EU demo on ICZM: Coastal Planning on the Gulf of Finland

Three coastal regions; Uusimaa, Itä-Uusimaa and Kymenlaakso covers 15 000 km2 of land areas and 1 000 km2 of water areas spread to 49 municipalities. The coastline of these three regions is 9075 km long owing to the large number of islands and islets (6300). One and half million people live there, nearly a third of the Finnish population.

Human activities therefore put a high pressure on the land-use development. Detailed land-use plans for coastal areas are needed, covering in particular the protection of natural resources of national and European interest.

The seven municipalities involved in the project are: Tammisaari, Inkoo, Porvoo, Pernaja, Ruotsinpyhtää, Pyhtää and Virolahti.One characteristics of the Finnish project is that it is also a response to the promulgation in 1997 of the law on nature conservation which requires land use plans for the coastal strip.

Results anticipated:

• Preparation of efficient general land-use plans for the management of coastal areas
• Implementation of existing regional plansContribution to the setting-up of the NATURA 2000 network
• Environmental impact assessment practice developed as a part of the planning process
• Participational planning process developed
• Broad discussions of the goals and realizing the plans
• Dissemination of results and exchange of experience in the Baltic Region and under demonstration programme