, wetlands, forests, waters of lagoon located on the east part of Szczecin Lagoon.
The Odra Delta Nature Park covers 3,997.85 ha, from which:

• 786.38 belongs to the Society for The Coast as coastal meadows, wetlands,
• 419.38 belongs to the National Forestry in Goleniow as mixed and pine forest,
• 2,673.16 belongs to the Maritime Office in Szczecin as waters of Lagoon,
• 118.92 belongs to other owners such as channels, roads, private lands.

It is a complex coastal ecosystem, characteristic for inland sea water catchment.

Land purchasing

Actually thanks to the support from EECONET Action Fund and cooperation with EUCC-The Coastal Union, Society for The Coast was able to purchase or long-term lease about 1,000 ha of extremely valuable coastal meadows.

Establishing Odra Delta Nature Park as a part of two Natura 2000 sites

(Project realized thanks to PIN-MATRA support; 2002-2005).

Sustainable development of Stepnica Local Community

Complex of initiatives organized by Society for The Coast with support from various organizations and sponsors, national and foreign:

• Implementation of Natura 2000
• Extensive agriculture development on selected areas
• Education with local children (since 1996)
• Soft tourism development: network of individual local investors and Society for The Coast in tourism sector (B&B, pensions, campsite, horse tours) with special attention to ecological tourism and education

(Programmes supported mostly by: Regional Fund for Environment Protection and Water Management in Szczecin, GEF, EcoFund, Natuurmonumenten, Dutch foundation KNHM.)

Activities and products for the communication of Natura 2000

 

✓Workshops

✓Exhibition

✓Guided visits

✓Other: Leaflets (4)

✓Other: Popular books (4)

✓Other: DVD production (3)

 

✓At least once per month

 

✓Yes

• Preparation of temporary visiting and education station
• Help in additional field work (fencing, channel cleaning etc.)

 

✓Leaflets

✓Other: Popular books (4)

✓Other: DVD publishing (3)

 

✓General public

✓Local community

✓Site visitors

 

✓No, under preparation.

 

Parallel to conceptual work, some activities have been undertaken. The most important are:

• Workshop: “Natura 2000 in practice in the coastal zone”, as a part of INTERREG IIIC Project “CoPraNet” (Stepnica Local Community, 5 – 9 of October 2005.) focused for local people and international group of experts
• Book: Natura 2000 on the Szczecin Lagoon (guide and scenarios for lessons) (2005)
• Group of radio and TV information broadcasted in regional media in Szczecin region (2005 – 2007)

 

✓By Society for The Coast

 

✓Yes

 

Society for The Coast is a member of Eurosite and participates in various forms of common activities (also by organising Annual General Meeting in 2004).
The organisation is in quite close cooperation with Natuurmonumenten and Staatsbosbeheer in the Netherlands.

• Active conservation and preservation of the coastal wet meadows, wetlands, water and forest ecosystems
• Connecting nature with education, recreation, culture and science
• Rehabilitation of wetlands

The rules and regulations connected with Natura 2000 are the key instruments in realising the Odra Delta Nature Park mission. It is a model area in “living nature” implementation, active nature management and public participation.

The long term objectives realised in Odra Delta Nature Park are connected to model active nature management of coastal and wet meadows. Tools such as grazing and mowing are used to ensure the proper water management, implemention of proper nature measures and education and eco-tourism. It is going hand-in-hand with the preservation of forests and sustainable usage of lagoon waters.

After 1989 the system of state farming collapsed and much of the land was abandoned. After 10 years of purchasing, re-management was the only way to save this unique ecosystem, especially in the light of BirdLife. The lack of management and incorrect locations of nests lead to problems with water usage. The lack of water management was also preventing the development of forest ecosystems.

The following groups of stakeholders are involved:

• Farmers
• Fishermen
• Foresters
• Sector of local tourism
• Local administration

• Preparation of the land purchasing after the existing and endangered values were recognized
• Land purchasing procedures
• Preparation of the Management vision
• Groups of terrain activities (water management, extensive agriculture re-implementation, preparation for education and eco-tourism mission)

For “paper and office” works, the methods carried out were: negotiations, administration procedures, consultancy.
For field activities, a large amount of work involved connecting with individual subjects, including involving local people and setting up of partnerships.

• Close cooperation with local communities
• Good contacts with a group of local investors (tourism, agriculture)
• Integration with state sector of administration (forestry, maritime)
• Actually the basics for professional nature management realised by NGO in cooperation with state organisation have been established
• Better nature management of unique coastal ecosystems have been started
• Public involvement is significant

Approximately Euro 500,000

From 1996 (Society for The Coast established) to present: approximately Euro 500,000

Not more than Euro 10,000 was possible.

No