NEWS

To promote the beginning of summeron 6th of May in Kemeri National Park (KNP) the annual Travelers Day was held. This time it was dedicated to a double jubilees, asthis year marks 20th anniversary of KNP and the 25th anniversary ofEU's most important environmental and climate protection program "LIFE" . Travel Day was organized by the Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia in collaboration with KNP region's entrepreneurs, local authorities andLIFE project implementers.

May 2017 marks an important milestone for LIFE project implementers in Europe. This month LIFE community in Europe organisesa series of events to raise awareness on the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. In Latvia, in the framework of Kemeri Traveler day, visitors had the opportunity to get to know four LIFE-funded projects implemented by the Nature Conservation Agency.

At the Parking lot near the Great Ķemeri moorland trail, nature education workshop and LIFE Information point was set up. Here visitors could gain information about LIFE programme and its contribution in nature conservation of Latvia. Leaflets about the implemented LIFE projects, actions and LIFE programme support was available. Project ''LIFE EcosystemServices"offered to join in several educational games in order to enhance comprehension about the ecosystem services theme. LIFE project HYDROPLAN manager Mr Jānis Ķuze organized a thematic hiking event "From the desert to an oasis - the incredible transformation of peat extraction sites in 10 years" telling about bogs and their bog regeneration processes. Hiking route passed along one of the pilot areas of LIFE REstore, thus giving opportunity to meet ourexperts Mrs Mara Pakalne and Mrs Laura Grīnberga, who introduced travelers with the sitewhere peat extraction was stopped 35 years ago, but the typical bog vegetation recovery is still not happening. Representative of the Project NAT-PROGRAMME Mr. Jānis Šlūke led a bicycle ride around areas of Kemeri and Smarde.

LIFE programme project home pages:

ekosistemas.daba.gov.lv,hydroplan.daba.gov.lv,nat-programme.daba.gov.lv,restore.daba.gov.lv.