Updating of Species Conservation Plan for the brown bear in Latvia

Study supported by the Latvian Environmental Protection Fund

The aims of study are:

• To ensure long-term protection for the brown bear population in Latvia by promoting and maintaining favorable status without interfering with the natural processes occurring in the Baltic bear population.
• To find the most successful solution among the stake holders concerning issues of coexistence of large carnivores and humans in Latvia.

Main tasks are:

1. To update the Species Conservation Plan (SCP) in accordance with the Guidelines for the development of species protection plans in Latvia.
2. To organize an international meeting involving Lithuanian, Estonian and LCIE experts on large carnivores, sharing learning points and discussing issues covered in the Latvian SCP.
3. To organize two meetings involving a wide range of experts from governmental and non-governmental institutions in Latvia to discuss SCP.
4. To summarize survey of reported bear observation sites in 2017.
5. To summarize survey of observation of the damage sites caused by bears.
6. To complete English translation of the full text of SCP.

Achieved results:

Action Plan for Brown Bear Ursus arctos Conservation
Order of Minister of Environment and annexes of Action Plan