Implementation of the BPAN project in years 2011-2014 was presented and discussed in a seminar in Haltia – The Finnish Nature Centre

The final results achieved in the Barents Protected Area Network BPAN project in 2011-2014 were presented and discussed on 10 June 2014 in a seminar in Haltia – The Finnish Nature Centre just next to the Nuuksio National Park, Finland. The seminar was organized by the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE, Metsähallitus Natural Heritage Services and the Ministry of the Environment of Finland.

The participants of the seminar came from all four countries in the Barents Region, represented conservation authorities, scientific institutes and nature conservation non-governmental organisations. Photo: Riku Lumiaro

Lea Kauppi, Director General of the Finnish Environment Institute opened the seminar with acknowledgements to the committed expert group for producing a great amount of harmonized information on protected areas across the borders from four countries, and ended with the words: “As BPAN slogan states: Nature has no borders. Your work is very valuable and I deeply wish that this cooperation will continue into the future!“

Marja-Leena Vuorenpaa, Barents Ambassador in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland noted that the forest and wetland ecosystems in the Barents Region are under increased pressure from land-use, exploitation of natural resources and climate change and this is why the Barents Protected Area Network project is of high importance.

Seminar program included presentations of results achieved in the BPAN project: using Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA) as a tool in evaluating protected area network in the Barents Region, the characteristics and representativeness of the protected area network and the BPAN recommendations, which are based on the produced results. Steering Committee members and regional coordinators from each BPAN country and region presented achievements of their own region and the successful results of the five biodiversity pilot projects that were implemented in each Russian region. A panel discussion continued with these topics. One clear message was that work has been successful and partners are eager to continue co-operation.

In the afternoon regional coordinators and steering committee members discussed in panel the benefits of BPAN co-operation in developing the regional nature conservation work. Photo: Denis Dobrynin

After the presentations and discussion there was an opportunity to attend cocktail reception and a guided tour on Haltia‘s architecture and nature exhibition and see the film “On the Trail of Northern Winds” on protected areas in the Republic of Komi.

At the same week in Nuuksio there were also meetings of the BPAN coordinators and Steering Committee as well as a workshop on old-growth forests in the Barents Region. The status of strategy for old-growth forests in the Barents Region and input of the BPAN experts on old-growth forest was discussed in the workshop. The BPAN Recommendations highlight a need of protecting more intact and productive old-growth forests and they were used as a framework for discussion.