Establishes criteria for the designation of specially protected habitats

On Tuesday, the government supported amendments to the Species and Habitat Protection Law prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture (MA), as well as changes to the regulations on the list of specially protected habitat types. The amendments are prepared so that specially protected forest, shrubland and bog habitat types can be identified in nature and registered in the nature data management system "OZOLS".

The law specifies that information on specially protected forest, shrubland and bog habitats shall be included in the nature data management system in accordance with the characteristics of the habitats specified in the regulatory enactments on the list of specially protected habitat types. Thus, the Ministry of Environment prepared changes to the regulations on the list of specially protected habitat types, which were also considered by the government today.

The changes to the regulations have been prepared to include criteria for determining specially protected habitats for forest, shrubland and bog habitat types. The changes to the regulations also provide for clarifying the types of specially protected habitats by deleting the names of certain habitat types.

The characteristics of specially protected habitats included in the regulations will be used by experts certified in the field of species and habitat protection, identifying specially protected forest, shrub and bog habitats in nature, as well as by responsible institutions, including the Nature Conservation Board, the State Forest Service, the Environmental Service, municipalities and other institutions, which, within the scope of their competence, make decisions on the rights and obligations of persons in specially protected habitats.

The characteristics of habitats do not apply to those specially protected habitats for the protection of which protected nature territories of European importance have been or are to be established (Natura 2000).

It is planned that changes to the law and relevant regulations will make it possible to predict the potential volume of specially protected habitats and reduce the occurrence of uncontrollable restrictions for landowners, as well as improve the business environment.

The Species and Habitat Protection Law stipulates that habitats are terrestrial or aquatic areas of natural or semi-natural origin, characterized by certain geographical, abiotic and biotic features.

The changes to the law will still be considered by the Saeima. More information on the amendments to the Species and Habitat Protection Law and Cabinet of Ministers (Cabinet of Ministers) Regulation No. 421 of 5 December 2000 “Regulations on the List of Specially Protected Habitat Types” is available at the Cabinet of Ministers. on the website.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture