In May and June, the Vidzeme Planning Region, in cooperation with the Kurzeme, Zemgale and Latgale planning regions, will organise a series of information seminars on the revitalisation of historical peat extraction sites and on the forthcoming Just Transition Fund support for carrying out site revitalisation activities, as part of the project Support for the Revitalisation of Historical Peat Extraction Sites.
The seminars are intended for the owners of historical peat extraction sites — local authorities, companies and private individuals — and especially for those whose land has been identified under the project as suitable for revitalisation, of which the owners have been informed. At the same time, the seminars will be open to anyone interested.
The seminars will take place:
- on 27 May in Vidzeme, in Cēsis, Rīgas iela 15, on the premises of the H.E. Vanadziņš Ziemeļu restorāns (registration by 25 May);
- on 2 June in Latgale, in Rēzekne, Krasta iela 31, on the premises of the Zeimuļs ARPC (registration by 28 May);
- on 4 June in Kurzeme, in Saldus, Apvedceļš 7C, on the premises of Eat & Chill (registration by 3 June);
- on 17 June in Zemgale, in Pilsrundāle, Bauska municipality, on the premises of Rundāles Avoti (registration by 10 June).
Further information and registration
In the first part of the seminars, participants will gain a practical overview of the revitalisation of historical peat extraction sites. It will be explained what historical peat extraction sites are, what role peatlands play in climate regulation and in conserving biodiversity, what revitalisation solutions exist, and what needs to be considered when choosing the most suitable approach for a particular site. The seminars will also look at the possible costs, the options for the future use of such sites, and the long-term impact of the various solutions.
The seminars will be led by Ilze Ozola, an expert at the Lake and Bog Research Centre.
The second part of the seminars will be particularly useful for landowners who plan to make use of the forthcoming support for carrying out site revitalisation activities. Representatives of the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM) and the Central Finance and Contracting Agency (CFLA) will explain the aims and conditions of the planned support programme, as well as the procedure for submitting projects and preparing documentation. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers from representatives of the institutions involved in delivering the support programme.
The aim of the seminars is to help landowners prepare in good time for the forthcoming support opportunities and to make well-founded decisions about the future management of their land.
The content of the seminars will be identical at every venue, so participants can choose whichever location is most convenient for them. Participation in the seminars is free of charge.