On 3 June 2026, the final seminar of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project was held at the University of Latvia, bringing together more than 120 participants both on site and online. During the event, project partners, experts, representatives of public administration and nature conservation professionals reflected on the work carried out throughout the project and discussed the importance and future use of the Latvian Red Data Book in species conservation.
The recording of the event is available here!
The seminar was opened by Guntars Kitenbergs, Vice-Rector for Science at the University of Latvia; Laura Anteina, Director General of the Nature Conservation Agency; and representatives of the project partners: Laura Sandere from Daugavpils University and Viesturs Ķerus, Chair of the Board of the Latvian Ornithological Society. Opening remarks were also delivered by representatives of the project’s funding and monitoring bodies: Ilona Mendziņa from the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development, and project monitor Aija Kažociņa.
Photos from the event are available here!
The thematic part of the seminar began with a presentation by Ilona Mendziņa, representative of the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development and the LIFE Programme National Contact Point in Latvia, who outlined current priorities in species conservation in Latvia and Europe. The results of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project and their practical application were then presented by project coordinator Jēkabs Dzenis from the Nature Conservation Agency and project communication manager Madara Indāne from the University of Latvia.
The seminar also included contributions from foreign experts, who shared experience from the Baltic region. Polina Degtjarenko presented current issues related to the Red Data Book and species conservation in Estonia, while Domas Uogintas and Valerijus Rašomavičius presented Lithuania’s experience in applying the IUCN criteria and working on species conservation issues.
The second part of the event featured a panel discussion titled “Joint Efforts in Nature Conservation: The Red Data Book in the Baltic Context”, bringing together experts from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The discussion focused on how Red Data Books and species extinction risk assessments can be used in practical nature conservation, scientific research, public awareness and policymaking. Participants also discussed how to measure the impact of the Red Data Book and how to maintain public and political interest in the conservation of threatened species after its publication.
A significant part of the discussion was dedicated to cooperation between the Baltic countries. Experts considered how Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia could work more closely together on species extinction risk assessment, expert involvement and data exchange. The discussion also touched on the possibility of stronger regional cooperation and, in the future, even a common Baltic-level approach to Red Data Book-related issues.
Special attention was also given to the future of the Latvian Red Data Book. The discussion participants emphasised that species extinction risk assessment should become a regular and systematic process, rather than an activity carried out only within individual projects. They highlighted the need for continuous expert involvement, cooperation between public administration and scientific institutions, and a sustainable mechanism for regularly assessing the status of species in Latvia.
The closing remarks were delivered by Gunta Čekstere-Muižniece, the initial project manager, who reflected on the origins of the project and its importance for Latvia’s nature conservation system.
Although the LIFE FOR SPECIES project is coming to an end, work in the field of species conservation will continue. We would like to thank all partners, experts, participants and supporters for their contribution to the implementation of the project. We will continue to share the project results and future updates through the project’s communication channels.
The Latvian Red Data Book is an important tool for planning species conservation measures. However, the implementation of these measures often depends on the legal protection status of each species. For this reason, one of the key activities of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project has been the development of a scientific proposal for revising the list of specially protected species. Work on the proposal and the related draft amendments to legal acts has now been completed, and the documents have been submitted to the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development for further processing.
The scientific proposal, socio-economic assessment and other related materials are available in Latvian here.
We invite interested participants to register for the final seminar of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project, which will take place on 3 June 2026 at the University of Latvia House of Nature, Jelgavas iela 1, Riga.
Participation in the seminar is free of charge, but registration is mandatory. Interested participants are invited to register by 1 June 2026 by completing the registration form.
During the seminar, the project’s main results will be presented, current trends in species conservation in Latvia and the Baltic region will be discussed, and participants will explore the role of the Red Data Book and the IUCN approach in nature conservation. The event will bring together experts from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Part of the seminar will be held in English.
Event programme:
Mosses are among the oldest terrestrial plants on Earth, yet their small size often causes them to go unnoticed. In Latvia, both true mosses, liverworts, and hornworts can be found—each of these groups plays an irreplaceable role in the ecosystem. They regulate moisture, contribute to soil formation, and provide habitat for countless other organisms.
For more information about the moss species highlighted in April, see the species fact sheets provided below. The fact sheets are also available to anyone interested in PDF format, in A3 size (by clicking on the images of the fact sheets).
This month, we are highlighting an entire group of species — lichens. We introduce three lichen species in Latvia that are currently threatened.
Lichens are highly diverse, and the habitats they occupy vary significantly. This means that habitats of threatened lichen species can be very different — ranging from old-growth forests and park-like landscapes to human-made environments and even rock formations that are millions of years old. As a result, conserving threatened lichen species involves protecting both natural and cultural heritage values.
To learn more about the lichen species featured in March, see the species fact sheets below. The fact sheets are also available to all interested readers in PDF format (A3 size) by clicking on the images.
The species of January and February is a distinctive fungus found in old-growth forests with biologically mature aspens — Exophiala calicioides.
This is a characteristic and relatively easily recognizable ascomycete. It forms black, straight or slightly curved fruiting bodies measuring 1.0–3.0 mm in length and 0.1–0.2 mm in width. On the substrate, the fruiting bodies occur either singly or in small clusters. Externally, it resembles pin lichens; however, it is not a lichen, as it does not form a symbiotic association with algae.
The species is threatened by forestry activities, forest road construction, and other actions that destroy habitats or alter forest ecological conditions. It is also affected by forest fragmentation and the loss of continuity of old aspen stands. In Latvia, it is classified as Endangered (EN), due to its limited distribution and the ongoing decline in habitat quality and availability.
As part of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project, a follow-up sociological survey was conducted in autumn 2025 to assess the level of public awareness, attitudes, and involvement of Latvian society in the protection of threatened species. The results indicate that society in Latvia is becoming more informed and more actively engaged in species conservation. Compared to the first survey conducted in 2021, there has been a significant increase both in public knowledge about threatened species and in willingness to participate in nature conservation activities.
These results are also positively evaluated by the project team. Project manager Gunta Čekstere-Muižniece comments:
“The results are truly encouraging. They confirm that the activities implemented in recent years to raise public awareness and promote engagement in nature conservation — including the protection of rare, protected, and threatened species — have been meaningful. This clearly shows that the work we have started must continue. At the same time, these achievements are the result of the collective efforts of everyone involved in the nature conservation sector.”
The latest data show that 41% of Latvia’s population now describe their level of awareness about threatened species as good — an increase of 20 percentage points compared to 2021, when only about one fifth of respondents gave such an assessment.
At the same time, 58% of respondents still consider their knowledge to be poor or rather poor; however, this figure has also significantly decreased (by 17 percentage points).
A similar trend is observed regarding knowledge of actions individuals can take to protect species — 28% of respondents report being well informed (+7% compared to 2021).
The survey results demonstrate growing public involvement and participation in nature conservation. Increasingly, people not only express support for conservation ideas but also take practical action — complying with rules in protected areas, choosing environmentally friendly products, reporting violations, and contributing to the preservation of habitats for protected species on their own properties.
Since 2021, there has been a notable increase in the number of people who participate in various initiatives and follow developments related to species protection. This indicates a growing willingness within society to take greater personal responsibility for nature and the environment. The trend suggests that nature conservation in Latvia is increasingly becoming a shared responsibility rather than solely the domain of experts and institutions, with society ready to act as an active partner in the conservation process.
Encouragingly, more than half of respondents (53%) report that they consciously consider the conservation of rare and protected species when managing their own property — an increase of 25 percentage points compared to 2021. This practice is particularly common among landowners (65%) and residents of rural areas (62%).
The Latvian Red Data Book remains widely recognized — 91% of the population have heard of it. The survey shows that public interest in this resource remains consistently high, with an increasing number of people using it in practice, for example in education or professional work.
However, awareness of the new edition of the Red Data Book — currently being developed and soon to be published — remains low, with only 7% of respondents aware of it. This highlights the need for broader communication about the upcoming publication and ensuring accessibility of its results in both printed and digital formats.
The new edition of the Red Data Book (six volumes), developed within the LIFE FOR SPECIES project, was officially launched at the beginning of 2026. It provides up-to-date, scientifically grounded information on threatened species in Latvia, as well as regionally extinct species and species that may potentially become threatened. The electronic version of the book is freely available to all interested users.
The survey was conducted in cooperation with the market and social research centre Latvijas fakti in autumn 2025 across Latvia, surveying at least 1,000 respondents aged 18 to 75.
The New Latvian Red Data Book is the most comprehensive and up-to-date scientific compilation of recent decades on rare, threatened, and extinct species in Latvia. It provides the public, policy-makers, and nature conservation stakeholders with an overview of the conservation status of these species in Latvia and supports efforts to ensure their long-term protection.
The electronic version of the book is freely available to all interested readers. The publication is structured into six thematic volumes and can be downloaded in PDF format (in Latvian) via the links below:
The new edition of the Latvian Red Data Book comprises six volumes and includes descriptions of 1,069 taxa (including species, subspecies, populations, and others). It covers not only rare, threatened, and extinct species in Latvia, but also species that are classified as Near Threatened or for which insufficient data are available to assess extinction risk.
The Latvian Red Data Book was prepared within the LIFE Programme project “Threatened Species in Latvia: Improved Knowledge and Capacity, Information Flow and Awareness” (LIFE FOR SPECIES). The project is implemented by the Institute of Biology of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, in cooperation with the Nature Conservation Agency, Daugavpils University, and the Latvian Ornithological Society, with financial support from the European Commission’s LIFE Programme and the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development.
Photo: Olīvija Z.S, NCA
On 22 January, the new edition of the Latvian Red data book was officially launched at the University of Latvia. It represents the most comprehensive and up-to-date scientific compilation of rare, threatened, and extinct species in Latvia produced in recent decades. The publication provides the public, policy-makers, and nature conservation professionals with an authoritative overview of the conservation status of these species in Latvia and supports efforts to ensure their long-term protection.
The new edition of the Latvian Red data book comprises six volumes and includes descriptions of 1,069 taxa (including subspecies, populations, and other units). In addition to rare, threatened, and extinct species, it also covers species classified as near threatened as well as species for which available data are insufficient to assess extinction risk.
“After more than 20 years, we once again have a scientifically robust and internationally comparable assessment of the most vulnerable components of Latvia’s natural heritage. This publication is not only a benchmark of our capacity to safeguard biodiversity, but also an important tool for strengthening public knowledge and understanding of natural values. It is not merely a data repository, but a national-level symbol and a modern instrument that will support informed decision-making in nature conservation for decades to come,”
emphasises Laura Anteina, Director General of the Nature Conservation Agency (NCA).
The content of the book was developed over a four-year period (2021–2025), bringing together a broad range of scientists and nature experts. For the first time in Latvia’s history, species threat and extinction risk assessments were carried out in accordance with the globally recognised methodology of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), ensuring international comparability and wider applicability of the results.
“We hope that the new Red data book will become a valuable source of information for everyone who cares about Latvia’s nature—researchers, students, school pupils, and nature enthusiasts alike. It will help identify which species require our immediate attention,”
notes Gunta Čekstere-Muižniece, project manager of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project.
The publication is structured into six thematic volumes: fungi, lichens and slime moulds; mosses and stoneworts; vascular plants; invertebrates; fishes, amphibians, reptiles and mammals; and birds.
More than 55 species experts from Latvia and Estonia contributed to the assessments, which were peer-reviewed by 37 international experts from eight European countries. Both expert workshops and public discussions were organised, allowing broader societal engagement in the process.
The electronic version of the Latvian Red data book will soon be freely available to the public at https://sarkanagramata.lu.lv/. The printed edition has been available for consultation since 23 January at the nature centres of Rāzna, Ķemeri and Gauja National Parks, the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve, as well as at the National Library of Latvia. Thanks to cooperation with the National Library of Latvia, the books will also become available in major public and educational libraries across the country in the coming months.
The Latvian Red data book was prepared within the LIFE Programme project “Threatened Species in Latvia: Improved Knowledge and Capacity, Information Flow and Awareness” (LIFE FOR SPECIES). The project is implemented by the Institute of Biology of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, in cooperation with the NCA, Daugavpils University, and the Latvian Ornithological Society, with financial support from the European Commission’s LIFE Programme and the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development.
This publication reflects only the views of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project and cannot be considered an official position of the European Union. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained here.
Closing out the year, our featured species of the month for November and December is green shield moss (Buxbaumia viridis).
Green shield moss is a small and elusive species that serves as an indicator of old-growth and natural forest habitats.
It is one of the few moss species protected at the European level and is listed under the Bern Convention and the EU Habitats Directive. In Latvia, the species is strictly protected, and micro-reserves may be established to safeguard its habitats. Forests where the species occurs must be preserved, along with its suitable substrate – dead conifer wood. Continued monitoring is needed to study long-term population trends.
Learn more about the species in the fact sheet. A PDF version is available here.
The species is threatened by logging in suitable forests and by the removal of dead wood. Drainage and land improvement near known sites can also negatively affect the moss by altering the forest microclimate. In Latvia, green shield moss is assessed as Vulnerable (VU) due to its very small population, while at the European scale it is considered Least Concern (LC).