„Protected natural areas and tourism management in

Latvia“

EEA TOUERM

Eriks Leitis, PhDDepartment of Nature Protection, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia

General information

• Latvia’s total territory - 64 589 km2

• use of land:– 38,5% agriculture– 44,4% forestry– 17,1% other

- 13% specially protected territories,

including 334 Natura 2000

MINISTRY of ENVIRONMENT ;

95826 ha; 8,2%

OTHERS; 726966,8 ha;

62,1%

LATVIA STATE FOREST;

348075,22 ha;29,7%

Total Area of Specially Protected Nature Territories except marine areas –

1’170’868 ha

Specially Protected Nature Territories of Latvia

Ecotourism research areas

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The main institutionsThe Ministry of Environmental Protection

and Regional Development

Department of Nature Protection:

– Development of the Biodiversity Protection Policy– Cooperation with the European Commission and International Conventions

 

Integration of specially protected nature territories of Latvia in spatial plans

Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia

Spatial plans of local governments

• Spatial plan specifies the requirements for land use and building, including functional zoning, public infrastructure and land use and building regulations, as well as other land use conditions for administrative territory or a part of it

• Spatial plan is elaborated by harmonizing public and private interests and providing society involvement – various proposals of landowners, that are interested in valuable use of their property, may be taken into account

Target group

• Owners and managers of the land in protected nature areas

• Local spatial planning experts/ local municipalities

• Responsible state institutions and managing institutions

Financial instruments for the management of Natura 2000

EU funds, Rural Development Program, LIFE, Interreg Horizon 2020)

National development Plan (2014 – 2020),Latvia 2030

Trends in the development of ecotourism in Natura 2000

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Ecotourism resources- especially protected nature territories (EPNT)

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Category Number of EPNTIncl. Natura 2000)

Number ofNatura 2000

National parks 4 4

Biosphere reserves 1 1

Strict Nature reserves 4 4

Nature parks 42 37

Protected landscape areas 9 9

Protected marine territories 7 7

Nature Monuments 355 9

Nature reserves 260 237

Total 682 332

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Category of monuments Number

Architecture 3401

Archeology 2493

Industry 10

Arts 2454

City planning 45

History 113

Hitorical sites 16

Total 8532

Ecotourism resources - heritage

Nature and heritage resources for the development of

ecotourism

The Sabile vineyard (2012) Sabile by W.S. Stavenhagen (1860)

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Nature and heritage resources for the Nature and heritage resources for the development of ecotourismdevelopment of ecotourism

Nature Park “Daugavas loki”

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Nature and heritage resources for the Nature and heritage resources for the development of ecotourismdevelopment of ecotourism

The trail of history - Nature park “Daugavas loki”

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Landscape resources for the development of ecotourism – Nature Park “Sauka”

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Good environmental practise in ecotourism to

reduce impact of industry on Natura 2000 1. Waste managemnet; 2. Ecotechnologies for sewage watewr treatment; 3. Environmentally friendly mobility; 4. Eco-building; 5. Renewable energy resources; 6. Organic products; 7. Ecovillages; 8. Environmental education;9. Environmental ethics and philosophy10. Certification of ecotourism products and services

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Eco building

Camphill Rožkalni village (2002)

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Eco building

Waldorf school in Lizdeni (1999)

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Videi draudzīgie risinājumi ekotūrismā – atkritumu šķirošana

Management of waste separation in Ventspils city (2008)

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Camp site near the Daugava river in the Nature park “Daugavas loki” (2011)

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Methodology of research/ approach

A content analysis of legal acts, policy and planning documents, statistical data;

B seven case studies in the area of ecotourism in protected nature areas;

C observation and evaluation of tourism impact;

D survey of target groups and occasional respondents – 379 respondents, survey covered following areas of evaluation (a total of 53 questions):

1. participation of various interested parties in ecotourism; 2. tourism activities in the local surroundings; 3. forms of tourism that could be developed; 4. tourism entrepreneurship; 5. the importance of tourism resources; 6. factors affecting tourism as a business; 7. types of tourism education; 8. environmentally friendly approaches and technology proposals.

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Findings and dataEcotourism feasibility studies have been carried out at several Natura 2000 sites in Latvia since 2001:

environmental risks: air and water pollution, waste, soil erosion, timber industry;

environmentally friendly solutions:biological water treatment systems, eco-buildings, eco-villages, environmentally-friendly mobility, renewable energy resources, energy saving, bio-products;

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Ecotourism research area - results

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Evaluation areaEvaluation scores (I – V) Results

I II III IV VSum of scores (0–

500) %

Organic food 0 0 45 32 355432 86,4

Waste separation 0 0 33 108 290 431 86,2

Heating of buildings 1 0 18 280 110409 81,8

Solar energy 4 4 12 280 70370 74,0

Wind energy 1 2 9 268 80360 72,0

Eco -detergents 0 0 21 264 60345 69,0

Saving of resources 0 0 108 184 30322 64,4

Biogas energy 0 2 90 192 30314 62,8

Ecotourism research area - results

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Tourism activities in your community:

1. are obstructive 2% 2. promote SME 21% 3. endanger local environment (a plastic waste as a special problem) 7% 4. give an opportunity to get to know other cultures 16% 5. give an opportunity to present our own culture 17% 6. promote welfare in the tourism region 19% 7. promote renovation of the heritage and recover environment endangered 5%

Ecotourism research area - results

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By which factors your tourism business is affected:

Seasonality (3 summer months only) 47%Weather conditions 23% Shortage of transportation 10% Shortage of marketing 15% Not predictable situation 5%

Development of new ecotourism products - Sonata of Lighthouses

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Prolongation of the ecotourism season

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Model for the Development of Ecotourism

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Ecotourism Development Cycle

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Conclusions

While Ecotourism is still a relatively new concept in tourism throughout the world, this is especially so in Latvia where it has barely been accepted let alone understood and has even interpreted in many and diverse ways, thus creating problems for the planning and realisation of this form of tourism.

In Latvia, there remains a notable deficit of studies and publications in the field of ecotourism and this is tied to a lack of information with regard to its importance and value in the overall advancement of sustainable development.

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Conclusions

In planning for ecotourism projects a key factor revolves around the integration of environmentally friendly technologies and approaches – renewable energy resources, reduction of emissions of sewage water and air pollution, application of energy efficiency, separation of waste, promotion of organic products, eco-village and ecobuilding projects, green mobility, nature guiding, environmental science and education.

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