„Protected natural areas and tourism management in Latvia“ EEA TOUERM Eriks Leitis, PhD Department 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

Specially Protected Nature Territories of Latvia Total Area of Specially Protected Nature Territories except marine areas – 1’170’868 ha

Ecotourism research areas 4

The main institutions The 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  

Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia 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 10 10

Ecotourism resources- especially protected nature territories (EPNT) Category Number of EPNT Incl. Natura 2000) Number of Natura 2000 National parks 4 Biosphere reserves 1 Strict Nature reserves Nature parks 42 37 Protected landscape areas 9 Protected marine territories 7 Nature Monuments 355 Nature reserves 260 237 Total 682 332 11 11

Category of monuments Number Ecotourism resources - heritage Category of monuments Number Architecture 3401 Archeology 2493 Industry 10 Arts 2454 City planning 45 History 113 Hitorical sites 16 Total 8532 12 12

Nature and heritage resources for the development of ecotourism The Sabile vineyard (2012) Sabile by W.S. Stavenhagen (1860) 13 13

Nature and heritage resources for the development of ecotourism Nature Park “Daugavas loki” labi 14 14

Nature and heritage resources for the development of ecotourism The trail of history - Nature park “Daugavas loki” labi 15 15

Landscape resources for the development of ecotourism – Nature Park “Sauka” 16

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; Environmental education; Environmental ethics and philosophy Certification of ecotourism products and services 17 17

Eco building Camphill Rožkalni village (2002) 18 18

Eco building Waldorf school in Lizdeni (1999) 19 19

Videi draudzīgie risinājumi ekotūrismā – atkritumu šķirošana Management of waste separation in Ventspils city (2008) 20 20

Camp site near the Daugava river in the Nature park “Daugavas loki” (2011) 21 21

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. Aktualitātei veltīt divus kadrus? Varbūt pieminēt piemērus, ko ekotūrisms sniedz, tūrsms? Ekotūrisms Ekotūrisma ietekme uz aizsargājamām teritorijām utt 22 22

Findings and data Ecotourism 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; Precizēt pēc Rozītes ieteikuma 23 23

Ecotourism research area - results Evaluation area Evaluation scores (I – V) Results I II III IV V Sum of scores (0–500) % Organic food 45 32 355 432 86,4 Waste separation 33 108 290 431 86,2 Heating of buildings 1 18 280 110 409 81,8 Solar energy 4 12 70 370 74,0 Wind energy 2 9 268 80 360 72,0 Eco -detergents 21 264 60 345 69,0 Saving of resources 184 30 322 64,4 Biogas energy 90 192 314 62,8 24

Ecotourism research area - results 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% 25

Ecotourism research area - results 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% 26

Development of new ecotourism products - Sonata of Lighthouses 27 27

Prolongation of the ecotourism season 28 28

Model for the Development of Ecotourism 29 29

Ecotourism Development Cycle 30 30

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. 31 31

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. 32 32