Coastal residents who care about the town and the Gulf of Finland became guests of Friends of the Baltic information action within the Oranienbaum Marine Festival, dedicated to the 300-th anniversary of Lomonosov.
Organizers of the Festival aimed at positioning Lomonosov/Oranienbaum as a coastal town, to raise public awareness about healthy lifestyle and to promote sailing and motorboat sport and tourism in the Gulf of Finland. The Festival was supported by public organizations, authorities and business-communities.

The present situation almost gives no chance to Lomonosov town to become an attractive tourist site with a healthy environment and the beautiful coastal area. More and more port-industrial objects are now occupying the gulf shore, and there are no alternative projects for nature conservation in this area. Residents are losing the access to the sea. The project of establishing “Wetlands of Kronkolonia”nature protection area started 10 years ago and is still not finished, but the western part of the planned protected area is already cut off because of the new project of a new port terminal to the east of the dam. And even this stripped-down option of a nature reserve have not received an official status yet.

Friends of the Baltic members and volunteers organized an information stand at the Lomonosov pier. They spoke to the visitors about the values of the Baltic Sea region and about the opportunities for nature conservation. They distributed a leaflet addressing legal rights of every resident to a favorable environment, on simple solutions which everybody can use to improve the Baltic Sea environment. Friends of the Baltic distributed materials of international Coalition Clean Baltic on environmentally friendly solutions for the Baltic Sea.

Lomonosov town and the Gulf of Finland coastal area in general still have a chance for sustainable development along with conservation of nature and a healthy environment. But to turn this opportunity inthe to reality it is necessary to secure the balance between port-industrial plans and the development of recreation zones, nature protection areas and tourist infrastructure. To make it possible the active position of citizens is needed. Governmental priorities and position of local authorities should be re-directed and all should focus on the future instead of momentary interest of those who accidentally turned out to be at the steering wheel of the country.