BASMATI - Baltic Sea Maritime Spatial Planning for Sustainable Ecosystem Services

Learn about the project in this introductory video

The objective of the project is to develop integrated and innovative solutions for MSP from the local to the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) scale through a decision-support tool building on interactive information technology, and aiming at informing multi-level governance systems for their management of ecologically and socio-economically sound network of protected marine areas in the Baltic Sea. The project builds upon existing knowledge, identifies and involves relevant actors as well as addresses different spatial scales ranging from local, national to the macro-regional level. Specific objectives are to: a) analyse governance systems and their information needs regarding MSP in the BSR for developing an operational, transnational model for MSP, while maintaining compliance with existing governance systems; b) develop methods and tools for assessments of different plan proposals based on an approach including spatially explicit pressures and effects on maritime ecosystem services; c) create a spatial data infrastructure for the BSR facilitating broad access to information; d) design and develop an innovative web-based decision support system providing easy access to information through intelligent discovery.

Cross-border collaboration and stakeholder involvement play a crucial role in the project. Its impact of the project will be facilitated and assessed in transnational case studies, where integrated solutions are required. These include cases in Latvia, Danish-German areas, and a pan-Baltic case. 

BONUS BASMATI focuses on establishing an innovative decision support system, Baltic Explorer, that can facilitate between different actors and stakeholders in MSP and at all stages of the planning process. This involves elements such as data discovery and exchange, integrative analyses related to the ecosystem-based principle and interactive stakeholder involvement.

A major outcome will be a MSP tool called Baltic Explorer. It is a spatial decision-support system designed to support the MSP process around the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Explorer facilitates broad access to information. It helps planners and stakeholders to overcome the challenges of MSP, such as transboundary and cross-border planning and comprehensive mapping and management of ecosystem services. The tool will be developed with the help of its end-users and it will be tested in three BONUS BASMATI case studies.

project partners

Henning Sten Hansen, Aalborg University, Denmark

Nordregio, Sweden

Aarhus University, Denmark

Finnish Geospatial Research Institute, Finland

University of Turku, Finland

Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Latvia

Leibniz institute for Baltic Sea Research, Germany