Some communities have nonetheless succeeded in demonstrating that locally-initiated environmental projects can generate new economic opportunity, address social problems and conserve heritage resources. But relevant experience with grassroots environmental projects is unrecorded and scattered across Central Europe.

The two-year "Rural Livelihoods" project seeks to bring together practical experience from successful local sustainable development projects in 12 rural micro-regions from Central Europe and 6 micro-regions from the German Neue Bundeslander.

The participating micro-regions include: the Central White Carpathians, Frydlandt and Slovacko (Czech Republic), the Lower Ipoly Valley, Boronka and Zselic (Hungary), the Krakow Jura, Central Pomerania around Debrzno and Babia Gora (Poland), Horna Orava, Sitno South and Ramzar (Slovakia) and Lenzen, Ostritz, Reinstaedt, Retzow, Schoneiche and Zempow (Germany).

Model projects relate to four thematic areas: 1. sustainable agriculture, such as maintaining local fruit varieties through food processing and marketing; 2. sustainable tourism, such as engaging local people in heritage interpretation, trail maintenance and providing accommodation; 3. energy saving, such as using rural schools as demonstration sites for learning about cost-saving solutions; 4. renewable energy, such as bio-fuels for transportation and heating. Community leaders from each of the micro-regions identify model projects, learn from the experience of others and provide expertise, inspiration and support to one another.

Scaling-up the resulting model project network will help ensure European Union agricultural reforms focus also on the new opportunities for rural sustainability offered by local initiatives in Central Europe.

Projektziel:
RURAL LIVELIHOODS: model projects for environmental sustainability in Central Europe
Projektträger:
Polish Environmental Partnership Foundation (PEPF) Bracka 6/6 31-005 Krakow, Poland
Telefon:
+48-12-422-5088
Fax:
+48-12-429-4725
URL:
http://www.epce.org.pl/rural
E-Mail:
biuro@epce.org.pl