LIFE-IP LatViaNature International Conference – Together for Nature: merging public and private efforts

The two-day event, organised by LIFE-IP LatViaNature, gathered experts from both public and private sectors across Europe to discuss innovative strategies aligned with the new Nature Restoration Law.

Participants shared experiences from various nature conservation and restoration projects, engaged in plenary and thematic sessions covering topics such as stakeholder engagement, volunteer contributions, and incentivising private landowners, and explored successful case studies during a poster session. The conference aimed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange, encouraging attendees to submit summaries and photos of their conservation approaches to be featured in an online publication.

On the second day, attendees embarked on field trips in the Vidzeme region to observe hands-on restoration projects, including pilot programmes focused on biodiversity conservation involving local landowners. The event also featured a volunteer habitat management activity near Lake Kaņieris in Ķemeri National Park, where participants helped maintain habitats that supported rare species protected by the EU Habitats Directive.