On the 1st of April, 2012 the Estonia – Latvia – Russia cross border cooperation programme project „Promoting nature education as efficient mean of awareness raising” was started. The project will be implemented in the territories of Latvia, Estonia and Russian Federation. Its main aim is raising public environmental awareness for sustainable and integrated nature conservation in the region covered by the project activities, as well as improving capacity of participating institutions in the field of nature education. Duration of the project is 30 months – until the 30th of September, 2014. Project is co-financed by the Estonia-Latvia-Russia cross border cooperation Programme within European Neighborhood and Partnership instrument 2007-2013. In Estonia Environmental Investment Centre is the co-financer as well. The total project funding is 1 499 977 EUR.
The Lead Partner of the project is the Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia. From the Latvian side the project partners are Natural History Museum Support Society, Gauja National Park Foundation and Dagda local municipality; from the Estonian side – Tartu Environmental Education Centre and Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation; from the Russian side – Pskov regional public organization "Lake Peipsi Project, Pskov", Federal State Institution "The Sebezh National Park", "Pskov regional center of the development of gifted children and youth", State committee on natural resources use and environment protection and Saint-Petersburg charitable public organisation "Biologists for nature conservation".
During the implementation of the project it is planned to promote experience exchange among state institutions and non-governmental organisations of Estonia, Latvia and Russian Federation in nature education and development of nature education centres. The most visible outcomes of the project will be jointly developed modern nature education methods, study materials, as well as trained specialists in order to ensure sustainable nature education development and to inform public about the necessity of nature conservation. It is planned to develop capacity of 14 different nature education centres by ensuring more favourable conditions for successful development of them.
“Estonia – Latvia – Russia Cross Border Cooperation Programme within the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument 2007-2013 financially supports joint cross border development activities for the improvement of the region’s competitiveness by utilising its potential and beneficial location on the crossroads between the EU and Russian Federation.
The Programme web-site is www.estlatrus.eu.”