On 17-18 May at Aukštaitija Ntional Park the Kurzeme Planning Region together with its 10 UniGreen project partners (Aukštaitijos nacionalinis parkas, Biržų Regioninis Parkas, DURBE un Durbes novads, Kretingos rajono savivaldybė, Kuldīgas Novada Dome, Rojas novada pašvaldība, Saldus novada pašvaldība, Skrundas novada pašvaldība, Ventspils novada pašvaldība, Žemaitijos nacionalinis parkas) organised the project management meeting to discuss the progress made in the second period and to agree on the tasks for the third period.
Over the second period (November 2017 – April 2018) the work on all four project components has continued – project management, communication, nature access for all (infrastructure development activities) and competence raising and marketing.
Under the infrastructure development activities in Kurzeme, work on the construction of the watching tower and the resting area at Durbe lake has been commenced, the tactile information stand containing information in Braille script has been installed along the trail built within the project on the seacoast in Roja with the beach map and information on the diversity of biotopes found on the Roja beach, providing also an opportunity for the blind people to feel the location of Roja beach trails with fingers, the information stand warning signs have also been installed at the watching tower at Sātiņi ponds near Saldus. Under the infrastructure development activities in Lithuania, the work on the the improvement of Jaurykla park in Kretinga has continued, foreseen to be finished in May, with two resting and playground areas already installed (a playground for children 1-6 years and an adventure park for children 7-15 years). The viewing platform on the coast of Plateliai lake at Žemaitija National Park has been reconstructed, by intalling also a tactile information stand on the platform containing information in Braille script and allowing the blind people to feel the exceptional form of the lake and it’s islands. In addition, eight information stands have been installed on the footage of the platform providing detailed information on each of the islands of Plateliai lake. Over the second period, also the preparation works for tourism infrastructure development to improve the accessibility for visitors to Kirkilai karstic lakes at Biržai Regional Park have continued.
Under the competence raising and marketing measures, 27 nature guides of Kurzeme Region have continued their training, by attending four training sessions on nature interpretation and it’s key principles, different target groups, nature interpretation to people with disabilities and the planning, organisation and holding of nature events. The training takes places over the period October 2017-November 2018 and alltogether provides for 6 three-days long training sessions each devoted to a specific topic. At the end of the period in April, two events on the topic “Nature tourism and accessibility” have been organised – one in Liepāja (the 18th Kurzeme Tourism Conference) and in Roja (a seminar), with a total of 160 participants from municipalities, non-governmental organisations, nature protection territories and entrepreneurs. The two events highlighted the significance of the acessibility for the development of the tourism in Kurzeme, discussing why is it important to adapt the tourism infrastructure, products and services to people with disabilities both, from the view point of municipalities and the entrepreneurs, how to gain the best results with minimum resources, what are the bonuses and what challenges the entrepreneurs face. Over the second period, the work on the drafting of the Guidelines to adapt the tourism infrastructure, products and services to people with disabilities has also been commenced.
Project activities are being implemented with the support of the Interreg Latvia-Lithuania Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020.
Meeting presentations:
Overall activity progress in the project
Trail hiking apps
PP2 – Directorate of Aukštaitijas National park and Labanoras regional park
PP3 – Direcorate of Biržai regional park
PP4 – Durbe county municipality
PP5 – Administration of Kretinga district municipality
PP7 – Roja county municipality
PP11 – Directorate of Žemaitija national park
PP6 – Kuldiga county municipality
PP9 – Skrunda county municipality
Information prepared by:
Alise Lūse,
UniGreen Project Manager
Kurzeme Planning Region
Tel.: + 371 26567874, alise.luse@kurzemesregions.lv
