ABOUT THE PROJECT

The administration of Aukštaitija National Park and Labanoras Regional Park is launching the “Green Stories” project (LL-00188), aimed at biodiversity conservation and strengthening public awareness and knowledge in the field of nature protection. Using advanced methods and creating an engaging environment, the project seeks to influence the attitudes of residents in relevant regions and countries toward nature, improve practical skills in environmental protection, which will lead to more sustainable actions in nature, and potentially increase the attractiveness of natural sciences as a professional choice. The administration has long been working purposefully toward these goals in its daily activities, so the project’s activities will directly complement and enhance the tools and measures already in use.

Key Project Information

The project has received funding under the 2021–2027 Interreg VI-A Latvia–Lithuania Cross-Border Cooperation Programme.

Project duration: March 1, 2024 – August 31, 2026

Project partners: Aukštaitija National Park and Labanoras Regional Park Administration (lead partner), Daugavpils University (project partner)

Total project budget: €754,759.16

More about the project: https://latlit.eu/theprojects/green-stories/

The project covers a wide range of activities, which will be actively shared throughout its implementation and involve public participation. The main project components include:

1. Inventory studies of existing natural resources, rare plant species, and historically cultivated cultural plants in Aukštaitija National Park, Labanoras Regional Park, and Silene Nature Park, aiming to assess the current status of rare and historical plants in the project areas. The collected data will supplement existing national databases, and a new freely accessible historical plant database will be created. Based on the research data, educational and informational materials will be developed for public education and scientific purposes: historical and rare plant catalogs in Lithuanian and Latvian, new educational packages, and outdoor exhibitions of historical and rare plants in Lithuania and Latvia.

2. New interdisciplinary educational programs for students and the general public, designed to raise awareness and knowledge in environmental protection and biodiversity, highlight the challenges facing endangered plant species, improve the condition of rare plant habitats, and present the latest scientific achievements. The content of these activities will be based on relevant school curricula, natural sciences (biology, astrobiology, etc.), and the contexts of Aukštaitija National Park, Labanoras Regional Park, and Silene Nature Park. The developed educational materials will provide the public with science-based and relevant knowledge on the importance of biodiversity conservation, emerging threats, and encourage participation in preserving botanical resources.

3. Creation of new environmentally and climatically friendly infrastructure:

• A unique, freely accessible Moon Laboratory has been established in Palūšė for public education and scientific purposes, to study biodiversity and future sciences. The laboratory will be used for various scientific experiments, plant cultivation in simulated lunar conditions, and research on the minimum growth requirements of plants, for the preservation and study of rare plant species and local habitats.
• A unique regional historical plant collection has been formed in Palūšė, establishing a historical plant exhibition garden to increase the relevance of historical plants, revive, preserve, and popularize endangered historical cultural species. The historical plant exhibition will promote the conservation and care of old species and create favorable conditions for the development of insect, plant, animal, and microorganism ecosystems.
• A demonstration outdoor exhibition has been established at the Daugavpils University “Ilgas” Study and Research Center, featuring protected plant species native to Latvia. The site will also serve as a seed bank for protected plant species and for public education purposes.
• The educational trail network at Daugavpils University “Ilgas” Study and Research Center has been upgraded with artificial habitats for protected plants, insects, and other organisms, and a modern outdoor classroom has been installed. The new infrastructure will be used for outdoor biodiversity education for the public, students, and schoolchildren while minimizing the impact on sensitive natural habitats.

The educational spaces and content developed through the project have no regional equivalents. The conditions created, research conducted, and collaboration with the academic community (Daugavpils University, Vilnius University, Vilnius TECH, Vytautas Magnus University as idea development and implementation partners), along with the pooling of shared resources, will expand the range of activities that project partners can implement, enabling innovative, science-based, and interdisciplinary solutions for the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity. It is expected that project activities will make a significant contribution to positively impacting biodiversity conservation.