Our Common Baltic 2005
10/08/2005
INSPIRING MEETINGS AT OUR COMMON BALTIC 2005
By Katrin Hammarlund, CCB International Coordinator
Between 27 th June and 3 rd July 2005, participants from Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Belarus gathered to learn more about the Baltic Sea in CCB's summer course Our Common Baltic (OCB). The course has been held for 13 years in cooperation with Stensund folkhighschool outside Trosa, Sweden.
The aim of the course is to teach CCB activists in the ecology of the Baltic Sea, its environmental and cultural situation as well as the traditional life-styles of people living in the Swedish archipelago mixed with modern sustainability options. And, very importantly, to exchange experiences as well as to strengthen the network of CCB.
During the course we got to know inspiring people that have lived their lives close to the Baltic Sea and that have assembled impressive knowledge about our common sea.
Ms. Eva Jansson, the course leader, grew up with two professors that have had the Baltic Sea as research field. She followed their footsteps. She led the course always with a smile, making the group feel comfortable. She helped us through the analysis of plankton samples and gave us a clear picture of which plankton belonged where in the ecology of the Baltic Sea.
Part of the course was carried out on board the sailing ship Amalia. When the ship arrived on Wednesday afternoon everyone was really excited, wanting to get out to sea. Amalia is a beautiful ship, over 100 years old. The captain of Amalia, Mr. Ulf Busch, shared with us the knowledge gathered from a life-long experience at sea. He has taken part of the course during these 13 years and has met many CCB members over the time. Many of which are still active within the CCB network.
We also got to know people in the archipelago having lived of the sea for their whole lives. They witnessed how difficult their lives were during their active years, how the archipelago was emptied of people and how the unsustainable use of the Baltic Sea has had severe impacts on its environment. However, they have also seen how the situation has improved over the years. For example, the ban of DDT and PCP has led to that the White-tailed eagle and the Grey seal have recovered. But the fish is no longer as abundant as it used to be. The cod, salmon and eel are diminishing due to over fishing and that the seabed in the Baltic Sea lacks oxygen.
One of today's largest threats to the Baltic Sea is eutrophication leading to harmful algal blooms and anoxic seabed. We visited Oxelösund Wetland, which is a natural system for nitrogen removal of sewage from the 14 000 people living in Oxelösund. To construct wetlands that reduce leakage of nutrients from agriculture, wastewater treatment plants and storm water is one sustainable and cost-effective way of dealing with nutrient run-offs to reduce the impact on the Baltic Sea.
The group of participants also inspired sharing their views on the Baltic Sea from their perspectives. They enlightened my life as well as they did for the old people that we met out in the archipelago.
This was the first time I took part in the course and it left me with happy feelings. I have not been working at the CCB secretariat for long and I feel that my connection with the CCB network has strengthened getting to know the people better that really are the backbone of the CCB network.
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