Parks & Benefits
| The aim of this project is to generate socio-economic effects by a sustainable management of protected areas for the benefit of their regions. The Baltic Sea Region holds outstanding and unique natural heritage. While respecting nature protection requirements and development objectives, sustainable nature tourism within and around protected areas can be an important element of the regional economies. Up to now this economic potential is on the one hand underdeveloped and offers vast possibilities for the development of tourism, of public-private partnerships and improved nature conservation. At the same time can existing economic performance be widely underestimated, which often results in mislead discussions and prejudices about the use of nature protection. On the other hand all stakeholders within regions with protected areas need to practice cooperation and communication on an equal footing for truly sustainable development. |
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The aim of the pilot project is to encourage cooperation of local residents, business representatives, NGOs, government institutions, municipalities and administration of Kemeri National Park to generate tourism offer within the area of protected area. To promote tourism offer within national parks in Latvia.
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This project is partly financed by the European Union (ERDF) within the Baltic Sea Region Programme |
Project results
Events and activities
6th Parks & Benefits Newsletter
| 6th and last project newsletter will inform you about activities and news related to the Parks & Benefits from the past months. The newsletter read here. |
Presentation of the guidebook “National Parks in Latvia”
| LCTA “Lauku celotajs” has finished the guidebook “National Parks in Latvia” and on December 8, 2011, are presenting its Latvian and English versions for public discussion in the Ministry of Regional Development and Environment Protection. See electronical version of the guide here. See the photo gallery here. Article about the guidebook see here. |
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Green Certificate commission meeting
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The Green Certificate commisson meeting on September 29, 2011 chaired by Raimonds Vējonis, the minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, assessed 11 candidates for awarding or extending validity of the Green Certificate eco-label.
The Green Certificate was extended for the next validity period of 3 years for the following self-catering cottages: „Pakrasti”, „Zariņi”,„Azarkrosti”, "Kalmes", guest houses: „Zaļā sala”, „Akmeņi”, „Eglaine”, „Pie Pūces”,„Laikas”, "Brūveri", "Zaķi" and country house „Upenīte”. |
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| The Green Certificate was awarded to the guest house „Ezera māja” in Liepāja, self-catering cottage "Ziedkalni" in Dundaga region and country house „Ceļinieki” in Viesīte region. The minister and the head of the Green Certificate commission plans to visit the certified establishments to meet the owners and award the Green Certificate in person. The Commission also decided to make changes to the Green Certificate criteria. According to these changes, the Environmental plan and a 3 year action program for environmental measures in a rural tourism property is an optional requirement. Before changes this was a compulsory requirement. The Green Certificate is an eco-label affirming environmental quality in vacation properties which save natural resources and use them rationally, offer environment friendly tourist activities, healthy, locally produced food and extensive information on the local natural, cultural and historical attractions. More information about the Green Certificate: http://www.eko.celotajs.lv/ |
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The National Parks' Guide of Latvia
| This guidebook is meant to offer practical advice and information. Please bring it along with you when travelling. We have written the book for people interested in wildlife, local culture and history, and in outdoor activities - hiking, cycling, boating, skiing, driving. The guide tells about all four national parks in Latvia – Slīteres, Ķemeru, Gaujas and Rāznas , and their most significant nature, culture and history heritage, including the most interesting attraction sites. We have not forgotten about those of you who want to drive a car, either. The guidebook offers information about the most important environmental, cultural and historical values of Latvia’s four national parks, also listing the most interesting tourist destinations. Maps are included, and GPS co-ordinates are offered for the most interesting objects so as to make it easier for you to find your way around the parks. See electronical version of the guide here. |
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Touring routes in the national parks of Latvia
Under the project, we have developed hiking, cycling, boating, skiing tours as well as bird and animal watching tours in the national parks of Latvia: Slīteres, Ķemeru, Gaujas and Rāznas. See the route descriptions here.
Seminar on making nature tourism products
On May 23, a practical outdoor seminar will be held at "Meža māja", the ĶNP information centre. The seminar will demonstrate how nature tours are organised and nature presented to visitors in captivating way. Professional nature guides will share their knowledge with rural tourism providers. Program of event can find here (in Latvian language). See the photo gallery here.Media trip on Travel Day to Ķemeri
| A special program (LV) was offered to familiarise media with special sites in the Ķemeri national park:. Some of these: the Black Alder swamp forest trail is a prominent bird watching site of European significance. Mst of woodpecker species observed in Latvia can be seen here. The sanatorium „Jantarnij Bereg” was formerly the best health resort in the Baltics where the supreme leaders of the former USSR used to spend their holidays. A bird watching tower by the Lake Kaņieris provides an opportunity to observe more than 200 bird species. See the media trip photo gallery here. |  |
Travel Day to Ķemeri
| On May 7, the first Travel Day to Ķemeri National Park took place. Visitors participated in 18 different activities: creative workshops for children, nature and history orienteering in Ķemeri, guided excursions in town and museums, guided nature tours offering unusual itineraries, cycling, nordic walking and boating. A special media program was organised for journalists. See the summary here and the photo gallery here. |  |
11.04.2011. - Testing trip in the Vecslocene river
| On April 11, Juris Smaļinskis, environmental specialist of Lauku ceļotājs and Ģirts Ziemelis, IT specialist of Lauku ceļotājs, made a test boating trip in the Vecslocene river to assess the possibilities to include it in tourism offer. See the photo gallery of the testing trip here. |  |
23.03.2011 - Nature Tourism Conference
| On 22nd and 23rd March the Baltic nature tourism conference took place in Riga to illustrate management models of protected areas adapted in Europe and the Baltic Sea Region countries to balance economic activities, including tourism, and nature conservation. The event was attended by 260 registered participants, including 100 foreign guests. Nature tourism is now the tourism industry topicality, and it has high competitiveness. It's time for professionally developed nature tourism offer, which allows city people to enjoy nature, and educating them about its values in entertaining way. By protecting nature, it is equally important to respect the people's needs. Within the Parks&Benefits project on the second day of the conference there was held a workshop "The Benefits of Protected Areas” to present the project progress and results to national and international participants. Workshop summary see here. Continuing the workshop participants were invited for the study tour to Kemeri National Park. More about the conference see here. |
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14.02.2011 - Skiing across Kemeri National Park
| Project staff from Lauku celotajs continued to test new potential tourism routes and tried out new cross-country skiing tourism product – across the bogs of Kemeri National Park. The test was planned within the preparation of Latvian National Park Tour guide. Tour route is about 17 km in total distance. See pictures here. |  |
11-13.02.2011 - Balttour 2011
| Lauku ceļotājs participated in the travel trade fair Balttour 2011, which was held from February 11 to 13. Also this year developed cultural heritage and natural routes of Kemeri National Park were presented at the stand in Latvian and Russian. Pictures from tourism fair see here. International tourism fair was attended by 22,500 visitors, of whom 4500 were invited tourism professionals and customers. At the "Balttour 2011" were exposed 230 stands presenting more than 600 exhibition-fair participants from 34 countries. All travel and tourism-related industries - both national and local tourist agencies and tourist information centers, and transport and other tourism representatives were represented. More about the travel fair - www.balttour.org |
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28.01.2011 Rural tourism provider awareness of Natura2000 territories
| Rural tourism provider survey on their basic awareness of NATURA2000 territories and attitude towards nature protection done. Lauku celotajs has done analyze and data comparing over the period 2007-2010 about recognition of Natura2000 sites, use of the nature protection status, advantages and disadvantages of living and working within Natura2000 and cooperation with nature conservation bodies in Latvia. Read summary of the data analysis here. Full report - here (Latvian). |  |
15.12.2010 Seminar - Nature Tourism Product Development
| On December 15 a seminar "Nature tourism product development" was held at guest house Valguma pasaule. Event was attended by 75 participants - the tourism business managers and their staff, tourism professionals, representatives of the nature protected areas, etc. More about the seminar - agenda (LV), minutes (LV), photos. Presentations:
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11.-10.15.2010. Partner meeting in Estonia
| Continuing the progress of the project partners met in Haapsalu town next to Matsalu National park in Estonia. The officials discussed the project development, financial aspects and planned future activities. The experience of Lauku celotajs of nature tourism product development and promotion of cooperation in natural protected areas administrations and the local population was presented. In addition to seminars and discussions the participants were introduced to the natural, cultural and historical values of Matsalu National Park. More about the event - agenda, photos. |
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12-14.10.2010 On-site training for development of sustainable nature tourism products
| In October the project team participated in on-site training for development of sustainable nature tourism products in NATURA 2000 and nature protected areas - Gauja National Park and the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve. In collaboration with environmental experts project representatives gained the knowledge and practical experience of sustainable nature tourism product development, discussed product establishment and financial aspects of implementing as well as nature tourism marketing principles. |
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27.09.2010 Flash-animation - Nature invites you
| There has been developed an image film of the Parks & Benefits project “Nature invites you to the Baltic Sea Region” to promote a nature tourism offer of Baltic Sea Region and 8 nature protected areas of the Parks & Benefits project. The film favors nature friendly activities and ways of transportation. See the animation here. |  |
Project News Archives
Lead partner:
| Ministry for Agriculture, Environment and Consumer Protection in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany Olaf Ostermann Phone: +49 385 588 6641 E-mail: o.ostermann@lu.mv-regierung.de |
Pilot project is done by:
| Latvian Country Tourism Association "Lauku ceļotājs" Kalnciema street 40 Riga, LV-1046 Phone: +371 67617600 Fax: +371 67830041 E-mail: asnate@celotajs.lv |
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