G R A N T S

The 1998-99 Region-wide Cooperative Grants Call for Tender call was announced in autumn 1998 to encourage non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to work together on environmental issues of a trans-boundary or regional nature. From over 100 concept papers received, 19 were chosen to submit full proposals. Donors included the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) and the European Commission's environment directorate, DGXI. And the winning projects are:

Real protection of the Eastern Carpathian natural forest

This project aims to protect the remaining natural beech-fir forests near the borders of Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine. A comprehensive campaign will include field actions such as preventing illegal or improper logging, lobbying for new legislation and a media campaign. The Wolf Forest Protection Movement leads the project. (EUR 23,214)

Nuclear transport: environmental and democratic aspects

Is nuclear waste transported through your town, and if so, is it safe and what should you do about it? To help answer these questions, a project led by Bulgaria-based Za Zemiata-For the Earth, in cooperation with Romanian NGO ProCivic, will raise awareness of environmental issues related to nuclear waste produced by Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear power plant. (EUR 20,000)

Conservation planning of wolves in the Estonian-Latvian cross-border region

Two NGOs, the Estonian Fund for Nature and the Latvian Fund for Nature, will train border guards to survey and monitor wolves and other large predators in trans-boundary habitats. The NGOs will also define a strategy that will meet EU standards for large predator conservation in the region. (EUR 20,000)

Working for the protection of the Mediterranean monk seal and its habitats

Little is known about the Adriatic population of this endangered mammal, particularly in Albania, which is one of the partner countries of this project. Aquarius, an Albanian NGO, will work with Croatia's Mediterranean Monk Seal Group to conduct surveys of the seal's potential habitat. The project will also include a conservation strategy to protect the species, a legislative survey of laws that should protect the seal, and will propose changes to those laws that hinder its survival. (EUR 22,500)

Conservation and a return of large predators to the West Carpathian mountains

The purpose of this project is to protect endangered predators in the Western Carpathian Mountain border region between the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech NGO, Friends of the Earth, will lead a partnership of NGOs to prevent illegal hunting, work with local sheep farmers to protect their herds against predator attacks and to lobby for more effective legislation. The project will also conduct sociological research on the attitudes of the public toward large predators and scientific research of predator populations. (EUR 19,000)

Education of young people in environmentally responsible behaviour and biodiversity protection in Bulgaria, FYR Macedonia and Albania

This project will train young people and a number of teachers and community members to become more active members in environmental decision-making processes. The project will promote trans-boundary cooperation between NGOs and community "eco-clubs" that will carry out environmental projects. (EUR 20,000)

European model region for cross-border nature conservation

The Daphne-Centre for Applied Ecology will spearhead this project to improve nature protection in the Morava River floodplain in a three-border region. NGOs from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria will work together to create a common strategy for the border floodplain area, intended for adoption by all three governments. (EUR 15,000)

The challenge of environmental education: global crisis

The topics of war and environment will be combined in this project. Members of the lead NGO, Speleo Dodo from Bosnia & Herzegovina (BiH), will prepare and deliver lectures to Czech students and teachers about the effects of war on the environment. Czech NGO Tereza, specialising in environmental education, will help Speleo Dodo prepare a general environmental education curriculum for BiH schools and universities. (EUR 10,000)

Grants Note: The REC continues to seek support from other donors for NGO project proposals submitted to REC calls for tender. For example, the Finnish Ministry of the Environment has indicated that it is willing to support a Local Agenda 21 project between Estonian and Latvian NGOs. (For more info, contact Ann Tartre at: atartre@rec.org.)