University of Latvia participates in the LIFE Viva Grass project

The project shall demonstrate opportunities for multifunctional use of grasslands as basis for sustainability of rural areas and stimulus for local economies. University of Latvia is represented by Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, and Faculty of Biology. Marginal agricultural areas in Europe, remote from geographical perspective or not suitable for intensive agriculture, are still hosting high biodiversity of natural and semi-natural grassland that has formed through interaction between various ecosystems and extensive farming practices. However, due to change in rural lifestyle, such regions are experiencing depopulation and land abandonment, which results in overgrowing of the fields by shrubs and consequent loss of grassland biodiversity. This is also the case in the Baltic States where high rate of land abandonment was experienced since beginning of 1990ies. With EU accession and availability of agricultural subsidies the share of managed agricultural land has increased. However, measures within the Rural Development Programmes are more tending to promote agricultural production and intensive use of land, instead of continuing extensive, nature-friendly management practices. Specific objectives:

• To scrutinize synergy potentials & shortcomings in land use & nature conservation policy as well as best practice examples in relation to sustainable grassland management and come up with proposals for improvement of the policy and legal framework

• To offer integrated, ecosystem based planning solutions based on economically viable grassland management scenarios

• To encourage implementation of economically viable grassland management models within areas of different natural and socioeconomic contexts

• To raise awareness and capacity of planners and local stakeholders on economically viable approaches to management of grassland ecosystems and services they provide.

The project aims to increase effectiveness of natural and semi-natural grassland management by contributing to strategic planning processes in delivering an Integrated Planning Tool for sustainable grassland management. The Integrated planning tool will strengthen linkage among social, economic, environmental and agricultural policies. The project will implement business catalytic activities and elaborate business development scenarios that might function as background for investment plans. The project is with some of its practical actions preparing the habitats (by restoring their semi-natural nature after overgrowth and abandoning) for again being semi-natural agricultural lands that require management. If the habitats will be restored, then a farmer or landowner could apply for subsidies for its agricultural production measures. The LIFE Viva Grass project has 15 partners in the three Baltic States: BEF Lithuania (Coordinating Beneficiary) BEF Latvia University of Latvia Municipality of Cesis SOVITES Farm Otras Majas BEF Estonia Estonian University of Life Sciences Municipality of Lumanda Farm Kurese Pavilniai and Verkiai Regional Park Dubysa Regional Park Silute District Municipality JSC Hnit-Baltic Institute for Environmental Solutions

Contacts: Kęstutis Navickas/ Project manager
Sustainable developement expert
Baltic Environmental Forum Lithuania
Phone +370 5 255 9146
E-mail: kestutis.navickas@bef.lt Duration 06/2014 – 11/2018 Support LIFE Viva Grass is partly financed by the EU LIFE+ Programme