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Environmental information systems
MAES-related developments in Latvia
Latvia has carried out a MAES for its marine waters, including the internal marine waters, territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It was performed in 2016 as one of the steps for implementation of the ecosystem based approach within development of the national Maritime Spatial Plan (MSP).
Progress on Mapping and Assessment
Mapping of marine ecosystems focussed on the sea bottom (benthic) habitats, but indirectly in assessment, pelagic habitats have been considered as well. The map covers an area of 28.000 km2 which corresponds to Latvia’s maritime boundaries. The development of a benthic habitat map was based on the HELCOM habitat classification and available spatial data sets such as the sediment map, Secchi depth and bathymetric data. This map was used as a basis for mapping provisioning and regulating ecosystem services. For cultural services, a cultural space related marine tourism was defined (rather than an ecosystem map).
Mapping and assessment of condition: initially based on conservation status and environmental status data collected under the Habitats Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. However, these assessments are not spatially explicit so the data is difficult to use for mapping purposes. As an alternative, areas of high ecological value have been mapped. The map is available but has its limitations. Certainty of the mapping results depends on available data sets on distribution of benthic habitats, algae, birds and fish species, which cover part of the coastal waters and the Gulf of Riga, while for the most of EEZ data are available only convening fish distribution.
Mapping and assessment of ecosystem services: a prioritisation has been carried out for marine ecosystem services. Mapping was based on the tiered approach for different ecosystem services. Provisioning and cultural services were mapped following a tier 2 approach; regulating and maintenance services based on tier 1 mapping approach using expert knowledge.
Ecosystem service | Indicator and data |
|---|---|
Wild animals and their outputs - fish for food | Biophysical mapping; Tier 2 approach: The total catch of commercially important fish species in the open sea within 10 years period; mapping based on statistical data from fishery logbooks; data processed with R Statistical Software estimating the total value (tonnes/year) of fish catch in the grid cell per species; values presented in scale 1-5; |
Wild plants, algae and their outputs - area covered by red algae Furcellaria lumbricalis | Biophysical mapping; Tier 2 approach. Mapping method: expert knowledge used to identify the benthic habitats suitable for growth of Furcellaria lumbricalis and combined with data from field surveys, which partly cover the possible species distribution area and provides information on coverage of algae beds within defined spatial units. The assessment results are presented in scale from 1 to 3 (1 - habitats suitable for distribution of the species, but no occurrence so far has been detected; 2 - low occurrence detected; 3 - high occurrence detected). |
Bio-remediation (eutrophication control through denitrification; eutrophication control through storage of nutrients; storage of pollutants) | Biophysical mapping; Tier 1 approach. Spread-sheet method applied: benthic habitat map used as proxy for potential of ecosystem service supply. The ecosystem services within each habitat type assessed based on expert knowledge (binary assessment: does the particular habitat type provide the particular service – yes/no). |
Filtration of nutrients by animals (mussels) | Biophysical mapping; Tier 1 approach. Spread-sheet method applied: benthic habitat map used as proxy for potential of ecosystem service supply. The ecosystem services within each habitat type assessed based on expert knowledge (binary assessment: does the particular habitat type provide the particular service – yes/no). |
Maintaining nursery populations and habitats - nursery sites for fish species | Biophysical mapping; Tier 1 approach. Spread-sheet method applied: benthic habitat map used as proxy for potential of ecosystem service supply. The ecosystem services within each habitat type assessed based on expert knowledge (binary assessment: does the particular habitat type provide the particular service – yes/no). |
Global climate regulation - carbon storage | Biophysical mapping; Tier 1 approach. Spread-sheet method applied: benthic habitat map used as proxy for potential of ecosystem service supply. The ecosystem services within each habitat type assessed based on expert knowledge (binary assessment: does the particular habitat type provide the particular service – yes/no). |
Cultural services - physical and experiential interactions | Mapping method: Tier 2 approach based on the suitability of each grid cell for marine tourism and leisure activities at the coast assessed based on combination of several criteria (number of visitors; suitability of the area (or best place) for particular tourism or leisure activity/life style (e.g. angling, bird watching, kiteboard, etc.); accessibility – presence of parking lots and public access roads near the coast). Assessment results presented in scale 1-5 (from 1 - very low suitability to 5 - very high suitability) |
Objectives of MAES for Marine Spatial Planning
- To provide spatial information on distribution of areas important for:
- provisioning of services related to direct sea uses (fisheries, coastal tourism)
- regulating and maintaining of services essential for existence of resilient marine ecosystem and related benefits to human well-being, e.g. water purification, maintenance of nursery areas, and climate regulation.
- To assess the possible impacts of different sea use scenarios and to identify the optimum sea use solution.
- To apply MAES results in the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the proposed MSP solutions.
- To raise awareness of stakeholders on importance of ecosystems to provide various benefits to the society in Latvia.
Other relevant information
Latvia is involved in two LIFE projects which are relevant for MAES and one project supported by the manager of Latvia’s state forests JSC “Latvijas valsts meži”. Latvia will also start the biophysical mapping of the habitats of EU importance.
- LIFE+ funded project: “Assessment of ecosystems and their services for nature biodiversity conservation and management” (LIFE Ecosystem Services), led by Nature Conservation Agency from June 2014 – May 2018. The project web site: http://ekosistemas.daba.gov.lv/public/eng/ . The project tasks include mapping of the coastal ecosystems and their services in the selected pilot areas in Jaunķemeri and Saulkrasti. Ecosystem service mapping is based on collection of biophysical data as well as expert judgment using the matrix approach. Furthermore a tool for economic valuation of ecosystem services shall be developed. As a result it is expected to come up with a new methodological approach for Latvia based on the innovative integration and verification of existing methods into municipal decision-making and spatial-planning processes.
- LIFE+ funded project: “Integrated planning tool to ensure viability of grasslands” (LIFE Viva Grass), led by BEF- Lithuania and implemented in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia from June 2014 – November 2018. The project web site: http://vivagrass.eu/ . The project aims aim to support maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by grasslands, through encouraging ecosystem based planning and economically viable grassland management. The ecosystem service mapping is carried out in 9 project areas (from regional to farm level) to provide the input data for the Integrated Planning Tool. Mapping is based on expert judgement on provisioning of ecosystem services in different grassland types (matrix approach) as well as combined with biophysical mapping data, e.g. topography, soils and high resolution airborne images, including LiDAR and hyperspectral data (relief model, vegetation cover).
- Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava and JSC “Latvian State Forests” collaboration project: “The impact of forest management on forest and related ecosystem services” (http://www.silava.lv/23/section.aspx/View/179). The project aims to evaluate short- and long-term impact of forest management on various groups of forest and related ecosystem services (ecosystem service classification according to CICES, 2016) on different spatial and temporal scales and to develop practically applicable methods and recommendations for sustainable forest management planning with regard to ecosystem service provision. The project is structured into four activities. Within Activity 1 assessment of landscape-level impact of forest management on the quality of regulating and provisioning forest ecosystem services is carried out. The impact of following forest management operations is being assessed in a model catchment: forest logging, forest road construction, drainage system maintenance and renovation. Within activity 2 assessment of sustainably intensified forest management short- and long-term impact on the quality of provisioning, regulating and supporting forest ecosystem services is performed. This activity is mainly focused on stump extraction (short- and long-term effects) and large-scale logging. Activity 3 analyzes the interaction between forest management and provisioning forest ecosystem services – accessibility and quality of non-wood forest products (NWFPs). Activity 4 is focused on the interactions between forest management and aesthetic and recreational forest ecosystem services.
- In 2017 the field works for the inventory and mapping of the habitats of the EU importance will start. The purpose of the exercise is to set the baseline information on the extent, areas and quality of the habitat types listed in the Habitats directive and present in Latvia. The mapping will be done in the whole country, not only Natura 2000 sites. The mapping is supported by the EU Structural funds and will be implemented by the Nature Conservation agency. The final results of the mapping will be available in 2019 and then will be used as a basis for assessment of the conservation status of the habitat types and species, where applicable. Although habitat types listed in the Habitats directive do not cover all ecosystems, the mapping itself will be the largest inventory of the nature values in the last 20 years.
Date: 27/10/2016