Lugabalt 2

Fresh water and clean environment attract tourist and new inhabitants

The aim of the project was to maintain and preserve the fresh water reservoirs and the Baltic Sea clean and to attract tourists and new inhabitants with pure and clean environment. Target areas of the project were Luga district in Leningrad region and South-Savo and the target waterways were Luga River and Lake Saimaa nearby Mikkeli.

Specific objective of the project:

1. Development of environmental awareness and international interaction of target groups in Russian and Finnish pilot areas.
2. Investigations & BAT for improvement the status of waterways of Luga river catchment area and Lake Saimaa nearby Mikkeli and the rivers running to Lake Saimaa by increasing the efficiency of waste water treatment in rural territories, treatment of the waters from agriculture and also treatment of stormwaters with various measures.

To prevent the water eutrophication and to support the water rehabilitation, development and implementation of water protecting measures is essential. Also strengthening of environmentally awareness of different target groups is necessary in all the pilot areas. Project promoted BAT to waste management and wastewater treatment by piloting and testing. As result, the updated environmental knowledge, as well as good practices, were available for general public in the pilot areas. Also the collaboration between the Russian and Finnish target groups was strengthened. Special trips and meetings, and groups in social network will helped experience change and increase in public environmental activity.