The experts from the Green Infrastructure activity/working group continue to develop an approach to mapping the green infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. This is a truly complicated and responsible process, even though considerable experience in evaluating and planning green infrastructure on land is present in Europe, it has not yet been implemented in the sea.
The meeting examined the results of the previous work on collecting different data layers on the prevalence of major marine ecosystem components and identifying ecologically important areas in the Baltic Sea – identified mainly in terms of their importance for the sustainability of marine biodiversity and ecosystems.
But the concept of green infrastructure is not only about preserving the natural values but also about providing various societal benefits – ecosystem services.
Working group experts tried to find a solution – how in the current state of limited knowledge to estimate marine ecosystem services and integrate this information into green infrastructure mapping in the best possible way.
Current and upcoming results will provide important, consolidated information on marine ecosystems at sea, as well as their function or role in the maintenance of the ecosystem and the associated benefits of the community.
The workshop was organised by the Latvian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and Pan Baltic Scope project, together with the HELCOM Pan Baltic Scope Essential Fish Habitats workshop at Riga, Latvia, 12-13 December.
