“Natura 2000” in Latvia invites you to participate in a photo contest in its twentieth year

The Nature Protection Board (DAP), celebrating the 20th anniversary since Latvia joined the European Union’s network of specially protected natural areas “Natura 2000”, is launching the public involvement campaign “”Natura 2000″ – Great natural sites of Latvia”. DAP invites everyone to get to know our great natural places online, visit them in nature, capture them in photo moments and participate in the contest. The opening of the campaign will take place on May 21 in Sigulda, while companies will be invited to become “godparents” of “Natura 2000” territories this year.

Anyone interested can participate in the photo contest by submitting at least one photo. The submitted works will be evaluated by a professional jury. The best pictures of protected areas will be used in the creation of the “Natura 2000” book magazine, as well as in a special administration wall calendar for 2025. Additional information about the photo contest is available on the websitewhere information is also collected about the “Natura 2000” territories in Latvia, where the nature tourism infrastructure has been established and which are easily accessible for visiting and getting to know the natural values.

The public involvement campaign “”Natura 2000″ – Great natural sites of Latvia” will be opened in Sigulda on May 21, when “Natura 2000” day is celebrated in Europe. On this day, there will be school nature games “Izzini Gaujas National Park”, quiz “Natura 2000”, creative workshops, activities in the mobile nature classroom and a common picnic, while the best participants of games and quiz will be provided with exciting prizes.

In the campaign, this summer every company will be offered the opportunity to take long-term care of a larger or smaller specially protected natural area or part of it and become the “godparents” of “Natura 2000” areas. Information about this activity will follow.

Implementing the EU Habitats Directive, “The creation of a network of Natura 2000 territories in Latvia 20 years ago played a decisive role in preserving Latvia’s nature and its diversity, says DAP. Participation in the network of European protected areas has made it possible to attract funding from the European Commission’s environment and climate programs, restoring and preserving such natural values ​​as biologically valuable grasslands, rapid rivers, wetlands, floodplains and forests. Thanks to the attracted international funding, the historically largest natural value inventory project in the country has been implemented – “Nature Census”, which has highlighted the challenges for the protection of natural values.

Among the best-known “Natura 2000” protected areas in Latvia are Gauja, Slīteres, Rāzna and Ķemeru National Parks, as well as the Moricsala and Teiču nature reserves.