BALTIC LANDSCAPE NEMAN SUMMARY WP 4 LANDSAPE PLANNING IN BELARUS LACKS INTEGRATION WP 4 NEW APPROACHES TO LANDSCAPE PLANNING Yushkevich N.T.

Problem: Lanscape planning is not complex or integrated by its nature – lack of close links between management authorities during the preparaton of plans on natural resources use (plants, animals, water) - detailed monitoring on lanscape level is not carried out - integral critarion of lanscape status is missing - efficient tools for landscape management are missing - poor horizontal and inter-sectoral co-operation - lack of integrity in planning - sustainable development is far from being achieved.

Goal – To identify and analyze main landscape related problems and develop relevant innovative approaches; make first proposals on policy, planning and management.

Results of project implementation : - organisations dealing with planning of natural resources management, as well as other stakeholders have been involved, - international experience in the field of landscape planning is absorbed, - expertize of organisations involved in nature management planning, alongside with other stakeholders is carried out, -their status, functions, work methods and degree of their interference have been defined, - a description of landscaple planning object BL “Neman” is fulfilled: the description of its structure, contamination, protection, and possible development of the landscape elements.

The following baseline study of landscape planning object BL “Neman” is conducted: - assessment of ecological and aesthetic implications of current and planned use, - various organisations involved into the joint planning activities.

Project expert team has elaborated and agreed on methods of complex and integrated landscape planning: - landscape map BL “Neman” is created, - a list of biotopes of high value is compiled, - biological structure of the landscape is defined, - functions and characteristics of the landscape are identified, - methods to assess recreational activities within the landscape territory alongside with the landscape structure optimization methods have been developed, - guidelines on the landscape infrastructure development are proposed, - coordination scheme of all types of nature management practices together with compensation of their possible impacts in accordance with ecologically sustainable development criteria is developed.

Procedure on combined measurement of biophysiacal and socioeconomic data used in landscape planning has been formulated: - a study in international experience gained in the field of measurement of biophysiacal and socioeconomic landscape parameters is undertaken - a rationale of current biophysiacal and socioeconomic landscape characteristics is made - a procedure to assess interrelations of biophysiacal and socioeconomic landscape data during the planning process is worked out.

A needed data set for monitoring and tracking of dynamic changes in landscape has been specified. The following have been developed: - perfomances and indicators for plant monitoring, - perfomances and indicators for monitoring of hydrological conditions, - perfomances and indicators for monitoring of land balance, - perfomances and indicators for animal monitoring, - perfomances and indicators for monitoring of agrarian landscape, - perfomances and indicators for monitoring of infrastructure development, -perfomances and indicators for population monitoring, - perfomances and indicators for tourism monitoring.

Assessment of possible use of European conventions provisions in landscape planning within BL Neman and across the whole Belarusian territory has been undertaken; positive experience obtained during the landscape planning process in Belarus and amongst partners of the Baltic landscapes project has been summarised.

1. Forests are prevalent in the region of Baltic landscape Neman. This type of landscape is influenced by various factors such as pressure on natural resources, climate change, establishment of recreational areas etc. These factors often impede the concerns of local communities and do not foster sustainable use of natural resources.

2.The following European conventions are of particular interest for Belarus with regard to assessment of possible use of their provisions relating sustainable development of Baltic Landscape Neman and other Belarusian landscapes European Landscape Convention (ETS № 176) (Florence, ), Convention on the Conservation of the European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern, 19 September 1979), Convention on the Protection of European Architectural heritage (Granada, 3 October 1985), European Convention on the Protection of the Archeological Heritage (revised) (Valetta, 16 January 1992), European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Co-operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities (Madrid, 21 May 1980) and its Additional Protocols, European Charter of Local Self-Government (Strasbourg, 15 October 1985), Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio de Janeiro, 5 June 1992) etc.

Basic elements of the National system of Sustainable development (NSSD) are : new civilizational strategy, social progress paradigm and new principles of interaction between nature, economy and human being, new type of state and society to be created; an advanced model of economy and social order, a system of social, economic and environmental security etc.; ways and types of interactions with the environment; key milestones.

Forest certification is considered to be a form of conformity validation of the efficiency of forest management and forest exploitation, forest products origin and wood processing products with forest legislation on the environment protection of the Republic of Belarus, standard regulations stipulating usage, protection and conservation of state forest, plant and animal species, specially protected natural areas, forest regeneration, timber and other forest resources stock-piling, forest products and derivatives tereof identification by source of origin. Forest certification is performed by a special authority accredited in forst certification (ТКП (03220) National System of Certification of Conformance.

Item 7.17 on Planning of measures on conservation of forest biodiversity and relations with local communities has been developed with regard to introduce provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity into BL Neman planning process and into the forest economy of the Republic of Belarus.

For the purposes of biodiversity conservation a project on forestry management shall provide for the following actions: - Limit all types of cuttings during nesting season; - Establish no-take zones around wild animal habitats during their breeding season; - Conduct education of local communities and tourists regarding the observance of environmental legislation; -

-the following measures shall be ensured during forest cuttings: - Preservation of hollowed and dead standing trees with bird nests; - Preserve within 1 ha area 3-4 big dead standing trees rising above forest canopy as roost sites for birds of prey and for the purposes of beneficial microflora generation, also preserve 3-4 topped snags (within 1 ha area) if they do not represent falling hazard; - Settle and fence around ant-hills; - Create bird boxes; - Establish clumps of broadleaves (0,2 ha and more) under forest canopy to enable birds nesting and provide safety areas for wood tenants.

A certain progress in forest landscape planning has been achieved on state level. Also works on application of european convention provisions in landscape planning and biodiversity conservation are being carried out. Alongside with that sustainable development is too far from being achieved. Efficient tools for landscape management are also missing. Normally horizontal and partner co-operation is not used for reevaluation of policy, legislation and planning.

Useful experience in the field of landscape planning at the territory of the Republic of Belarus has been obtained within the framework of the project “Baltic Landscape in the process of development – innovative approaches to sustainable forest landscapes” and can be apllied in other Belarusian regions.

Thank you for your attention!