LDF’s founders’ assembly took place On April 24 the founders’ assembly of the Latvian Fund for Nature (LDF) took place in the Faculty of Biology of the University of Latvia. In the assembly participated 34 founders... LDF’s founders’ assembly took place On April 24 the founders’ assembly of the Latvian Fund for Nature (LDF) took place in the Faculty of Biology of the University of Latvia. In the assembly participated 34 founders, another 15 founders had empowered the present LDF founders for the ballots. During the course of the meeting several questions that are important for the work of the LDF were discussed. The latest organisational changes in the LDF and our work in the development of environmental policy in Latvia were characterised by the board’s chairmen Ivars Kabucis: With the decision of the Ministry of Finance on December 8, 2006 LDF obtained the status of a social benefit organisation. Having arranged office rooms in Raiňa bulvâris 31-6, also the location of the fund has changed. Mâris Kreilis has retired as director and since 16 March, 2007 Inga Račinska is the fund’s new director. The LDF works on the involvement of the society into nature conservation activities and the education about different aspects of the preservation of biological diversity and sustainable development. In 2006 and 2007 the projects “Involvement of the Society for the Preservation of Natural Diversity Natura 2000” and “Herb Embassy”, are implemented, whose main purpose it is to educate the society about natural diversity and the necessity to protect it. The LDF participates in the development of nature conservation policy on the national level – being engaged in different working groups that work out legal acts and in more than ten advisory boards, evaluating strategies and legal acts that were elaborated by state institutions and preparing proposals for their implementation. The LDF actively works in several advisory boards of specially protected nature territories, participating in the definition of priorities for the conservation, management and development of the territories and the supervision of the nature territories. The LDF represents Latvia’s interests in the field of the preservation of biological diversity on the international level. The LDF is member in international environmental non-governmental organisations like European Environmental Office, Planta Europa, CEE-WEB, and collaborates in AVALON and EUROSITE nature. With a moment of silence the meeting’s participants commemorated Âdolfs Krauklis, who passed away last year and who was one of the oldest LDF founders. Director Inga Račinska told about current events of LDF and the projects that were begun in 2007: Three LIFE-Nature projects continue: “Restoration of Latvian Floodplains for EU Priority Species and Habitats”, “Protection and Management of the Northern Gauja Valley” and “Implementation of Mire Habitat Management Plan for Latvia”. In 2007 several projects were begun that are financially supported by the Latvian Environment Protection Fund: “Actualisation of the Meadows’ Data Base”, “Herb Embassy”, “Safeguarding Favourable Conservation Status for Dispersed Forest Birds”, “Research and Protection of Osprey”, “Formulating the Opinion of NGOs about Flood Risk Management Measures’ Influence on Biological Diversity” and Implementation of the Nature Management Plan for the Nature Reserve ‘Saka’s Pine Forests’”. These projects refer to research, protection and management of species and biotopes on the one hand and to education of the society on the other hand. The public relations experts Andris Klepers and Ilze Salna talked about the projects and experiences of LDF since the last meeting: Talking about social experiences and what was performed in the past in different projects, Andris pointed out the fund’s mission – “Preservation of natural diversity in Latvia” –, which is the motto for everything, which people do in the every day’s work of the fund. Ilze Salna emphasized the role of the society in the fulfilling of the above-mentioned mission. The nature wins, if people are more educated about nature protection! The course and the current events of the project “Implementation of Mire Habitat Plan for Latvia” were characterised by the board’s member and project expert Valda Baroniňa: In the project’s framework nature management plans and individual protection and management regulations for Cena’s Mire, Stikli’s Mires, Klâňi’s Mire and Veseta’s River Floodplain Mires were handled. Management of raised bogs was implemented, averting negative impacts of drainages onto mire habitats, bogs and transition mires, as well as managing forest habitats and Tetrao urogallus leks. The education of the society about natural diversity and values in Latvia’s bogs was tackled. Talking about the project “Protection and Management of the Northern Gauja Valley”, the project coordinator Viesturs Lârmanis also pointed out the current problems connected to the Latvian Rural Development Programme Project 2007 – 2013 – insufficient financial resources for the management of biologically valuable grasslands, the delayed elaboration process of the Rural Development Programme, the insufficient scope of agro-environmental measures and the choice of inadequate measures in that chapter. One board member was elected, for the free place in the board unanimously Ilze Danefelde, LDF’s main bookkeeper, was elected. Ilze’s 12 years of working experience in the LDF and her economical education will help her to plan the future development of the LDF. We remind that Ivars Kabucis (chairman), Valda Baroniňa, Aninârs Auniňđ, Voldemârs Spuňěis, Valdis Pilâts and Aivars Petriňđ continue their work in LDF’s board. In the end the demonstration of a film about the protected landscape area “Northern Gauja”, which was developed in the framework of the project “Protection and Management of the Northern Gauja Valley”, took place. After this the conversation continued in an informal atmosphere. We continue to work for the preservation of Latvia’s natural diversity! LDF | 
