The final conference of the project ”ALGAE – ECONOMY BASED ECOLOGICAL SERVICE OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS” took place on the 16^th of November 2023 in Vilnius. The conference was organized in mixed (live and online) way and held in English. Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment, oceans and fisheries, made the welcome speech for participants from Brussels. Mr. Maris Stulgis, Policy officer on Blue Bio economy, Algae and Marine Aquaculture from Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (Brussels, Belgium) participated in the conference and gave the keynote presentation “EU Support to the Algae Sector”, also participated in the round table discussion with project partners. 

During the first part of the conference overall results of the project were presented together with the project partners from Poland. The integral continuous presentation using the “EU Algae Initiative” which aims to unlock the potential of algae in Europe by increasing sustainable production, ensuring safe consumption and promoting the innovative use of algae and algae-based products approach was given by project partners. The presented project results will contribute to achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal.

During the second part of the conference prototypes manufactured during the project for collection of algal biomass, also bioproducts made from algae biomass (cosmetics, phycocyanin, biogas, fertilizers) and services have been presented for the conference participants. The representatives of responsible institutions and businesses sector had a possibility to familiarize themselves with the offered business-oriented products in more detail and to discuss possible further cooperation.

In total 55 representatives from different institutions such as Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries Service under the Ministry of Agriculture, Environmental Projects Management Agency, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and others took part in the conference in live. Additionally 46 participants from different institutions joined online for the presentations during the first part of the seminar. Among them there were participants from European Commission, 4 foreign countries (Poland, United Kingdom, Croatia, and Switzerland). Also participants from Ministry of Environment, Vilnius University, Lithuanian Energy Institute, Nature Research Centre, Kaunas city and Klaipėda region municipalities, Administrations of different protected areas joined to the conference online as well.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The 8th European Phycological Congress “Scientific Opportunities for a Global Algal Revolution” was held on August 20-26, 2023 in Brest, France. France has a long and proud tradition of phycological research and has a very diverse algal flora. Brittany is a world hotspot for seaweed diversity with about 700 species and has historically developed a flourishing macroalgal industry that still maintains its leadership in Europe. The region also hosts important research institutes dedicated to microalgae research and oceanography.

EPC8 included plenary presentations, a series of symposia grouped into 6 themes, contributed papers and posters covering a wide range of topics such as algal diversity, ecology, genomics, cell biology, applied phycology and societal perception of algae.

The 40th International Conference of the Polish Phycological Society was held on May 23–26, 2023 in Bydgoszcz and in Wądzyń in the Brodnica Lake District. The theme of the conference was “Time of change: taxonomy and ecology of algae in theory and practice”. The latest research results on pro- and eukaryotic algae, their importance in modern science, and potential biotechnological, economic and industrial uses were discussed during the conference.

• 

• 

• 

The 16th progress meeting of the project management group took place in Kaunas. Project partners from Poland also participated in the meeting. The seminar “Demonstration of algae harvesting in Kaunas Reservoir”, change of project budget and project prolongation, visit of monitoring expert and other relevant issues were discussed during the meeting.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The seminar “Demonstration of algae harvesting in the Kaunas Reservoir” took place on the 6^th of September 2022. During the first part of the seminar, achieved results of the project were presented together with the project partners from Poland, and the problems of algal blooms, ways solutions of improving water quality and use of algal biomass as a potential resource were discussed. Methods of remote sensing using unmanned aerial vehicles as well as the collection of cyanobacteria scums in the Kaunas Reservoir using the AS-L prototype constructed during the project were demonstrated during the second part of the seminar. The seminar was held in English. Prof. Liudas Mažylis, Member of European Parliament, Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety made the welcome speech for participants from Brussels.

The seminar was organized in mixed (live and remote) way. Demonstration of unmanned aerial vehicles for observation and identification of cyanobacteria blooms as well as the harvester AS-L for collection of cyanobacteria in Kaunas Reservoir was streamed for online participants also. In total 48 representatives from different institutions such as Ministry of Environment, Environmental Protection Agency, State Service for Protected Areas, Environmental Projects Management Agency, Fisheries Service under the Ministry of Agriculture, Kaunas city municipality, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and others took part in the theoretical and practical (demonstration) parts of the seminar.

Additionally 25 participants from different institutions joined online for the presentations during the first part of the seminar. Among them there were participants from 5 foreign countries (Poland, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, and Spain). Also Mr. Maris Stulgis, representative from EC DG MARE, participated in the discussions and followed the demonstration part. Also participants from Environmental Protection Agency, Vilnius and Klaipėda Universities joined to the seminar online as well.

Presentations:

1. Welcome speech by prof. Liudas Mažylis

3. Video film about the project

Recording of the seminar

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Symposium was hosted at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Science, České Budějovice, Czech Republic from the 14^th to 18^th of August 2022.

The aim of symposium is to give all participants the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive discussion on the topics of evolution, taxonomy, ecology, biogeography, and physiology of cyanobacteria and their practical use.

Two presentations were made:

1. How dangerous are cyanobacterial blooms and what are the solutions to the problem? (presenter: Judita Koreivienė)

2. Cyanobacterial blooms and circular economy (presenter: Elzbieta Wilk-Wozniak)

More information: https://www.iac2022.cz/home

• 

• 

In the 14th June 2022 INC PAS and AMU teams participated in the LIFE Information Day organised by National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. During the meeting we demonstrated the aim of our project and the results which were achieved up to this time. 

Here you can find more about the event:

https://www.gov.pl/web/nfosigw/kolejny-dzien-informacyjny-life-za-nami

• 

• 

Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak i Edward Walusiak We participated in the 12th International Conference on Toxic Cyanobacteria, The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, USA, 22-27 May 2022 and presented two posters:

1. Krztoń W., Walusiak E., Łaciak M., Kotlarz J., Rotchimmel K., Bęben K., Szymański J., Spiralski M., Wilk-Woźniak E. Developing an UAV method of monitoring of cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater ecosystems.

2. Wilk-Woźniak E., Jurczak T., Walusiak E., Łaciak M., Krztoń W. The influence of climate factors on the presence of microcystins in freshwaters – a case study from Poland.

There were ca. 200 participants.

• 

• 

Spring Ecological Seminar titled “Effects of eutrophication and the available possibilities for effective restoration of water reservoirs” was held on-line on May 18, 2022. This international seminar was held in English. It gathered outstanding researchers, water reclamation specialists from Universities in Poland, China and the USA, and was addressed mainly to students and Ph-D students. The main organizer was Normal University Nanyang in cooperation with Ningbo University in China. About 3,000 participants took part, including scientists and students. The LIFE project was represented by prof. Beata Messyasz, who gave a lecture entitled “Cyanobacteria and filamentous green algae as autogenic bioengineers which modify water environment”. Information on the problems of cyanobacterial blooms and macroscopic green algae development within the possibilities of their management context was presented, based on the examples of results obtained in the project so far. During the Seminar, great interest aroused the issue of a wide range of unique properties of chemical compounds that contain algae. It was emphasized that natural bioactive compounds encompass a wide variety of structures and functionalities. Interested students completed the English version of the water blooms questionnaires provided by the website of the “Algae Service for LIFE” project.

• 

• 

The 45th International Scientific and Technical Seminar “Chemistry for Agriculture” was held on November 21 – 24, 2021 in Karpacz. 208 participants took part in the conference, including about 2/3 scientists from universities, having 7 rectors, and about 1/3 representatives of industrial plants related to agriculture. There were such tycoons as Grupa Azoty S.A. and other compnies:  INTERMAG Sp. z o.o, EKOPLON Sp. z o.o., FOSFAN S.A., AGRECO Sp.z.o.o. The project was represented by prof. AMU Beata Messyasz, prof. Bogusława Łęska and prof. AMU Radosław Pankiewicz, who gave a total of 4 lectures. We were able to present the results obtained so far in the project, both during a closed session and during conference talks, arousing great interest. During the conference, it was noticed that due to the huge increase in gas prices and the cost of CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere, the interest in organic fertilizers increased significantly. It made us believe that the assumptions of our LIFE project are correct and that it is possible to achieve profitability of harvesting and processing algae biomass into fertilizer in the future.

Presentation:

The seminar “Remote sensing in environmental studies: advantages and challenges” was held on 12 October 2021 in Nature Research Center. Remote sensing methods applied in Lithuania and Bulgaria using unmanned aerial vehicles and satellite images were presented. The principles, problems, advantages and possibilities of these methods were discussed.

Presentations:

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

39^th International Conference of the Polish Phycological Society was held from 27 to 30 of September 2021 in Gdynia-Łeba (Poland). Conference was organized by Gdańsk University and Polish Phycological Society. 75 participants attended the conference. Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak (Institute of Nature Conservation of Polish Academy of Sciences), Judita Koreivienė (Nature Research Centre) and Dmitrij Morudov (Nature Research Centre) presented the results of the project AlgaeService for LIFE.

Presentations:

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The 13th progress meeting of the project management group took place live in Krakow. Results that were obtained as well as ongoing relevant issues were discussed.

Conceptual model of a water harvester for collecting macroalgae and macrophyte biomass from the surface and undersurface layers of water reservoirs. The model was built with Lego© – http://hydro-new.home.amu.edu.pl/pl/projekt-life/

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Demonstration of algae harvesting in the oxbow lake Tynieckie took place in vicinity of Krakow on 25^th of August 2021. The algae harvester specially designed for this purpose by Baltic Environment (Lithuania) was demonstrated for stakeholders. The harvester is an innovative and novel solution for effective harvesting of excess cyanobacteria and macroalgae biomass, which is used for various products. Harvesting of excess biomass helps to clean the water bodies of excess nitrogen and phosphorus and eliminate cyanobacterial toxins. Also unmanned aerial vehicle as a remote sensing method for the monitoring of algal blooms has been demonstrated by project experts from Lithuania. The demonstration event was attended by all partners of the international team implementing the LIFE 17 ENV/LT/000407 project. Also representatives of local authorities and institutions interested in water protection such as Polish Anglers Association with the President of the Krakow District, Municipal Water Supply and Sewage Company in Krakow, Municipal Water Supply and Sewage Company in Wadowice, the Management of Urban Green Areas in Krakow, The State Water Holding Polish Waters took part in the event. Total number of participants – 46.

Video of Demonstration Event in Krakow

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Online seminar took place on 26^th of August 2021. Aim and objectives as well as results obtained of the project have been presented during the seminar. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles and satellite imagery (Sentinel) within the project has been presented as well. Also video summary of field demonstration of the previous day has been presented for participants of online seminar. Representatives of National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (fund co-financing the project) and the representatives of Lithuanian and Polish stakeholders attended the seminar. Total number of participants – 38.

Presentations:

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

On July 15, project was presented during the meeting of the Working Group on Water and Wastewater Management within the national network of environmental authorities and institutions managing EU funds “Partnership: Environment for Development” – National Water Management Authority (https://sdr.gdos.gov.pl/SitePages/GWS.aspx). The meeting was attended by representatives of Regional Directorates for Environmental Protection, General Directorate for Environmental Protection, Marshal Offices, Regional Water Management Authorities, Polish Water Management Authority and the Ministry of Infrastructure. This meeting was conducted on the topic of the Baltic Sea and its pollution.

Aims of the project and results of UAV monitoring were presented by Marcin Spiralski Łukasiewicz Institute of Aviation. Institute of Aviation cooperates with Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences. In the frame of the LIFE project both Institutes work on distant methods of cyanobacterial blooms monitoring.

Presentation was done for students of Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies University of Warsaw during the 40^th EARSeL Symposium (European Remote Sensing-New Solutions for Science and Practise) between 7 and 10 June 2021.

Natural Toxins: Environmental Fate and Safe Water Supply, 24-25 September 2020, online conference organized by the NaToxAq project consortium (https://natoxaq.ku.dk/).

Website: https://www.recetox.muni.cz/en/about-us/events/natoxaq-conference-2020

During the conference the oral presentation entitled: “Tools to manage cyanobacteria agglomerations in freshwater ecosystems” was given. The project, it’s aims and achievements were presented.