SustainBaltic

Title: ICZM Plans for Sustaining Coastal and Marine Human-ecological Networks in the Baltic Region

Summary: Main purpose of the SustainBaltic project is to improve the share of the managed coastal networks in the Central Baltic area by increasing the cross-border planning, preparing and co-evaluation of the ICZM plans in order to ensure that sea-land interfaces are preserved and further developed.

This is achieved by:

• Integrating extensive multidisciplinary human-ecological data on the whole project area into GIS analyses (e.g. Zonation);
• Selecting four case study areas from Estonia and Finland based on indicator results of spatial data;
• Making four digital ICZM plans for these case areas - two in Estonia and two in Finland. Prepared plans are first tested with the current regional land use of the project area;
• Thereafter, the plans are assessed by using both e-platforms and arranging working group sessions of stakeholders and end users directed by the project members;
• As final results of the project the updated completed ICZM plans are to be downloaded from the websites of the SustainBaltic organisations, also beyond the project life span

In addition, the methodological and co-working procedures with their public interim results as a work flow chart i.e. an e-guide, is to be e-published. The novelty approach of SustainBaltic is on the close co-working in order to define the most crucial planning criteria for the ICZM plans to be utilised and implemented further in CB area.

The improved management of coastal and maritime areas by ICZM planning supports more public discussion with a participatory evaluation between end users of planning organisations, nature and environmental management sectors, primary industries, as well other business industries and general public with open communication. This leads towards more integrated planning and to the enhancement of sustainability in the use of natural and human resources in the Central Baltic region.

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