Baltic Green Belt The Baltic Green Belt project wants to conserve, use and develop the common natural and cultural heri- tage of the coastal border areas for- merly dividing east and west. To this end, the project establishes a plat- form for transnational cooperat- ion between stakeholders working in nature conservation and sustaina- ble development of the southern and eastern Baltic Sea coast. Within se- veral pilot studies, the Baltic Green Belt project demonstrates good pra- ctice in sustainable tourism, extensiv animal farming, coastal and marine conservation, integrated regional planning and public participation.

The project community led by the University of Kiel (CAU) unites the Baltic NGO network Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) with the IUCN (World Conservation Union) as well as a number of national institutions from all countries along the Baltic coas from Lübeck to St. Petersburg. Altogether, 22 partners – among them NGOs, universities and state agencies - have developed the Baltic Sea Region Programme/Interreg IVB project baltic green belt. The project started in January 2009 will run until January 2012 and has a budget of more than 2 Mio €.

The main objectives of the project "Baltic Green Belt" are: development of an ecological network under the umbrella of the European Green Belt following the Green Belt vision, collaboration of environmental NGOs, universities and authorities for a sustainable development of the coast, protection of the environment and natural resources; improvement of the ecological status of the marine and terrestrial Baltic Sea area (eutrophication, waste water, agriculture, tourism), supporting the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan for the protection of the Baltic, evaluation of the implementation of international agreements for coastal nature protection along the Baltic Green Belt, identification of barriers and success factors/indicators of sustainable coastal development, contribution to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea by preserving natural zones and biodiversity.

The Polish Green Belt puts an emphasis on the influence of inland human acti- vities on the sea. As the most important, the intensive agri-culture has been here indicated (industrial animal farming, un- sustainable land cultivation), which are serious sources of eutrophication of a sea waters – one of the most danger en- vironmental problems nowadays. Thus 2 sections of the Polish Green Belt were defined – agricultural advisory services geared to sustainable development in ru- ral areas and monitoring of the fun- ctioning of large-scale livestock farms, for compliance with environmental regula- tions and the possibility of reducing their negative impact on local communities and the natural environment.

Intensive animal farming causes a number of hazards, not only for the immediate vicinity of farms, but the whole Baltic Sea catchment area. This negative impact concerns all components of the environment: air, soil and water (surface water, subsoil water, rainwater). The negative effects of large-scale farming also have serious social, economic, legislative and legal connotations. Pig population in Poland is 13.3 million animals (March 2009), and poultry – million (December 2008). The number of operating large-scale farms is estimated at 650, including 126 pig farms and 524 poultry farms. It is crucial than to look for good agricultural practices, that overthrow large-scale livestock closer to the model of sus- tainable agriculture, which relies on the use of environmentally friendly methods, enabling the reduction of the negative impact of agriculture on the environment through the introduction of integrated pest management and fertilization plan, based on nitrogen balance.