Baltic PR Awards 2012 Category: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Organization: Repute Client: Cido GRUPA Country: Latvia Project name: Place a stone in a river

1. Category: CSR
Repute (Latvia)
“Place a stone in a river”: An innovative idea to keep the eco-system alive
Cido GRUPA
Situation
Latvia has over 12 000 rivers and streams, but 70% of them are at risk of overgrowing. Did you know that
by placing a stone in a shallow river or a stream, it improves its stream flow? It was this straightforward,
yet scientifically proven method that Andris Urtāns, an environmental scientist and hydrologist,
implemented in cooperation with Mangaļi Nature Foundation. Campaign is based on strategically locating
stones in rivers, therefore adding oxygen to the water and improving its overall quality. The method has
been recognized by established world’s aquatic ecology and environmental specialists as an excellent and
innovative project.
Objectives
The campaign’s goal was to involve local government authorities in this project by showing them
demonstrations of how strategically located stones in the river can help to save them. The main goal was
for government authorities to learn the method from field expert demonstrations, in order for them to later
on independently organize joint efforts within their community. It was an essential to address local
government authorities directly, because without their permit rivers cannot be altered by individuals.
The campaign was based on “River quality map” that was mapped out by environmental scientists showing
target locations with low quality water.
Strategy
The genius idea is such a simple way to save a local river or a stream, because all it requires is knowledge
of placing stones and participation of local communities and active environmentally conscious volunteers.
In order to teach the method Mangaļi Nature Foundation together with Andris Urtāns organized several
sets of demonstrations and events in different regions of Latvia, training messengers to use the new method
of saving rivers. The campaign gained such interest and popularity from local government municipalities
and parishes, that afterwards many of them organized their own river cleaning activities and “Place a stone
in a river” campaigns.
The idea was implemented by Mangaļi Nature Foundation, whose main mission and goal is to educate and
inform Latvians about their water resources, while explaining the most efficient ways to maintain and
sustain these resources as clean and accessible as possible.
Execution
The first stone-laying event took place not far from Riga in Ķivuļurga. In the presence of environmental
activists, government and municipality authorities, students and locals, A.Urtāns placed more than 100
medium-sized stones’. The procedure was carried out with great accuracy in order to create a stream flow.
The entire campaign received wide mass media coverage from TV, radio, national and regional press;
furthermore it served as an example of how a simple idea, without any special technical requirements can
aid the environment.
Similar campaigns were organized in four more rivers across all regions. In all locations (Rauza, Venta,
Balga, Virza) government representatives, environmental activists, and locals with a passion for ecology
took part in placing stones.
An informative website dedicated to the campaign was created: http://www.mangali.lv/lv/dabasfonds.
For every “Mangaļi” water bottle purchased, a penny was donated towards the campaign thus involving
every member of the society.
Baltic PR Awards 2012

2. Category: CSR
Documented Results
The campaign received wide mass media coverage from TV, radio, national and regional press; furthermore
it served as an example of how a simple idea, without any special technical requirements can aid the
environment.
Five major cleanup campaigns took place all across Latvia involving more than 500 official government
representatives, environmental activists and students.
More than 48 hours spent increasing the stream flow in over 3000 meters of river bed, and in the process
more than 600 stones were placed in the river;
More than 150 newspaper articles and stories in magazines, TV and radio, covering the campaign to more
than 2.5 millions of people all across Latvia;
Regarding the additional interest of the demonstrations, the project was presented in Brussels, Belgium and
ten more municipalities, and also schools. The bases of the unique idea are under consideration for
implementation by other countries.
Baltic PR Awards 2012