About 50 representatives of state, municipal, scientific and non-governmental institutions gathered in the House of Nature of the University of Latvia on Friday, April 26, 2019 to learn about the newest results of ecosystem services related projects in Latvia.

This time the central topic of the Project seminar and the third discussion forum on ecosystem services was “Use of ecosystem services approach in decision making”. Several Projects are approaching their conclusion and different recommendations and interactive tools have been worked out to provide help for decision makers in the course of planning development and management activities taking into account benefits provided by environment and without reducing the provision of ecosystem services significant for human society.

All presentations of the event can be found here.

Within the LIFE Ecosystem Services project strategic recommendations for different planning levels in Latvia, as well as for further development of planning documents related to Project pilot areas (Development programme for Saulkrasti region; management plans for Nature park “Piejūra” and Ķemeri National Park) are being worked out. Use of ecosystem services approach in planning nature conservation promotes awareness of protected areas as source of benefits for human society, not only as sites for protecting species and habitats. More information on the recommendations can be found here.

Integrated planning tool worked out within the LIFE Viva Grass Project is already available for users. It supports the use on integrated planning approach in landscape and spatial planning as well as sustainable grassland management. The tool provides the possibility to visualize the potential of grassland ecosystem services and to compare different grasslands and management practices.

Assessment of different management scenarios is also important to decide on the most appropriate means of recultivation – both, from environmental and economic aspects – in former peat extraction sites. Optimisation models worked out within LIFE REstore project are designed to solve this planning task.

Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", in its turn, is continuing research on the effects of forestry on forest ecosystems and services they provide. Such cultural services as, for example, leisure activities and use of forest in creating arts, as well as use of non-timber forest products – mushrooms, berries, medical herbs and simply forest material for festive decorations – are very topical for Latvian society. Big part of them rely on these resources as additional source of income and significant part of life quality. More information on this research can be found here.

Use of ecosystem services assessment in marine spatial planning (project BONUS BASMATI) and “green infrastructure” planning (project ENGRAVE) are currently the most recent Projects dealing with development of ecosystem services approach on national and regional levels. 

The tradition of gathering Latvian researchers, representatives of institutions from environmental and regional development, agricultural, forestry and related spheres to discuss practical use of ecosystem services assessment in implementation of policy will be continued also in 2020, when the Ecosystem Services project will come to its conclusion.

We invite you to follow the news of the Project on the websites of the Project, Nature Conservation Agency and our cooperation organization Baltic Environmental Forum Latvia!

PRESENTATIONS

PHOTO Gallery

The event was organized by the LIFE + program project "Assessment of ecosystems and their services for nature biodiversity conservation and management" (LIFE Ecosystem Services, No. LIFE13 ENV/LV/000839) in cooperation with the project “Integrated planning tool to ensure viability of grasslands" (LIFE VivaGrass). No LIFE13 ENV/LT/000189). The event was supported by the LIFE financial instrument and the Administration of Latvian Environmental Protection Fund.