In order to ensure the conservation of semi-natural grasslands and their inclusion in the network of specially protected nature territories, thereby partly resolving the infringement procedure initiated by the European Commission against Latvia over insufficient protection of grassland habitats, the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM) has drawn up a draft Cabinet of Ministers regulation, “Amendments to Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 674 of 21 November 2023, ‘Regulations on Nature Reserves’”. It provides for the creation of 39 new nature reserves and the extension of four existing nature reserves, covering a total area of 4,649 ha.
VARAM and the Nature Conservation Agency (the agency) invite the public to take part in the public consultation on the planned amendments. Written proposals and suggestions on the draft regulation must be submitted by 20 December, addressed to VARAM (Peldu iela 25, Rīga, LV-1494, or pasts@varam.gov.lv.). The draft legislation is available on the website of the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development. It can also be viewed in the Public Participation section of the public portal for draft legislation (Project ID 24-TA-1293).
Anonymous submissions will not be taken into account. Legal entities must therefore state in their letter the name of the institution, its registration number, the date on which the proposals are submitted and contact details. Private individuals must state their given name, surname, address and the date on which the proposal is submitted.
To inform landowners whose properties will fall within the newly created or extended nature reserves, information letters about the forthcoming changes are being sent out. Private individuals and legal entities will receive the letters at their official e-address. If they do not have one, the letters will be sent to their declared address.
For the convenience of landowners, the agency has prepared an online map. It shows the boundaries of the nature reserves to be created and extended, the areas of habitats of European Union importance, field blocks and existing specially protected nature territories. By entering a property's cadastral designation in the map's search box in the top left-hand corner of the page, users will be able to see whether and how the changes will affect that particular property. Instructions for using the map are also available there.
Further information can be obtained by contacting the agency's specialists on working days from 10.00 to 16.00 on 25 638 270 or 25 653 491, or in writing by sending questions to pasts@daba.gov.lv.
Constructive proposals and comments, meanwhile, can be submitted to VARAM by sending an email to pasts@varam.gov.lv or by calling 67026587 on working days from 10.00 to 16.00.
The purpose of the new nature reserves is to conserve and protect biologically diverse grasslands, which are a significant part of Latvia's natural heritage. Grasslands are currently the most threatened group of habitats in Latvia and now cover less than 1% of the country's territory. Yet they provide a home for many protected plant and animal species and help to maintain the balance of ecosystems and the quality of the landscape.
The draft regulation was developed using detailed nature value inventory data, an assessment of the areas concerned and an analysis of the factors affecting them. The draft regulation has been prepared in order to strengthen protection primarily for the meadow habitat “Species-rich pastures and grazed meadows”, habitat code 6270*. The European Commission has pointed to the inadequate protection of this habitat, initiating an infringement procedure against Latvia for failure to fulfil obligations relating to the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora.