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On 1 May 2004, Poland joined the European Union As a new member has to meet the requirements of new EU regulations and directives concerning environmental standards. Since 1992 there has existed in Europe a network of over 26,000 protected areas covering an area of around km2 This represents more than 20% of the total territory of the EU. Poland is now included in the largest network in the world of protected areas This network is known as Natura 2000 At present there are 124 areas that belong to NATURA 2000 due to the Bird Directive and 364 are going to be included due to the Habitat Directive These areas are of interest for the development of educational tourism.

The new Euro regions were also consciously created as a basis for transnational cooperation in the field of tourism development. The new Euro regions -- which include Poland and Eastern European Countries – are a popular focus for the increase and enlargements of new tourist activity

The name Euroregion is given to areas situated on the borders of neighbouring countries. The first Euroregions were formed at the start of the 1950s on the borders of Norway, Sweden and Finland, the Netherlands and Germany and Germany and France. They led to the creation in 1958 of the first formal Euroregional structure - Euroregio – on the border of Germany and the Netherlands. Polish border towns and districts belong to 19 Euroregions situated along the countrys land borders and around the Baltic Sea. Neighbours cooperate to maintain local customs, traditional crafts and ways of life.

The European Eastern border is characterized by relatively less changed environment and the largest biodiversity In 2003 in Kiev the International Convention on sustainable development of the Carpathian Region has been signed. This Convention has been signed by Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia and Montenegro. In 1994 the Helsinki Convention on Protection of Sea Environment has been signed by Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland Sweden and Russia. In this document the Green Belt of Protected Area has been proposed around the Baltic Sea.

The European Convention known as Madrid Convention about the transboundary cooperation was signed In Madrid 21 of May In 1980 Poland

EUROREGIONS Nysa (1991, Czech Republic, Germany, Polans Czechy, Niemcy i Polska), Sprewa-Nysa-Bóbr (1993, Poland, Germany), Pro Europa-Viadrina (1993, Poland, Germany), Pomerania (1995, Poland, Germany, Sweden), Niemen (1997, Poland, Lituania, Bielorus), Glacensis (1996, Czech Republic, Poland), Karpaty(1993, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania), Tatry (1994, Poland, Slovakia), Bug (1995, Poland, Ukraine), Pradziad (1997, Poland, Chech Republic), Bałtyk (1998, Poland, Lituania, Sweeden).

MAP OF EUROREGIONS

Poland as a New EU Member had to implement the European Ecological Networks. The ecological network Natural 2000 was created in 1992 by the governments of European Union to protect threatened habitats and species in Europe. Natura 2000 protects 18% of land in the 15 countries that formed the EU before 2004 Each EU Member State must compile a list of the best wildlife areas containing the habitats and species listed in the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive. This list is submitted to the EU after which an evaluation and selection process is being done on European level in order to become a Natura 2000 site.

The Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC was adopted in The main aim of this Directive is to promote the maintenance of biodiversity, taking account of economic, social, cultural and regional requirements. While the Directive makes a contribution to the general objective of sustainable development; it ensures the conservation of a wide range of rare, threatened or endemic species, including around 450 animals and 500 plants.Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC

The Birds Directive 79/409/EEC was adopted in This Directive ensures far-reaching protection for all of Europes wild birds naturally occurring in the Union, the SpecialBirds Directive 79/409/EEC Europejska Sieć Ekologiczna Natura 2000

The very important protected Areas close to Eastern EU border have to be monitored and the results have to be stored in Geographical Information System (GIS) What could be solved by GIS to give the actual information to Tourism? There are number of important information to acheive: distribution of protected areas land use special places with plant communities protected fauna and flora infrastructure

EUROREGION NIEMEN D. Lewkiewicz Natural Highlands and Lowlands

Rozpuda

Program Rozwoju Produktu Turystycznego Euroregion Niemen – Polska Agencja Rozwoju Turystyki S.A 2003/2004

Biebrza Area

MONITORING OF ENVIRONMENTAL of WETLANDS ECOSYSTEMS Landsat ETM

Aquatic Warbler Living in Biebrza about 85 % of Polish population Biebrza National Park

Planned VIA BALTICA and Protected Areas Planned VIA BALTICA and Protected Areas

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