National Conservation and Management Programme for Natura 2000 Sites in Latvia (2018–2030)

The National Conservation and Management Programme for Natura 2000 Sites in Latvia (2018–2030) is a sectoral plan of Latvia. Its main objective is to promote coordinated action plan targeted at preserving habitats listed in the Annex I of the Habitats Directive in all terrestrial Natura 2000 sites in Latvia. The Natura 2000 Programme is part of the Strategy of Nature Conservation Agency.
In comparison to nature conservation plans, the scope of Natura 2000 Programme goes beyond the local scale, and it highlights the priorities at national level. The top priority actions are selected based on a country-scale assessment of the conservation status of habitats, their distribution and trends. The Natura 2000 Programme should be used as a guideline when developing nature conservation plans for particular areas, taking into account the problematic questions highlighted in this document, which, at local scale, should be evaluated in depth.
Implementation of the Natura 2000 Programme may contribute not only to conservation of biodiversity, but also to mitigation of climate change by selecting priorities in peatland restoration which helps to increase their carbon sequestration capability. Similarly, the Natura 2000 Programme is a significant instrument that helps to achieve the aims defined in the Water Framework Directive in improving the condition of the water dependent ecosystems.
The Natura 2000 Programme consists of two parts – the introductory part (Part I) and detailed action plan for all Natura 2000 sites (Part II). Part I explains the role of this document in planning of habitat conservation and restoration, the principles of prioritization, and the national priorities of habitat restoration, including costs and potential sources of funding. Recommendations on more effective management and nature conservation within the Natura 2000 network are provided. Part II includes short description of each Natura 2000 site, main threats, management priorities, and a list of necessary actions for each habitat type (in some cases also the key species if the actions for habitats are insufficient for their protection).