12/05/2006: Regional Action Plan for Conversion in the BSR available

CONVERNET has issued its final publication, the "Regional Action Plan for Conversion" in June 2006. The Action Plan contains descriptions of conversion backgrounds and instruments in the various states of the Baltic Sea Region, the definition of action fields as well as Conversion Guidelines and concrete proposals how to realise them. The Regional Action Plan is dedicated to political decision makers, affected municipalities and experts mainly and shall be a basis for further implementation.

You can download a pdf-version or order a hardcopy using the form below.

01/05/2006: CONVERNET participates at seminar "Setting regions in motion" in Malmö

The seminar is held by the INTERREG III B BSR Joint Secretariat on 16-17 May 2006. More than 400 participants are expected. CONVERNET is represented by the Lead Partner, the Brandenburg State Ministry of Economics and will have a presentation as well as a project exhibition where also major outcomes of the project will be distributed.

For more information see >> INTERREG III B Homepage.

01/05/2006: Project closure nearby

The INTERREG III B BSR Joint Secretariat has approved the application for a project prolongation until 16 June 2006. By that date, the CONVERNET project will have produced its final outcomes and becomes winded down.

01/02/2006: CONVERNET Final Meeting in Potsdam

From 29.-31. January 2006 the CONVERNET Final Meeting marked the official project closure. The partners underlined that they will cooperate in future and use the network as a platform for further knowledge exchange. New topics for further cooperation were discussed as the UXO-clearance from the Baltic Sea bottom or the organisation of a European Conversion Day as a number of events related to conversion of former military sites in locations all over Europe.

The visit of the former Olympic Village near Berlin was very impressive - though a lot still has to be done. At the official dinner on board of the vessel "John Barnett" secretary of state Dr. Krüger thanked the partners in the name of the Lead Partner, the Brandenburg State Ministry of Economics for their good cooperation.

> pictures
> presentations

23/11/2005: 10 years conversion of former Russian military sites in Poland

In 1995, 10 years ago, the Polish government set up a governmental programme dealing with development of sites left by the Russian army. After 10 years, the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for the conversion of estates taken over from the Army of the Russian Federation issued a publication >Polska. Zycie po JAR< with alot of photographs and reports about these 10 years.
The publication tells about the process of withdrawal of Russian troops, the site-conditions after take-over and the development of striking examples between 1995 and now. By interviews of persons directly involved into major decisions on that way and by numerous photographs the book gives a very lively insight into conversion in Poland.
The book has been issued in Polish language and can be ordered from the Polish Ministry of the Interior:

Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnetrznych i Administracji
Zespól Pelnomocnika Rzadu do zagospodarowania mienia przejetego od wojsk Federacji Rosyjskiej
ul. Stefana Batorego 5
02-591 Warszawa

10/11/2005 - 12/11/2005: Joint project of Fort Gorgast and Paldiski

The association Fort Gorgast (Germany) and Paldiski (Estonia) took steps to further co-operation. Objective is knowledge transfer in the field of labour market instruments and their application to conversion projects. Concrete occasion is a huge oil spill near the heat supply station. The project idea was developed in the first half of 2005 and is about to be supported by the Estonian government financially. The German project partners want to support the Estonian partners in finding solutions for their problems especially by providing profound knowledge on technologies and taking into account socioeconomic problems of Paldiski.

3/11/2005: CONVERNET II application in the light of increasing challenges and East-West integration

Conversion of former military assets becomes an increasing challenge. Though part of the former military sites set free due too the changes of political systems in the 1990-ies could be developed, the sites left constitute major problems, since they are not favourable located. Moreover new sites are added to the conversion portfolio by currently ongoing restructuring processes in the national armed forces in the Baltic Sea Region. To support especially those communities situated in structural weak areas, CONVERNET partners as well as new partners in the BSR took the effort for a CONVERNET II project application in the framework of the BSR INTERREG IIIB programme. 27 partners from 10 countries want to find solutions for focal themes as support of rural areas by conversion, development of best practice remediation and safety measures as well as marketing of former military sites located in the countryside.
A step towards integration of Eastern European partners beyond the borders of the EU is the active involvement of partners from Russia and Belarus where conversion is a pressing issue. The Leningrad Region takes part with the target to find solutions for the closed island of Gogland which shall be developed to a tourist destination in the Baltic Sea.
Whether these ambitious plans will be realised depends much upon the decision of the INTERREG IIIB BSR Steering commitee which is expected to meet its decision on 8/9 December 2005.

3/11/2005: Former military island Gogland in Russia developed as tourist destination

Gogland island is a geological open air museum and a crossing point for routes between Europe and Russia. Gogland is not only interesting for maritime tourism but also provides unique landscape for recreation.

At 80% of the island a nature park is about to be established. The Southern bay Suurkylänlahti, the bay Kiiskinkylä-Limonikowa and the centre of the island are mainly to be developed for tourism.

In the year 2000, the conversion process was started. Up to now, 150 tons of metal scrap have been removed from the southern bay area, from 5,5 ha of land, amunition has been disposed.

The Leningrad Region which is responsible for development of the island will be partner in CONVERNET II where it would like to profit from the other project partners\' experience.

04/09/2005-07/09/2005: 5th Partner Meeting in Kotka and Elimäki

At the 5th CONVERNET partner meeting the Conversion Handbook for the Baltic Sea Region was presented to the public. Part of the meeting took place in Kyminlinna fortress in Kotka, a former pioneer batallion. In close cooperation with the national board for antiquities this area is to be developed for housing and cultural purposes.The Parkland in Elimäki was location for the second day. Housing development and decontamination of a part at the former engineer batallion are the main issues recently discussed. Due to the closeness of the Finnish-Russian borderline, a special guest from Leningrad Region introduced opportunities of civil conversion at the Gogland Island near St. Petersburg.

04/09/2005: Conversion Handbook for the Baltic Sea Region available

As an inspiration to other conversion communities, the Conversion Handbook for the Baltic Sea Region presents 27 cases, giving an colourful description of what conversion of former military sites means in a practical sense. The Handbook describes the challenges on the way from military withdrawal to civil re-use. By co-ordination of the Brandenburg State Ministry of Economics, the project co-ordinator INFRASTRUKTUR & UMWELT and NORDREGIO, experiences of the project partners and additional conversion cases have been compiled and first conclusions towards a conversion strategy for the Baltic Sea Region have been drawn.

04/09/2005: Brochure presents Fort Gorgast in 3 languages

Fort Gorgast has issued within CONVERNET a brochure informing about the Fort and its history . It is available in three languages: English, Polish and Lithuanian and may be downloaded here.

04/09/05-07/09/05: 5th CONVERNET partner meeting in Finland

The 5th CONVERNET partner meeting is to be held between 4-7th September 2005 in Kotka and Elimäki. Former military sites in Kotka; the Kyminlinna fortress and in Elimäki; the Koria parkland, will be visited and serve as meeting place.

09/05/2005: Conversion Summer 2005

According to the motto "Adding value through conversion" the series of events "Conversion Summer" 2005 takes place in the Land Brandenburg.
At 17 events all around Brandenburg, results of conversion of former military assets are presented and discussed with responsible actors and the public.
The Conversion Summer is opened in Brandenburg at 23 May 2005. The final event is scheduled for the 18 October 2005 in Doberlug-Kirchhain. Both locations are affected by the latest decisions on the restructuring of German federal armed forces.

related Downloads:
programme
invitation

13/03/05 - 15/03/05: 4th Partner Meeting in Fort Gorgast / Kostrzyn

Gorgast and Kostrzyn hosted the 4th CONVERNET Partner Meeting. At the two and a half days transboundary conversion activities within the Kostrzyn fortress were presented. Conversion sites at Kostrzyn old town, the Oder Island and fort Gorgast have been visited. The particpants were impressed by the Old town of Kostrzyn that has been totally destroyed during world war II. The Oder Island and the fort Gorgast, situated at the German edge of the Oder Valley, rounded off this partner meeting.
At the meeting that was held in the renovated casemates of the fort Gorgast, the Conversion Handbook for the Baltic Sea Region, where conversion issues are examplary presented, and the continuation of CONVERNET were discussed.

10/02/05 - 12/02/05: Association Fort Gorgast meets Paldiski municipality
The Association Fort Gorgast (Germany) visited the Paldiski municipality (Estonia) to exchange further experience and to discuss a concept for the development of tourism in Paldiski. Together, both CONVERNET partners already developed a system of information panels. The association Fort Gorgast developing the fort Gorgast near the German-Polish border since 1999 visited the fort in Paldiski that was erected by Peter the Great in 1705.

18/01/05 - 19/01/05: Work Group 3 Meeting in Helsinki

The members of Work Group 3 "Municipalities heavily dependend on the military" met in Helsinki to discuss latest developments of base closure in the Baltic Sea Region and its social consequences. An insight to the Finnish conversion process provided a visit to the Suomenlinna fortress. This fortress, once the most important strategic point of the northern Baltic Sea, is developed gradually since more than 30 years - with continuing success! Besides a comprehensive discussion on continuation of CONVERNET in 2006/2007 took place. The partners expressed their interested to continue the network.

For further information see workpackage 3.

13/03/05 - 15/03/05: 4th Partner Meeting in Fort Gorgast / Kostrzyn

Gorgast and Kostrzyn will host the 4th CONVERNET Partner Meeting. The two and a half days shall present transboundary conversion activities within the Kostrzyn fortification, where Gorgast is part of and other conversion sites in and around Kostrzyn / Fort Gorgast.
Besides a very important issue is the discussion of the Conversion Handbook for the Baltic Sea Region, where conversion issues are examplary presented.

25/11/04: Guests from Paldiski/Estonia visiting CONVERNET partners in Germany

Between 22 November and 24 November a delegation from Paldiski visited Fort Gorgast and Stavenhagen. The main topics of discussion were the development of tourism, oil contamination and participation in the “Conversion and Business day Stavenhagen”. What was of special interest for Paldiski was Stavenhagen’s Strategy for minimising the socio-economic consequences arising from the closure of the military base. The decreasing population needs a long-term urban restructuring which ensures a good quality of life. Both mayors expressed their wish for more cooperation and for a continuing exchange of experiences.

08/06/05 - 11/06/05: International Conference on fortresses in Magdeburg

"Maintenance and use of major historic fortresses of the 19th century" takes place in Magdeburg. For further information see downloads below.

related Downloads:
1. international conference program
2.1 english written reply
2.3 german written reply

26/09/04 - 29/09/04: 3rd Partner Meeting in Paldiski

The third partner meeting will take place in Paldiski / Estonia between 26th September 2004 to 29th September 2004. Please note, that the date has been shifted from originally 6th / 7th September 2004. For the arrival and departure to and from Tallinn transport will be organised.

The Steering Group will meet on 26th in the afternoon. The partner meeting itself will take place on 27th and 28th September. The first day will be dedicated to official issues as well as project management whereas for the second day it is foreseen to jointly work in the single workgroups on the strategy.

17/03/04 - 21/03/04: Second Partner Meeting in Stockholm

The second partner meeting in Stockholm will focus at formulating outlines for the joint conversion strategy in the Baltic Sea Region. Therefore partners will present local strategies which shall be discussed under the common goal of a joint conversion strategy.
Other topics will be the finalisation of the partnership, the stronger involvement of partners from accession countries, a communication strategy and other organisational matters.

The meeting will be held from 17. March 2004 to 21. March 2004 in Stockholm. The 18. / 19. March are dedicated to discussions between the partners whereas at 20. March 2004 there is the opportunity to experience conversion of military sites in Sweden at an excursion.