Environment & Sustainability: good practices

Raising awareness on Environment & Sustainability topics: good practices and policy recommendations

Rivers are the lifelines of river cities and should be the showcases of environment protection and sustainable development for tourism use

River tourism has the potential to turn rivers and their hinterland into a sustainable economic and social asset. Through tourism, rivers can be utilized as an engine for regional development, improving the city’s connectivity with rural areas, acting as a mode of transport, and as a means of protecting unique ecosystems and biodiversity. Finally, they can improve people’s quality of life – but only when managed in a sustainable way. Furthermore, sustainable river tourism can work as tool for promoting more responsible behaviour from residents and visitors.

STAR Cities selection of good practices

Partners	Good practices	Description
Ljubljana	Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism	Tool for the development of sustainable tourism in destinations and businesses, under the brand Slovenia Green.
Val-de-Marne	Au fil de l’eau boat trips and shuttle services	A social programme contributing to both soft mobility and valorisation of natural heritage of rivers.
Kaunas	UPYNES - TẽKA platform	A virtual tool of the TẽKA initiative collects an archive of the memory of rivers, streams, and banks of the Kaunas region.
Kaunas	Let‘s celebrate the river	Community festival, aiming to develop the dialogue between sustainable river tourism forms and activities.
Ljubljana	Ljubljana European Green Capital 2016	Focus on pedestrian & cycling networks, new green spaces & public transport, attracting more and more tourists.
Val-de-Marne	Big Cultural Walks	Walking events punctuated by cultural visits and animations to make hundreds of participants discover the territory.
Val-de-Marne	Haute Ile Nature Park	A Natura 2000 site inspired by the natural landscapes close to the Marne river and implementing an innovative management.