Action E includes actions dealing with public awareness and dissemination of the results of the project.
ACTION E.1: Create a home page of the park and the project
In January - March 2005 development of new home page for Ķemeri National Park was done by the project team and Ķemeri National park staff. Since early April 2005 on www.kemeri.gov.lv there is available new web page with much more comprehensive information about Ķemeri National park, its values, employees, goals, news.
Results:
Existing home page updated, Life project news published on regular bases. Separate project's section created and maintained.
ACTION E.2: Prepare the layman’s report
The layman’s report was targeted at broader audience – it is a shorter and more popular version of the final report, which includes the brief overview of the whole project scope (activities, results etc.).
Report was layouted and printed (each copy includes both Latvian and English language chapter) in December 2006, shortly before the end of the project.
Report was distributed to the local municipalities, schools and libraries as well as made available to the visitors of administration centre of Ķemeri national park “Meža māja”.
Results:
Layman's report of the project (500 copies) prepared and distributed.
ACTION E.3: Produce a video for visitors of the information centre
about nature conservation and rare and endangered species in the park
Two video films and short video clip was produced, using the existing material (available from the park’s library) and filming new material in order to increase environmental awareness in the public and to show the rare species which are otherwise hardly to be observed in the wild. Two different versions were produced – 16 min. presentation film (200 DVD copies), showing the main values of the area, and 60 min. film (150 DVD copies), aiming at protected species and habitats. Copies of the films were distributed among the other nature conservation organizations and information centres in Latvia. The shortest version was broadcasted on national TV. Videos are BETACAM quality.
Results:
Two versions of films produced: 16 min (200 DVD copies) and 60 min (150 DVD copies).
ACTION E.4: Produce DVD with info on the park and the project
DVD`s produced within this action includes the materials that were prepared during action E.3 (the longest – 60 min – version of film). In addition, there are five short (each one around 20 sec. in length) advertising video clips prepared and included in the DVD's as well as three casts about the park and project, prepared for broadcasting in the national TV.
Results:
DVD containing materials prepared during action E3 produced (200 copies).
ACTION E.5: (excluded)
ACTION E.6: Establish a field station near river Slampe
A small field station aimed at meadow management (mainly supervision of free-ranging grazers) was built in the flood-plain meadows near river Slampe. In 2006 technical project of field station was prepared (“Arhitektūra un Vide” Ltd.). Construction works were done by “Dava” Ltd. Facilities built includes watchtower (the main platform being located 5,5 meters above the ground), two information boards and desks for the visitors. Facilities were built in the territory, historically used as a hay stacking place (decked with bituminous concrete) therefore no harm was done to the site (meadows were not build up) and visitors can park the vehicles on the hard ground next to the tower.
Results:
Created facilities include a wooden tower (serves as a support for supervision af animals), two information boards (with information about the territory and Life-Nature's support) and desks for visitors.
ACTION E.7: Media work
In the course of project implementation there was a need for public information work, communicating project activities to broader audience and presenting created infrastructure, established as a part of the project. Also, gala presentation of the videos produced within the project was carried out under this action.
Results:
There have been multiple articles about the actions of LIFE project in local and national newspapers, TV, radio, Internet.
Special events:
- 02/02/2005 World Wetlands day – Ķemeri National Park (including project team) informs local school about the uniqueness of Lielais Ķemeri bog and planned acitivities there;
- 15/07/2005 Official presentation of Slampe River renaturalisation project to the public. Opening by Minister of Environment. Participate more than 40 people – mainly journalists and representatives from other nature conservation authorities and NGO’s;
- 7-9/04/2006Traditional bird days of Ķemeri national park. Theme of this year's event - “Birds at the restored river Slampe”. Around 220 participants including 40 people from Social integration centre of Ķemeri participate;
- 26/05/2006 Event of the European day of parks. Presentation about the Life project in school of Ķemeri. Minister of Environment participates;
- 08/12/2006 Final event (Gala presentation) of the project. Opening of the reconstructed sluice gates and Slampe field station. Visit to the NE corner of Lielais Kemeru bog. Presentation of videos. More than 50 participants, including representatives of Ministry of Environment and local municipalities. Event was widely covered in local media.