Zilaiskalns, Valmiera county: natural and industrial heritage integration in sustainable development
About this good practice
Zilaiskalns includes village built in 50ties of 20th century for peat extraction factory workers and natural heritage site Zilaiskalns hill (national geological monument, Natura 2000, Northern Biosphere reserve) and surroundings. Soviet period heritage is uncomfortable, often neglected, especially industrial complexes, it exists, albeit is in bad physical and moral condition. Zilaiskalns hill was already attracting a lot of visitors even exceeding its capacity (~ 48 000 visitors/year). As solution consists of implementation of series of projects but specific for all was stakeholder involvement before the project and also studies of another, inspiring international practices solving similar issues.
Partners involved: Former Kocēni county municipality , Vidzeme planning region, local community, Peat extraction and processing company "Klasmann-Deilmann Latvia" Ltd., other partners.
Implemented activities:
1. Development of visitor center in former water tower of Zilaiskalns (Ztower) that offers educational insight in history and development of industrial village, peat extraction and production by exposition, virtual reality tour etc.;
2. Development of rail-bike service on former industrial rail lines;
3. Development of hiking trails in order to reduce anthropogenic pressure on Zilaiskalns hill.
Success factors were already exiting combination of rather popular natural heritage site with undeveloped industrial heritage object; ability to negotiate, persuade and involve.
Resources needed
Several sources of funding for different projects implemented to achieve systemic result: INTERREG Crossborder Cooperation program “Estonia – Latvia” 2014.-2020. (project Industrial Heritage, total budget 1 143 135 EUR), LEADER, EAFRD - small scope activities implemented by NGO's in territory.
Evidence of success
Implemented solution provided positive impact on visitor flow distribution to avoid crowding, rail-bikes are safe outdoor activity for individual (family, 1 household visitors). New destination with attractive offer in general reduced some pressure to another tourist, recreation sites in region and created a value for tourism entrepreneurs in area.
Outputs:
1) Z tower visitor and visitor-cultural heritage center;
2) Z-rail bikes (2 km line, 3000 visitors in summer 2021 season).
Potential for learning or transfer
It is important to look from the complex perspective in regards of solutions; Use project opportunities, collaboration networks, involve stakeholders; visionary skills are needed to see the future result in places which are not attractive at the present moment.
Another aspects to transfer are: complex look to situation; appreciation of values forgotten or even neglected; visionary sight on sustainable integration of various resources.
As innovative elements should be considered: adaptation of industrial heritage for visitor purposes with elements of good design, education and technology integration; synergy of different heritage elements; rail-bikes as unique offer on national level.
