Nature conservation plans reveal the uniqueness of territories and give the opportunity to think forward

In order to balance nature conservation and economic interests, as well as to address the various challenges in the Special Protection Areas (SPAs), nature conservation plans are developed within the framework of natural census for 25 such territories, including the National Park of Gauja and Ķemeri, and Luban wetlands. Everyone is invited to engage constructively in the development of any plan to address the various issues related to THE SPA in a timely manner.
At the beginning of the preparation of plans, the owners of the land receive a letter of invitation to participate in the development of the document, and other stakeholders such as entrepreneurs, hunters, etc. are also invited to participate, presenting the idea to the developer of the plan. The next stage is the study of the natural values of the territory and the analysis of the data, but the possibility of integrating ideas with natural uniformity is further sought. The ideas and suggestions included in the plans provide more opportunities for their implementation, which often requires the support of projects or Structural Funds.
“The development of natural plans is an opportunity to assess the views of all stakeholders on the development of the area for the next 10 to 12 years, highlighting the conservation of natural values. In addition, natural plans contribute not only to the introduction and implementation of new innovative ideas, but also to address existing challenges. For example, the Gauja National Park (GNP) will carry out an evaluation of the melioration system and offer the most appropriate solution for its future maintenance,” says Irisa Mukāne, head of natural census.
As GNP is among the most competitive tourist destinations in a country where the natural and cultural heritage has a great economic interest, the development of the plan highlights the tourism sector. GNP is located at 98 tourist accommodation, which is a quarter of all SPT tourist accommodation in Latvia. In these places, the number of tourist nights per year exceeds 300 thousand, while the number of one-day visits in the area after the estimates of the first intermediate results exceeds three million per year. In addition, there are ~ 36 thousand local residents in THE area OF GNP who have their daily rest needs. Often these interests for a diverse rest between different groups are opposing.
The NGNP Nature Plan Tourism Management Specialist Andris Klepers acknowledges that “it is important to understand the flow of growing GNP visitors, including tourists and athletes, as it is linked to economic potential, physical capacity and anthropogenic pressures. In order to plan sustainable development, the assessment of the capacity and status of public infrastructure is taking place and visitors' habits are being investigated, proposals for infrastructure management are being prepared. Analysis of the interaction is much more helpful in the use of new technologies – automatic meters of visitors and a specially designed geospatial data platform.
Daugavpils District Council has a number of experience in the development OF SRT plans. Olga Lukashevich, head of the council of the council, finds that “the identification of natural values reminds us of how special we live and which are the natural values of the ornate.” However, THE IADT Plan is a very useful and binding document, as it contributes to the development of the municipality, highlights the priorities for budget allocation and the attraction of investments. The Nature Park (OP) River River and Protected Landscape Area (AAA) Upper Plans provided an opportunity to implement a variety of solutions to reduce the workload of people. As the ideas were assessed and included IN THE SPA plans, the co-financing of projects could be linked to their implementation. And we are also actively participating IN THE development of THE AAA Upgradaugava SPECIAL Plan, as we will be able to further improve the territory of Daugavpils District, which will be assessed by both local residents and the guests. '
The AAA Veclaicene plan, which has already been implemented with support from the European Structural Funds and benefited from the recognition of large population and tourists, was also developed in Alūksne Municipality four years ago. “In 2019, we completed a series of activities that reduce anthropogenic load IN AAA Veclaicene. We also built five natural houses that serve tourists as a temporary stop. We also created a number of free-access tourist information points, set up Kemper square with electricity and sewerage connections. It is precisely the involvement of the local government and the DEVELOPED IADT Plan has contributed to the realization of these ideas in life. And as the plan is valid, we are currently trying to raise additional funds for the preservation of the biodiversity of the Jaunlaicenes muiža Park, as described in the plan,” says Dzintars Adlers, Vice-Chairman of the municipality of Alūksne.
In the natural census, 14 SPECIAL plans have already been drawn up (DP Ragakapa, Aiviekstes, Riežupe, Numernes Valnis, age forests, Silene, DL Dukenlake, Vidzeme rocky Jurmala, Valley of the Svening River, Del meadow, Mežole, AAA Nezgale forests, DP Dviete palace, DL Venta and Scorlinen Valley), development of 9 plans (OP Adamovas lake, DL Platen swamp, Plenarciema climb, Garkalne forests, Luban wetlands, DL Grebļukalns, AAA Augšdaugava and Gauja and Kemeri National Parks), but contracts for the development of two more plans (DL Pumpkin marsha and Dubna) are signed in the coming months.
List of SPECIAL plans commissioned by the Nature Protection Administration and dates of meetings available https://www.daba.gov.lv/public/lat/iadt/dabas_aizsardzibas_plani/kalendars/. On the other hand, the planned plans can be found https://www.daba.gov.lv/public/lat/iadt/dabas_aizsardzibas_plani/2016_2020/.
The development OF SADT plans is one of the “preconditions for a better conservation of biodiversity and the protection of ecosystems in Latvia” by the European Union Cohesion Fund project. In parallel, biotopes are mapped and five species protection plans are developed. Current information on all activities to be implemented by the end of 2023 is available at www.skaitamdabu.gov.lv as well as www.daba.gov.lv and www.varam.gov.lv.
 
Other information: Ilze Reinika
Nature Conservation Agency
Assistant of the Natural Counting Manager
Phone: 27858275
Email: ilze.reinika@daba.gov.lv