Belarus-Poland-Lithuania cross-border biosphere reserve concept developed

         A concept has been developed for the Belarus-Poland-Lithuania cross-border biosphere reserve, head of the international technical assistance project, Management of Alytus-Grodno Region Transboundary Protected Areas and Promotion of Their Integration into the Pan-European Ecological Network, chief of the sci-tech research laboratory of landscape ecology under the Belarusian State University Valentin Yatsukhno told BelTA.
The Belarus-Poland-Lithuania transboundary biosphere reserve concept, which will provide an opportunity for joint management and protection of valuable natural complexes of the Belarusian-Lithuanian region, has been developed during the implementation of the project, Management of Alytus-Grodno Region Transboundary Protected Areas and Promotion of Their Integration into the Pan-European Ecological Network.
A booklet containing the information and photo materials on the natural, historical and cultural sights of the Belarusian-Lithuanian region and also the map of the area with marked tourist routes will be soon distributed among conservation organizations, educational establishments, travel agencies, ministries and other state and public organizations. According to Valentin Yatsukhno, the absence of the single approach to environmental measures from both sides of the state border necessitated the development of proposals on joint strategic planning and development of the protected areas, involvement of local people in these processes and the development of eco and ethnocultural tourism.