The CICPA project – Common Initiatives in Conserved and Protected Areas means really common activities. Sometimes in the form of large outdoor events, sometimes during joint workshops, but sometimes during cosy meetings of the project partners.

This was the case in December 2019 (December 5-7) when a representative of Society For The Coast – Kazimierz Rabski paid a visit in Lithuania. His stay was also connected with another project implemented thanks to co-financing by INTERREG South Baltic, namely “LiveLagoons”.

But first of all, as part of the common actions necessary for further harmonious cooperation under the CICPA project, meetings were held to discuss partnership agreements: one of the effects of our joint works, and planned to be concluded soon.

Very important and interesting was a working meeting with Ms Audronė Balnionienė – Deputy Mayor of the Klaipėda Region . The content of the document prepared for the cooperation of this region with the Town and Commune of Stepnica was discussed. But Ms. Balnioniené proposed to join as the new point of interest an unusually beautiful village Dreverna, located  near coast of Kuronian Lagoon. This is a new chance for lasting international activities.

The bilateral talks with friendly representatives of the Seaside Regional Park in Karkle, led by Darius Nicius have been sucessfully realised.

Our cooperation goes far beyond the formal framework of the project. This time in warm atmosphere, we discussed the content of agreements between the CICPA project partners and associated partners. These documents will determine the directions of our cooperation for the next few years.

Apart from broadly understood nature protection and nature education, social aspects will have an important place in these agreements. The experience of the CICPA project has shown how important  is to involve local communities in aspects of sustainable development of areas located in the NATURA 2000 network and how important it can be to involve local inhabitants in actual and future joint activities.