On 26 March 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Regulations project* elaborated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development on elaboration of nature management plans for specially protected nature territories (SPNT) with the support of the European Union funds, thus contributing to nature protection and biodiversity improvement.
"I am pleased with the opportunity to invest a part of the funding of European Union funds for the development of Nature Protection plans in local governments. The real beneficiaries will be the society as a whole, because at the level of municipalities and regions, measures will be created and coordinated with each other, aimed at the sustainable use of local natural resources and the preservation of natural values," says Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Inga Bērziņa.
The development of nature management plans for Special Protection Areas is necessary to coordinate nature conservation, natural resource use, regional development and other interests in order to preserve the natural values of the area. Currently, only about 38% of Latvia's SPNT have developed and up-to-date nature management plans. The development of nature management plans and community participation activities should be supported under this measure.
The measure will be implemented through two selection rounds with a total available funding of EUR 5.9 million, including EUR 5 million from the European Regional Development Fund (EUR 2.5 million in each round).
The first round of project selection will be organised in the form of a restricted selection - the beneficiary is the Nature Conservation Agency. The second round of project selection will be organised as an open call for proposals, open to municipalities or their institutions. Several municipalities may submit a joint project if one SPNT is located in the administrative territories of several municipalities. Under the investment measure, nature management plans must be developed by the end of 2027, bringing the total area of Natura 2000 sites covered by protection and restoration measures to at least 22 500 hectares.
The Central Financial and Contracts Agency, as the cooperation authority for the European Union funds, will announce the selection of project applications in April this year. Please keep up to date with the latest information on project selection on the website of the Central Financial and Contracts Agency.
*European Union Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027, Objective 2.2.3 "Improve nature protection and biodiversity, green infrastructure, in particular in urban areas, and reduce pollution", Measure 2.2.3.3 "Measures to promote and conserve biodiversity", Implementing rules for the first and second selection rounds of project applications
