What does a greener and more resilient Latvia-Lithuania border region look like in practice? It can mean cleaner rivers, healthier lakes, safer communities, better prepared rescue services, protected native species, greener towns and more active local residents.
Before summer, 14 new Interreg VI-A Latvia-Lithuania Programme 2021-2027 cooperation projects were approved under Priority 2 “Green, resilient and sustainable development” within the 3rd Call for Proposals. Supported by more than EUR 10.5 million in ERDF funding, the projects will focus on climate change adaptation, nature protection, biodiversity conservation and the sustainable management of green infrastructure.
In this overview, we take a closer look at what the approved projects will do in practice, how Latvian and Lithuanian partners will cooperate, and what benefits their activities are expected to bring to people, organisations, local communities and the environment across the whole Programme area. To show how these activities connect, we grouped projects under four main themes – water management, emergency preparedness, biodiversity protection and community action.
Climate Resilience and Water Management
From small rivers and shallow lakes to urban ponds and drainage systems, water is one of the strongest links between Latvia and Lithuania. It also brings shared challenges, including flooding, overgrowth, pollution, disrupted water flow and declining biodiversity. Five projects will tackle these issues through practical and coordinated solutions. CLEAR RIVER will restore natural water flow in small cross-border rivers in Laukesa (Laucesa) River basin and develop practical and transferable solutions for small river restoration and pollution prevention. FLOOD-WISE will focus on improving rainwater drainage systems in Latgale and Panevėžys regions, preventing floods and raising awareness that drainage maintenance is a shared responsibility. Fish Reconnect will restore connectivity in the Bārta/Bartuva River basin for fish migration and develop an evidence-based system for river restoration planning and management. ADAPTLake will jointly develop, test and implement ecosystem-based solutions for shallow lake management in Lake Mazais Ludzas in Latvia and Lake Mastis in Lithuania. It will introduce a replicable, ecosystem-based management approach that is practical, adaptable and suitable for long-term use by municipalities across the Programme area. Rewater will focus on the restoration of two urban ponds (Kalė Pond in Švėkšna, Lithuania and Zvejnieku aleja’s Pond in Liepāja, Latvia) by combining nature-based measures, floating biofiltration technologies, aeration systems and evidence-based monitoring. A jointly developed handbook will provide technical specifications, monitoring results and practical recommendations for applying the tested solutions in municipalities.
Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Emergencies do not stop at national borders. Floods, storms, dangerous incidents, animal rescues and potential oil spills in the Baltic Sea all require fast, coordinated and well-practised response. These projects will strengthen cooperation between authorities, rescue services, experts and volunteers to keep people, animals and nature safe. BE PREPARED will improve cross-border first response during emergencies in the neighbouring regions of Panevėžys (Lithuania) and Latgale (Latvia) by creating a shared first-arrival system for the critical first minutes of an incident. The project partners will develop joint first-arrival standard operational procedures, communication and information exchange protocols, an interoperability toolkit, a common training programme and public preparedness materials. SaveAnimals will strengthen animal rescue during climate-related emergencies and raise public awareness on how to act safely when animals are in danger. Partners will develop a cross-border methodology that will include animal rescue procedures and cooperation mechanisms. It will serve as a practical tool for first responders, municipalities in Programme area and relevant institutions. When oil pollution reaches the sea, the impact can quickly spread from the water to the wildlife that depends on it. COASTCLEAN will help rescue services prepare for such incidents by bringing wildlife rescue closer to existing emergency response systems. The project will connect Klaipeda (Lithuania) and Kurzeme (Latvia) rescue services with specialised rehabilitation expertise, especially through cooperation with the Lithuanian Sea Museum, so that affected animals can be collected, transported, treated and rehabilitated in a coordinated way. Partners will develop and test common procedures, clarify the roles of different institutions and build a cross-border system to better protect shared Baltic Sea wildlife. FLOOD RESPONSE will help municipalities and emergency services in Zemgale (LV) and Northern Lithuania region move from cooperation on paper to tested, practical cross-border response. Knowing the flood risks in Lielupe, Mūša-Nemunėlis and Daugava river basins, partners will strengthen flood and emergency preparedness through new equipment, expanded cooperation agreements and a cross-border Stress-Test simulation exercise. Children, young people, educators and municipal staff will also be involved through first aid, water safety, crisis readiness and flood safety activities. In this way, the project will not only improve emergency services’ technical readiness, but also help communities become better prepared for future floods and other emergencies.
Nature and Biodiversity Protection
In the Latvia-Lithuania border region, biodiversity is under pressure from climate change, soil degradation, intensive land use and the loss of natural habitats. Four projects will help protect natural heritage and bring more biodiversity into everyday living environments. DARKBEE-NET will bring together research institutions and beekeeping stakeholders to protect the native Dark European honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera), an important ecological and genetic resource for biodiversity, ecosystem resilience and sustainable beekeeping. The project will develop harmonised cross-border methods for sampling, identification and population assessment, creating a stronger knowledge base for the long-term conservation of this valuable native species.
While DARKBEE-NET focuses on a native species, ProtectTrees4Nature turns attention to another important part of natural heritage: old trees, alleys and parks. The project will bring together nine partners to improve the protection and management of old and protected trees, alleys and parks in Northern Lithuania, Kurzeme and Zemgale in Latvia. The project will prepare science-based conservation recommendations and management plans, while also raising public awareness about the importance of preserving biodiversity.
Urban Meadows will transform three former industrial sites into biodiverse urban meadows in in the Zemgale and Northern Lithuania cross-border region and demonstrate how nature-based solutions can restore urban land and support ecological recovery. As part of a joint cross-border campaign, native meadow seed packages will be distributed to encourage people to create small meadows in their own gardens and neighbourhoods. At the same time, UrbanMicroHabitats will help municipalities create greener and more biodiverse cities by developing and testing small-scale habitat solutions. Pilot sites in Jelgava, Latvia, and Šiauliai, Lithuania, will be monitored to assess their impact on biodiversity, soil quality and ecosystem services. By combining scientific expertise with community involvement through a Living Lab approach, the project will support practical solutions that benefit pollinators, strengthen urban green infrastructure and contribute to healthier living environments.
Community Action for Environmental Resilience
Sometimes big environmental change starts at the community level. The SLUGAWAY project will help municipalities and residents tackle the invasive Spanish slug, a species that threatens biodiversity, green infrastructure and everyday local environments. The project aims to strengthen climate change adaptation and environmental resilience by jointly developing, testing and implementing coordinated Spanish slug management measures across seven municipalities in Zemgale and North Lithuania.
The project will establish a full-cycle model for Spanish slug control and disposal. It will organise 45 on-site community clean-up and training events, distribute 3 075 slug control kits, establish seven specialised composting sites and equip municipalities with specialised maintenance machinery. Based on experience from other regions and pilot results, partners will develop a joint municipal Protocol for Spanish slug management.
Through joint planning, shared equipment, pilot actions, training, research and community involvement, the projects will help create long-term benefits across the Programme area. Together, these 14 projects show how cooperation across borders can turn shared challenges into practical solutions for a greener, safer and more resilient Latvia-Lithuania border region. The solutions developed and tested through the 3rd Call projects will also provide valuable examples that can be adapted and applied more widely across the Programme area.
The visual material in this publication was co-created by AI.