Doug Shapley

In 2018 I visited latvia as  part of the Erasmus + Arch Network programme. the purpose of the trip was to exchange ideas and compare management of habitat between Scotland and latvia. latvia is one of the flattest countries in Europe and with that comes conditions ideal for wetland habitats, in particular peat bogs. it is also one of the most forested countries too with 50% forest cover compared to only 19% in Scotland. THRough eu funding, large scale habitat restoration projects are taking place. what is striking about latvia is their connection to the environment. whether that is through management of habitats or through recreation. for example kemeri national park is home to a large area of peatland habitat. Its proximity to riga make it one of the most visited places in latvia.Forest habitats also provide a source of recreation and foraging culture is commonplace. you can see a detailed report from the trip all about the country and its approach to land management at the following story map