Welcome to GreenNet Project

During the last century and over decades Central Europe was divided by an insuperable border called the Iron Curtain. Especially on the eastern side of the former border these areas were extremely sparsely populated, the border zone itself was left completely unsettled. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain in the late 1980s of the last century and the reunion of Eastern and Western Europe this former border area now runs like a Green Belt of valuable landscapes and ecosystems throughout Europe, comprising of protected and non-protected areas over more than 12500 km, bordering 7 Central Europe member states. Thus, this Green Belt offers the chance to create and conserve not only a unique ecological refuge but also to develop these peripheral rural areas in the heart of Europe in a sustainable and integrated way.

Greennet will contribute to this aim, not only by the protection of endangered species in certain areas but especially by the promotion of an interconnected and barrier free ecological corridor, especially between highly protected areas in the Central European Green Belt of outmost ecological importance (National Parks etc.). However, beside these regions of outmost ecological value, the Green Belt does also consist of a large amount of intermediate areas without any particular protection status but also of importance for the creation of an interconnected ecological network. Accordingly these areas with a non- or low protection status need to be included in the network by the development of sustainable and applicable conservation and management strategies, ensuring their important function as stepping stones between valuable habitats.

The implementation of the Central European Green Belt as a network of habitats with a transnational and transboundary dimension is one of the most important challenges in the field of nature conservation and environmental protection and the integrated development of bordering regions in the coming years. This task is only to be solved by a close local, regional, national, transboundary and transnational co-operation between all public and private stakeholders and interest groups. Last but not least the Green Belt is envisaged to connect not only nature but also to bring people together. The Green Belt demonstrates that Europe has not only a common cultural heritage but also a common natural heritage of similar importance and Green Monument symbolizing the division of Europe with a special need for special protection.