Project representatives from Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia and Saulkrasti Municipality attended international conference about ecosystem services. Conference “Helping nature to help us” were organised from 19. till 23. of September in the city of Antwerp, Belgium.

Conference were devoted to the important role that healthy ecosystems play in supporting human well-being.

This conference was the biggest European event in 2016 that linked science, policy and practice on ecosystem services and natural capital with over 600 participants.

Conference programme offered an attractive mix of:

• keynote presentations from policy, practice and science;
• a networking day where businesses, practitioners, policymakers and researchers meet and showcase their work;
• interactive sessions to demonstrate working examples of ecosystem services and natural capital;
• field excursions to see ecosystem services in action;
• scientific sessions.

During the LIFE programme sesion, project "LIFE EcosystemServices" representative Mrs. Inga Hoņavko presented project main aims, planned results and activities which are finished. During the conference newly made short films also were presented.

Two of conference days were devoted to the poster sessions, during which participants presented their newest findings and approaches regarding ecosystem services theme. Project "LIFE EcosystemServices" representatives from Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia and Saulkrasti Regional Council presented two posters – one about completed ecosystem services mapping in Saulkrasti and Jaunķemeri pilot areas and other about newly made environmental design objects in Saulkrasti city.

Also an ecosystem services Public Fair were organised, where many projects presented their achievements and materials. Project "LIFE EcosystemServices" materials (USB sticks with short films, stickers etc.) were presented int the LIFE programme stand.

Conference was organised by EU level projects – Ecosystem Services partnership (ESP), Operationalisation for Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services (OpenNESS) , Ecosystem Science for Policy&Practice (OPERA) un Planning for Ecosystem Services (ECOPLAN).

Experience exchange is organized in the framework of project LIFE13 ENV/LV/000839 "LIFE EcoystemServices" which is implemented by the Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia, association "Baltic coasts" and Saulkrasti Municipality. Project is co-financed by the European Union and Latvian Environmental Protection Fund.