Finland Times

 

File picture of Baltic Sea. Photo – Lehtikuva.

The government said that the Green Belt of Fennoscandia would be developed into a model area where sustainable development is supported through trans-boundary cooperation. 

 

To the end, the Ministry of the Environment has appointed a national working group to promote the development of the Green Belt in Finland, according to a press release of the ministry. 

 

The tasks of the working group include raising awareness of the Green Belt in Finland and supporting the networking taking place across national boundaries, it said.

 

The Green Belt extends from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic Ocean, and includes valuable natural areas belonging to Finland, Russia and Norway. Its core is formed of national parks and protected areas on the territories of all three nations.

 

“For the first time, all actors for the future of the Green Belt in Finland come together in one place. This is a group of people that will no doubt possess the courage and the capability to openly discuss how the Green Belt is perceived, what opportunities it holds and how these numerous opportunities can be realised through cooperation,” said the chair of the working group, Permanent Secretary Hannele Pokka, as she opened the seminar organised in connection with the initial meeting of the working group on Tuesday in Joensuu.

 

The working group consists of forty actors from different parts of Finland, including the representatives of six regional councils. Its term of office will extend to the end of 2020, in accordance with the objectives of the International Convention on Biological Diversity.

 

In addition to the work performed nationally, the Green Belt is being developed through cooperation between Finland, Russia and Norway.

 

During 2014, objectives and the measures to achieve them will be drafted for the tripartite cooperation. All Green Belt operators from the three countries are invited to join the planning work.

 

The nature in the Green Belt is unique: it contains original, natural, boreal forests and valuable wetlands such as mires and bird fowl habitats, lakes and rivers.