Administration of the Municipality of the region of Varena (Alytus County)

Administration of Dzūkija National Park and Čepkeliai Strict Nature Reserve (Alytus County)

Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno (Grodno Oblast)

Directorate of Agriculture and Food of the Grodno District Executive Committee (Grodno Oblast)

State Environmental Institution "Republican Landscape Reserve "Ozery" (Grodno Oblast)

Project Description

Overall objective of the project - to improve skills of regional and local authorities as well as other public bodies acting in fields of nature and environment management and capacities to deal with natural and man-made disasters such as a spread of invasive species. To solve this actual cross-border problem project aims to promote legal and administrative cooperation between authorities and institutions of the border region in the field of management of spread of alien invasive plant species (hereinafter – AIPS), to improve technical capacities and methods for eradication of AIPS, develop and implement training initiatives, strengthen capacities and increase involvement of local communities in public decision-making and implement processes in the field of preservation, control, management and eradication of AIPS.

4 GAs are foreseen to reach goals of the project: 1) management and coordination; 2) analysis of legal documents and inventory of alien invasive plant species; 3) control and eradication of selected AIPS; 4) public awareness and dissemination of project results. For the implementation of these activities partnership structure was created following certain criteria. LB having a long experience in management of international and cross-border projects will take responsibility of implementation and financial management of overall project. Partners from municipalities (B2) will work with public awareness of local communities in their territories as well as organize pilot demonstration of eradication of AIPS. Administrations of protected areas (hereinafter – PAs) (B3) will increase their capacities in purchasing special equipment for eradication of AIPS in their territories ensuring continuation of the process after the end of the project.