Mapping and assessment of cultural ecosystem services of Latvian coastal areas

Mapping of cultural ecosystem services (CES) in marine and coastal areas is still recognised as a conceptually and technically challenging task, due to the difficulties in establishing a link between the biophysical features of the coastal ecosystem and the supply of services such as recreation and tourism, bird watching and enjoyment of other assets of nature. This was also one of the major challenges in ecosystem service mapping for the Maritime Spatial Plan for Internal Waters, Territorial Waters and Economic Exclusive Zone of the Republic of Latvia. Suitability of the coastal areas for marine tourism and leisure activities was chosen as an indicator to map the CES – physical and experiential interactions. The method involved the compilation of field data from a survey of visitors at the beach and on coastal infrastructure, serving as the input for the multi-criteria assessment of CES. Four criteria were applied to assess the suitability of the coastal areas for marine tourism and leisure activities: i) accessibility; ii) proximity to densely populated areas; iii) suitability of the area for a particular (niche) tourism or leisure activity; and iv) recreational use. The selected criteria provide an overall assessment framework, which integrates the ecosystem service potential, benefiting areas, flow and demand aspects. The CES mapping and assessment results were applied to the maritime spatial planning for proposing areas of priority for tourism development, as well as assessing the impacts of the proposed solutions for other uses of the sea. The Latvian approach for mapping of the cultural services in coastal areas was selected as the ESMERALDA case study and examined at the stakeholder workshop in Prague, September 2016

Testing the concept of green infrastructure at the Baltic Sea scale to support an ecosystem-based approach to management of marine areas

The concept of Green Infrastructure (GI) can facilitate integration of ecological considerations and ecosystem service mapping into spatial planning. GI has been introduced in EU policy as a key tool for implementing the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020 on halting the loss of biodiversity as well as addressing other global environmental problems. Unlike terrestrial ecosystems, mapping of marine GI is still in infancy. Here, application of GI concept in mapping was developed and tested for a large marine region, the Baltic Sea, using existing regional spatial data sets on the distribution of different ecosystem components. Using a qualitative valuation approach, experts assessed 36 marine ecosystem components with respect to their relevance for six ecological value criteria and ten ecosystem services. Then, maps representing the ecological value of Baltic Sea ecosystems and their potential supply of ecosystem services were developed based on a hierarchical aggregation structure, designed to avoid double-counting of features that appeared in many data layers. Finally, results of the ecological value and ecosystem service supply mapping were integrated into the marine GI map. These pioneering results are used to discuss how marine GI mapping can support the ecosystem-based approach in MSP, by improving the knowledge base on the roles and connectedness of ecosystem components. Applied at the transboundary regional scale, as here, the GI concept can support cross-border coherence in spatial planning and provide practical management solutions to improve connectivity and functioning of MPA networks, or develop sustainable planning solutions of marine space

LIFE Viva Grass recommendations on ecosystem-based planning and grassland management

Grasslands are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, providing a wide range of the ecosystem services essential for human welfare, e.g. biomass production for grazing animals, carbon storage, flood reduction, erosion prevention, water infiltration and purification, habitats for pollinators and protected species, etc. At the same time, semi-natural grasslands are among the most threatened habitat types in Europe – a substantial decrease in area and connectivity has been observed since the mid-20th century and the quality of the grassland habitats continues to deteriorate. This is also the case in the Baltic States, where the unfavourable conservation status of the semi-natural habitats has been confirmed by the last report of the Member States to the European Commission under the Article 17 requirements of the Habitats Directive. The policy analysis, carried out within the LIFE Viva Grass project, confirms that the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the strongest driver for the change in land use in the Baltic States, as well as the most influential policy instrument determining the grassland management practices and thus impacting the status of grassland ecosystems and services they provide. The financial contribution of CAP for the measures to support biodiversity maintenance is considerably higher compared to other financial mechanisms financing nature conservation. CAP and the national Rural Development Programmes (RDP) in the Baltic States support measures for maintaining grasslands and have thus minimised the trend of grassland abandonment. However, the assessment of the status of semi-natural grasslands indicates that the implementation of the RDP measures has not been efficient in halting the decline of grassland quality and thus also many of the ecosystem services provided by grasslands. The drawbacks of the rural support policy are related to rather superficial conditions for implementation of the agri-environmental measures as well as a non-motivating support policy, which is targeted more towards agriculture production, disregarding the public benefits resulting from ecosystem services provided by grasslands (e.g. healthy environment, amenities, opportunities for recreation, security etc.). A nature conservation policy and related financing instruments (including national and EU, e.g. LIFE + programme) provides support for the restoration of semi-natural grasslands, guidance on suitable management practices, as well as data collection and administration on distribution and quality of semi-natural grasslands. However, the nature conservation measures and financial resources are not sufficient for long-term maintenance of grassland biodiversity, and therefore the CAP support is acknowledged as the main financial instrument for achieving biodiversity conservation targets. This, however, requires close co-operation and coordination between the two sectors - agriculture and nature conservation - which so far has not been achieved in the Baltic States. The ecosystem service approach offers a holistic view on interactions between nature and humans, thus providing a suitable framework for policy and decision-makers to address conflicts and synergies between environmental and socio-economic goals and to balance different interests. Application of the ecosystem service approach in rural support policy would facilitate integration of ecological principles into agricultural practice and better targeting of interventions to areas with suitable agro-ecological conditions, thus increasing the efficiency and multi-functionality of the measures applied, as well as stimulating synergies between agricultural production and other ecosystem services. The ecosystem service approach can also be operationalised through spatial planning practices by defining the land use priorities based on the ecosystem service supply potential, as well as assessing trade-offs of different development alternatives. The Viva Grass integrated planning tool is designed to support application of the ecosystem service approach in land use planning and sustainable grassland management. Following the objectives of the LIFE Viva Grass project, as well as the concerns and opportunities described above, we have developed recommendations on how to: support maintenance of grassland biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by grasslands; foster ecosystem-based planning and land management; promote application of the integrated planning tool into daily processes of public administration at national, regional and municipality level

A multitiered approach for grassland ecosystem services mapping and assessment: The Viva Grass tool

Throughout the second half of the 20th Century, the area of semi-natural grasslands in the Baltic States decreased substantially, due to agricultural abandonment in some areas and intensification in more productive soil types. In order to halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by grasslands, the LIFE+ programme funded project, LIFE Viva Grass, aims at developing an integrated planning tool that will support ecosystem-based planning and sustainable grassland management. LIFE Viva Grass integrated planning tool is spatially explicit and allows the user to assess the provision and trade-offs of grassland ecosystem services within eight project case study areas in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In order to ensure methodological adaptability, the structure of the LIFE Viva Grass integrated planning tool follows the framework of the tiered approach. In a multi-tier system, each consecutive tier entails an increase in data requirements, methodological complexity or both. The present paper outlines the adaptation of the tiered approach for mapping and assessing ecosystem services provided by grasslands in the Baltic States. The first tier corresponds to a deliberative decision process: The matrix approach is used to assess the potential supply of grassland ecosystem services based on expert estimations. Expert values are subsequently transferred to grassland units and therefore made spatially explicit. The data collected in the first tier was further enhanced through a Principal Components Analysis (PCA) in order to explore ES bundles in tier 2. In the third tier, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis is used to target specific policy questions

Ecosystem services mapping and assessment for policy- and decision-making: Lessons learned from a comparative analysis of European case studies

This paper analyses and compares a set of case studies on ecosystem services (ES) mapping and assessment with the purpose of formulating lessons learned and recommendations. Fourteen case studies were selected during the EU Horizon 2020 “Coordination and Support Action” ESMERALDA to represent different policy- and decision-making processes throughout the European Union, across a wide range of themes, biomes and scales. The analysis is based on a framework that addresses the key steps of an ES mapping and assessment process, namely policy questions, stakeholder identification and involvement, application of mapping and assessment methods, dissemination and communication and implementation. The analysis revealed that most case studies were policy-orientated or gave explicit suggestions for policy implementation in different contexts, including urban, rural and natural areas. Amongst the findings, the importance of starting stakeholder engagement early in the process was confirmed in order to generate interest and confidence in the project and to increase their willingness to cooperate. Concerning mapping and assessment methods, it was found that the integration of methods and results is essential for providing a comprehensive overview from different perspectives (e.g. social, economic). Finally, lessons learned for effective implementation of ES mapping and assessment results are presented and discussed

Landscape-ecological and social aspects of natural afforestation of abandoned agricultural land

Promocijas darbā raksturots neizmantoto lauksaimniecības zemju apmežošanās process Vidzemē, aplūkoti to ietekmējošie faktori, kā arī integrēti izvērtēti šī procesa ainavu ekoloģiskie un sociālie aspekti. Pirmo reizi Latvijā analizētas ainavas telpiskās struktūras izmaiņas, kas radušās, aizaugot lauksaimniecības zemēm. Pētījumā ir identificēti telpiskā rakstura un sugu sastāva ziņā atšķirīgi aizaugšanas tipi un izvērtēta to saistība ar dažādiem vides apstākļiem. Apzināts iedzīvotāju un ekspertu viedoklis par apmežošanās procesu, tā ietekmi uz ainavas un dabas daudzveidību, kā arī turpmākām izmantošanas iespējām. Balstoties uz pētījuma rezultātiem, ir sniegti priekšlikumi saistībā ar pamesto lauksaimniecības zemju izmantošanu, kas veicinātu ilgtspējīgas un multifunkcionālas lauku ainavas attīstību.The doctoral thesis characterises the process of spontaneous afforestation of abandoned agricultural lands in Vidzeme, examines the factors that influence this process, as well as gives an integrative view on the landscape-ecological and social aspects of this process. This is the first study in Latvia, where changes in landscape spatial structure in abandoned agricultural lands are analysed. The study identifies four patterns of afforestation with distinct spatial structure and species composition and assesses their relationship to various environmental factors. Furthermore, opinions of local residents and experts on afforestation, its impacts on landscape and biodiversity, as well as potentials for further use are studied. Based on the research results, the author gives recommendations for sustainable use of abandoned agricultural lands, promoting development of multifunctional rural landscape

LANDSCAPE ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC ASPECTS OF NATURAL AFFORESTATION IN ABANDONED OF AGRICULTURE LAND

Anda Ruskule LAUKSAIMNIECĪBAS ZEMJU AIZAUGŠANAS AINAVU EKOLOĢISKIE UN SOCIĀLIE ASPEKTI Anotācija Promocijas darbā raksturots neizmantoto lauksaimniecības zemju apmežošanās process Vidzemē, aplūkoti to ietekmējošie faktori, kā arī integrēti izvērtēti šī procesa ainavu ekoloģiskie un sociālie aspekti. Pirmo reizi Latvijā analizētas ainavas telpiskās struktūras izmaiņas, kas radušās, aizaugot lauksaimniecības zemēm. Pētījumā ir identificēti telpiskā rakstura un sugu sastāva ziņā atšķirīgi aizaugšanas tipi un izvērtēta to saistība ar dažādiem vides apstākļiem. Apzināts iedzīvotāju un ekspertu viedoklis par apmežošanās procesu, tā ietekmi uz ainavas un dabas daudzveidību, kā arī turpmākām izmantošanas iespējām. Balstoties uz pētījuma rezultātiem, ir sniegti priekšlikumi saistībā ar pamesto lauksaimniecības zemju izmantošanu, kas veicinātu ilgtspējīgas un multifunkcionālas lauku ainavas attīstību. Atslēgavārdi: lauku ainava, marginalizācija, sekundārā sukcesija, apmežošanās tipi, ainavas izmaiņu uztvereLANDSCAPE-ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF NATURAL AFFORESTATION OF ABANDONED AGRICULTURAL LAND Summary The doctoral thesis characterises the process of spontaneous afforestation of abandoned agricultural lands in Vidzeme, examines the factors that influence this process, as well as gives an integrative view on the landscape-ecological and social aspects of this process. This is the first study in Latvia, where changes in landscape spatial structure in abandoned agricultural lands are analysed. The study identifies four patterns of afforestation with distinct spatial structure and species composition and assesses their relationship to various environmental factors. Furthermore, opinions of local residents and experts on afforestation, its impacts on landscape and biodiversity, as well as potentials for further use are studied. Based on the research results, the author gives recommendations for sustainable use of abandoned agricultural lands, promoting development of multifunctional rural landscape. Key words: rural landscape, marginalization, secondary succession, afforestation patterns, landscape perception

Sociocultural Dimension of Land–Sea Interactions in Maritime Spatial Planning: Three Case Studies in the Baltic Sea Region

Spatial planning faces challenges in addressing interactions between land and sea. This paper elaborates on land–sea interfaces, which can integrate certain socio-cultural values and related tensions into maritime spatial planning (MSP). In this article, three regional case studies from Estonia, Latvia, and Poland analysed important intersections between the formations of cultural values and spatial dynamics within MSP processes. These cases make it possible to address current challenges, contested boundaries, and spatial planning possibilities to embrace the vibrant and complex ways the sea becomes connected to societal change. The study indicates the multiplicity of land–sea interfaces, which should be involved in MSP through situated places of terraqueous interactions, means of public participation, and meaningful boundaries within mobilised co-existence. The actual and possible tensions in allocating new functions of maritime spaces indicate the importance of coastal landscapes and communities. Thus, MSP practice can employ the land–sea interfaces to advance regional planning through participatory engagements, which reveal sociocultural linkages between society and environment on coastal areas

Sociocultural Dimension of Land–Sea Interactions in Maritime Spatial Planning: Three Case Studies in the Baltic Sea Region

Spatial planning faces challenges in addressing interactions between land and sea. This paper elaborates on land–sea interfaces, which can integrate certain socio-cultural values and related tensions into maritime spatial planning (MSP). In this article, three regional case studies from Estonia, Latvia, and Poland analysed important intersections between the formations of cultural values and spatial dynamics within MSP processes. These cases make it possible to address current challenges, contested boundaries, and spatial planning possibilities to embrace the vibrant and complex ways the sea becomes connected to societal change. The study indicates the multiplicity of land–sea interfaces, which should be involved in MSP through situated places of terraqueous interactions, means of public participation, and meaningful boundaries within mobilised co-existence. The actual and possible tensions in allocating new functions of maritime spaces indicate the importance of coastal landscapes and communities. Thus, MSP practice can employ the land–sea interfaces to advance regional planning through participatory engagements, which reveal sociocultural linkages between society and environment on coastal areas