The draft Cabinet of Ministers regulation "Amendments to Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 940 of 18 December 2012 'Regulations on the establishment and management of micro-reserves, their protection, as well as the determination of micro-reserves and their buffer zones'" provides for the creation of a micro-reserve upon the identification of a protected habitat.

A micro-reserve is established for an area if it meets at least one of the following conditions:

• 
  it meets the habitat definition, all mandatory habitat characterisation criteria are met (depending on the habitat type, on average 2-3 features), and a rare plant community characteristic of the habitat is present
  

or

• it meets the habitat definition, all mandatory habitat characterisation criteria are met, and a portion (depending on the habitat type, on average 4-5 features) of the set of biologically significant structural elements is present.

Below are some threshold values for forest structural elements deemed SIGNIFICANT by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, which may serve as a basis for determining protected habitat status and prohibiting economic activity:

Wooded coastal dunes

• Large snags and/or stumps with a diameter at 1.3 m above the root collar greater than 25 cm: At least 1 snag and/or stump per 1 ha
• Large fallen deadwood with a diameter at the thickest point greater than 25 cm: At least 1 log per 1 ha
• Living trees, snags and/or stumps with wood-decay fungi (bracket fungi): At least 1 tree, snag and/or stump per 1 ha
• Pines with fire scars: At least 1 pine per 1 ha

Mixed oak, elm and ash forests along large rivers

• Biologically old, large trees with a diameter at 1.3 m above the root collar greater than 35 cm:At least 6 trees per 1 ha
• Large snags and/or stumps with a diameter at 1.3 m above the root collar greater than 25 cm: At least 1 snag and/or stump per 1 ha
• Large fallen deadwood with a diameter at the thickest point greater than 25 cm: At least 1 log per 1 ha

Old mixed broad-leaved forests

• Trees with cavities: At least 1 tree per 1 ha
• Living trees, snags and/or stumps with wood-decay fungi (bracket fungi): At least 6 trees, snags and/or stumps per 1 ha
• Biologically old, large trees with a diameter at 1.3 m above the root collar greater than 35 cm: At least 10 trees per 1 ha

People usually associate the word "habitat" with highly unique natural values, yet the aforementioned forest structural elements are found in almost any forest stand; furthermore, it should be noted that this article lists only a few examples. The full description of the intended habitat determination and the version of the Cabinet of Ministers regulation can be viewed at: http://tap.mk.gov.lv/lv/mk/tap/?pid=40421603