International conference on LIFE projects

On 25 and 26 September, the LatViaNature international conference “Together for nature conservation: public and private sector involvement” took place at the University of Latvia’s House of Nature in Riga.

The conference participants were addressed by the Minister for Smart Administration and Regional Development Raimonds Čudars, the Director General of the Nature Conservation Agency, Laura Anteina, and Andrea Vettori, Head of the Nature Conservation Unit of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment.

The two-day event brought together experts from the public and private sectors to look jointly for innovative strategies for achieving the targets of the new Nature Restoration Law and to share experience of various nature conservation and restoration initiatives.

In the thematic sessions, representatives of LIFE projects from Portugal, Spain, Lithuania and Latvia shared their experience of voluntary contributions to the management of habitats and species.

Colleagues from Greece, Belgium and Latvia spoke about stakeholder involvement and communication.

The conference also discussed ideas and experience regarding the financing of nature conservation and support programmes for those who want to preserve and care for natural values on their land.

At the end of the first day, the conference participants went to the National Botanic Garden to take part in a tasting of grassland products and watch the “Nature Concert Hall” performance about the meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis, which received the Natura 2000 Award for achievements in nature communication in 2016.

On the second day of the conference, the participants got to know examples of voluntary involvement in biodiversity conservation, visiting the farms “Atēnas” and “Ozoliņi”, participants in the LatViaNature pilot programmes Flower Meadows and Living Forest. In the evening, they visited the Ērgļi station, run by nature researcher and environmental education activist Māris Olte.

At the conference, the LIFE IS SALACA project was presented by project manager Edijs Leoke and lead riparian forest expert Mārcis Saklaurs; Linda Uzule and Lauma Vizule-Kahovska (NCA) also took part.