Green Solutions for Nature Protected Areas (KA5043)

The project is aimed at fulfillment of such prioities of Karelia CBC Programme as “Increased environmental awareness” and “Improvement of peoples’ physical living environment”, pursues the following objective: living and working conditions of visitors and workers are enhanced alongside with reduction of negative environmental impact at the territories of Protected Areas participating in the project.

Project news

The overall impact on the environment due to pollution, climate change and ultimately human population growth is generating increasingly serious problems. The solutions of the problems will depend on a better utilisation and management of the biosphere than we already have. To provide conditions in which such an understanding can be developed, it is essential to preserve as far as possible intact examples of natural ecosystems. Nature Protected Areas (PAs) are the main large “nature protection systems” in Finland and Karelia created primarily for this purpose. Preservation of biosphere and biodiversity are the main tasks of these entities.  People visiting PAs prefer clean nature, decent trails and comfortable accommodation facilities with conveniences, but due to the remoteness of these areas there are no, as a rule, any energy supply networks or this networks are not reliable. It means that heat and electricity are not available at all for the visitors and local staff of PAs or not so stable. On the other hand it is evident that we should not increase the burden on the nature by means of burning of fossil fuels, such as diesel, petrol, natural gas or coal for heat and electric power generation. Also, the problem of waste collection and utilisation in wild nature areas must be solved.
So, the main question that we should answer is – “How to improve the living and work conditions of visitors and local workers without any harm for the nature?”

The objectives of the project.
We should find, introduce and test eco-friendly (green) energy supply and waste utilisation solutions at the territories of National Parks and Nature Reserves – partners of the project. In practice we should select and introduce relevant and costeffective measures, such as:
a) development of feasibility studies, management or investment plans for various types of ecofriendly (green) solutions in energy saving and supply,
b) procurement and installation of relevant equipment for power and heat supply as pilot infrastructural objects,
c) execution of pre-investment studies and recommendations for the improvement of waste management in NPAs,
d) capacity building of the target group by means of transfer of the latest European know-how and introduction of various types of eco-friendly technologies for energy supply and waste utilisation.

The partners undertaking to achieve the abovementioned objectives are:

Autonomous no-profit organisation Energy Efficiency Centre (ANO EEC) is an NGO which has been established in August, 1999. The main goals of ANO EEC work are the development and implementation of international projects based on the attracted funds, grants and investment to the Republic of Karelia. The organisation is recognised as one of the most active non-governmental organisations working in Karelia as a manager or partner in various international projects.

The Federal State Budgetary Institution "Vodlozersky National Park" is an environmental, research and environmental education institution aimed at preserving nature complexes and sites of special ecological, historical and aesthetic value. The territory of NP used in environmental, educational, scientific and cultural purposes and for regulated tourism.

Metsähallitus, State Forest Enterprise, provides natural resources sector services to a diverse customer base, from private individuals to major companies. Its operations are based on the knowledgeable and co-operative use of state land and water areas. Parks & Wildlife Finland (former Natural Heritage Services) is a unit of state-owned enterprise Metsähallitus. Parks & Wildlife Finland is in charge of public administration services which include: nature conservation, facilities and services for outdoor recreation, hunting and fishing services, protected area management planning. Metsähallitus protects and manages species, habitats and cultural heritage in state-owned protected areas and provides outdoor recreation services for hikers, hunters and fishers and grant land use permits.

The Federal State Budgetary Institution "Kivach State Nature Reserve" is an environmental, research and environmental education institution aimed at preserving natural complexes and objects of special ecological, historical and aesthetic value and intended for use in environmental, educational, scientific and cultural purposes. It is one of the main tourist/visitors attraction points of the Republic of Karelia and Russia. It was organized in 1931, and now the area is about 11 thousand hectares.

Nature Reserve Kostomukshsky is an institution that contains two clusters: Kalevala national park and state nature reserve Kostomukshsky. Main activities are nature conservation, scientific research, eco-education and nature tourism. Main tasks of the reserve are protections of biological diversity and natural condition of protected nature complexes and sites;  scientific research and environmental monitoring.

Oulun Energia OY is one of the most advanced companies in Finland working in the field of green energy development and introduction. Transfer of know-how, training and consultations provided for PAs will the be the main responsibility of the OE during the project implementation.

The target groups (direct beneficiaries) of the project are:
- group of managers and technicians / engineers from partner organisations from Karelia and Finland (about 20 persons).
- representatives of Karelian and Finnish power bodies responsible for controlling of nature resources utilisation and responsible for nature protection (about 8-10 persons).

Final beneficiaries are:
- managers and fieldworkers of other PAs located in Finland and in Russia and associations of PAs,
- visitors - scientist, volunteers, ecological NGOs and mass media representatives,
- domestic and foreign tourists.

The main expected changes obtained due to the introduction of various alternative energy supply solutions during and after the project implementation are the following:
- Upgrading of recreational infrastructure will add more comfort to visitors, what makes the NPAs more attractive for visitors (comfortable conditions - better image - higher profit);
- Sufficient saving of financial resources used for energy supply will be reached when the pilot sites are fully equipped and in operation;
- Reduction of anthropogenic impact on the nature in PAs.

There are not so many cases of alternative energy use in Karelia so far. In particular, the use of solar energy and heat pumps can be found very seldom - some alternative energy supply objects are located only in Petrozavodsk. At the same time many Karelian Protected Areas are suffering without stable and efficient sources of energy. Finnish know-how is absolutely necessary for the project implementation due to the fact the various types of alternative energy technologies and objects could be found in Finland in many more places. Thus, the project should use Finnish experience during the selection of proper technologies and methods of heat and power supply and also during the pilot infrastructural project implementation. The pilot cases developed jointly by the project partners could be used as demonstration of the best practices for many other Protected Areas in Russia and Finland. In addition, it is worth to mention that Karelia has no positive experience in waste disposal and utilization in remote areas and, therefore, Finnish experience in this field is extremely important also.

Lead Partner

ANO Energy Efficiency Center

Address: 
 10, Englesa str., 185035 Petrozavodsk, Russia 
 

Tel/fax: +7 (8142) 76 93 91
 e-mailkaeec@sampo.ru