Category: LIFE

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Informative event for Valmiera local stakeholders

Event was held on November 7, 2023, in Valmiera with the aim to introduce with the LIFE LATESTadapt project, main focus and planned activities in the Valmiera city. 

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Participation in the LIFE programme networking event

On 3 November 2023, the seventh meeting of LIFE projects in Latvia took place. The aim of this event was to inform the participants about the news, planned activities and challenges of the LIFE projects in Latvia, as well as to share experience and discuss topical issues related to the implementation of LIFE projects.

In the first part of the event, the participants accompanied by the LIFE-IP LatViaNature team went on two excursions to learn more about the project’s activities and plans.

During the first excursion, the participants visited the nature park “Ragakāpa”, where they were accompanied by LIFE-IP LatViaNature invasive species experts Jānis Saulītis and Jēkabs Dzenītis and got acquainted with the eradication works of the invasive Corinth’s beetle.

The second excursion took the participants to the picturesque Lake Kaņieris, where the project expert Linda Uzule explained the development of habitat and species conservation objectives.

In the second part of the event, representatives of Latvian LIFE projects presented their projects, discussed what has been achieved during the year and what is planned for the future. During the presentations, the participants took the opportunity to share with each other the experience gained from the implementation of the European Commission LIFE projects in Latvia. Representatives from the State Regional Development Agency Latvian Environmental Protection Fund administration, which administers national funding for LIFE projects, also participated in the event.

The event was attended by 31 representatives from 9 ongoing LIFE projects in Latvia. The LIFE Support Unit would like to express its gratitude to all the participants, as well as special thanks to the LIFE-IP LatViaNature team for their initiative and for providing the excursions.

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Review on community meeting in Haapsalu

A community meeting was held in Haapsalu with the residents of Konnaküla region on 20.06.2023. The purpose of the meeting was to inform people living in close proximity to the LIFE LatEst adapt pilot site about the project, and to invite local people to think along and discuss about the local environmental problems. 120 invitations were sent out on paper and also an information to the communitygroup, after which a total of 35 participants came to the meeting.

The agenda items:

  • introducing the activities of the pilot project;
  • collection of local information and observations of climate problems;
  • Mapping the needs of the Konnaküla community to find possible solutions.

Feedback from participants

Residents’ biggest concern is flooding caused by rainwater and/or rising seawater  -the water which reaches the yards and basements of residential buildings.

There was also concern about trees at risk of falling over, infected with root rot due to flooding. A lot of interest in where exactly the ponds are planned; where soil excavated from ponds will be taken, and does it solve the flooding problem after all? Will the frogs come back to the new ponds? In addition, the citizens expressed a wish for: small bridges to cross the ponds; an amphitheatre-like place designed from landscape as a community square; sledding and cycling hill for children.

Summary

The number of participants showed that people’s interest in what is happening in the surrounding area is high. There was a lively discussion between the parties, which the organizer was happy about. The Konnaküla community, under the leadership of Mrs. Aita Mölder, is very cooperative and ready to do a lot on its own to improve its living environment.

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Survey on environmental problem areas in Rīga, Cēsis and Valmiera

In the frame of the project Baltic Environmental Forum-Latvia in cooperation with Riga Municipality, Cēsis Municipality and Valmiera Municipality  is working on mapping green infrastructure in these cities, which will serve as a basis for finding the best green space planning solutions. For the mapping , it is important to identify specific environmental problem areas. Inhabitants of Rīga, Cēsis or Valmiera are invited to to fill the short online questionnaire to report about the places affected by flood after heavy rains or heat up strongly in summer. 

 

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LIFE LATESTadapt international workshop

LIFE LATESTadapt international workshop

Workshop “Planning and operationalizing green infrastructure and ecosystem service concepts for improving urban climate resilience” took place on June 13-14, 2023.

  • 1st day 9.30-17.10 – Introduction, moderaator: Martinš Grels, MoEPRD; Urban Green Infrastructure- mapping, assessment and planning; Urban Greening plans, moderaator: Anda Ruskule, Baltic Environmental Forum- Latvia
  • Day 2 9.00-16.30 – Urban Nature-based solutions, moderators: Kristine Kedo/Annija Danenberga, MoEPRD

Location: Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, Riga, Latvia

The purpose of the conference was to support the transfer of knowledge and experience from all over Europe in urban green infrastructure and climate adaptation planning, and to discuss the suitable approaches to be implemented by the LIFE LATESTadapt project. During the workshop, various NBS and urban greening projects were discussed, the associated benefits as well as problems, and there was also group work, in the framework of which the participants could come up with various ideas on how to reach NBS solutions in municipalities of different sizes, how it would be possible to change the way of thinking of residents and municipalities, so that their reach solutions.

The conference program consisted of:

  • Providing a general overview of the development/implementation of climate change adaptation plans in urban environments
  • Presentation of practical solutions used in different cities and municipalities
  • Site visit to explore urban green infrastructure and nature-based solutions in Riga

The presentations are available below:

Day 1, 13.06.2023

  Day 2, 14.06.2023