On 10-13 February, the first practical laboratory on valuation of ecosystem services along with a workshop on identifying the institutional and economic barriers hindering application of ecosystem services approach to local planning and resources management was held in Crocmaz, Moldova, in the framework of the CEI Know-how Exchange Programme (KEP) project We4Nature & Nature4us: AAs Enshrined Ecosystem Services.
The project, based on local environmental management of Lower Nistru Cross-border Area of Moldova and Ukraine, led by the Development Policy Foundation (DPF) from Poland, envisages a full trial cycle of ecosystem services mapping and an assessment on the selected sites of the border between Moldova and Ukraine. The main goal is to evaluate local ecosystem services, assure open and public access to ecological biodiversity and water data and to enhance cooperation between state institutions, local authorities, civil society organisations and cross-border network, further sharing CEI best practices in micro-scale smart, evidence-based environment management.
The mapping and assessment carried out during the first valuation activity involved - in addition to DPF - the local partner Mişcarea Ecologistă din Ştefan Vodă (Ecological Movement Stefan Voda) as well as other partners such as Purcari Communities, Agricola NGO, Rohožník, Regionalverband Pongau and QG Enviro.
Poland is co-financing this project in the framework of the KEP, an instrument supporting projects and programmes focused on the transfer of Know-How and best practices from EU to non-EU CEI Member States. In this project, Poland is also the Know-How provider, whereas it will be implemented in cross-border, eco-sensitive area of Lower Nistru in Moldova and Ukraine, under the twin (MD & UA) know-how beneficiary format.
For more information: dovier@cei.int