LIFE AQPOM

The LIFE AQPOM project significantly enhanced the conservation status of the lesser spotted eagle in Latvia by updating and implementing a comprehensive action plan for the species. This plan, which received official approval during the project, included several key measures to protect and support the eagle population.

A central component of the plan was the establishment of a network of protected nesting sites, strategically connected to existing Natura 2000 areas. This initiative greatly improved the connectivity of breeding grounds, providing protection for 500 pairs of lesser spotted eagles—accounting for at least 12.5% of Latvia's eagle population. The protection strategy involved designating zones with varying levels of restrictions to ensure the safety and preservation of these critical habitats.

In addition to habitat protection, the project also focused on enhancing nesting opportunities by creating 50 artificial supports and platforms. These structures are vital for the long-term survival and stability of eagle nests, further contributing to the species' conservation.

Additionally, the project carried out a series of restoration actions in the Kuja nature park:

• 4 ha of Fennoscandian wooded meadows;
• 23 ha of Northern Boreal alluvial meadows, with small inclusions of Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils; and
• 3 ha of Fennoscandian lowland species-rich dry to mesic grasslands