Agriculture land plays an essential role in the maintenance of biological diversity in Latvia. It determines the nature conditions, like hilly relief, diverse wetlands, lakes and rivers, also the low agriculture intensity in considerable areas during the last 50 years. More here: Grasslands (meadows and pastures) biological diversity (Mag.geogr. S.Jermacane) 

In Latvia agriculture land covers 2.5 million ha or 39.3% from the country area: 1.7 million ha or 67.4% covers arable land, 0.8 million ha or 31.4% - meadows and grasslands but orchards comprise 1.2% from agriculture land (Data from 1995). About 4.1% from the land used for agriculture include roads and buildings.

There Dynamics of Weed Species number and composition in the corn-fields of Latvia  and researches on some  invasive species  - Hogweed Heracleum sosnowskyi distribution are carried out in Latvia by Latvian Agriculture University.

In total in Latvia there are about 15 000 ha of grassland habitats of international or national importance.
Agriculture land is a habitat of international importance for migrating birds, especially cranes and geese. Up to now in the country in total about 150 migrating birds are known from valuable agriculture lands, 15 from them are included in the List of Important Bird Areas in Europe (Racinskis, Stipniece 2000). These areas are protected according to the Bonn Convention that Latvia ratified in 1999. Migrating birds are negatively influenced by the decrease of cropper fields in the areas that are good rest places for birds as well as field interruptions and road margin and ditch overgrowth with shrubs.

DEVELOPMENT TENDENCES

In Latvia both regions with wide continuous drained fields where intensive use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers takes place occur as well as extensively managed mosaic agriculture landscape. In the last 50 years considerable agriculture land areas (up to about 2 million) have been abandoned. At present they have overgrown with shrubs and broad-leaved trees of different age forming a mosaic landscape with slight human influence.

At the beginning of 1990-ties with change of political and economic policy essential human influence upon nature took place. As a result of land reform almost all the agricultural land and half of the forests became a private property. Therefore, substantially increased the use of forest resources. In the last years in separate regions, especially in Zemgale increases the intensity of agricultural activities. In the areas with agriculture intensification the maintenance of important landscape elements, valuable habitats and field edges is endangered. More here: Birds in Rural Landscape

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THREATS TO ECOSYSTEM

According to the National Programme of Biological Diversity, the main priority of the conservation of biological diversity is the protection of natural grasslands. Especially valuable are flood-plain meadows. More here: Grasslands (meadows and pastures) biological diversity  
In most of these areas adequate management activities are not carried out. Therefore, special management activities are needed for the area of 13 500 ha. Area of natural grassland decrease and as a consequence characteristic plant and animal species quickly disappear. This situation is favoured by overgrowing with shrubs after the traditional management of grasslands (mowing and grazing) is stopped, as well as the opposite process - more intensive use of management methods as well as grassland transformation into arable land or perennial grasslands. Large grassland areas discontinue ditches and shrub zones and that is not suitable for wading birds.

RESPONSIBLE  INSTITUTIONS

Governmental institutions

• Ministry of Agriculture, Republic of Latvia 
• The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Latvia

Science institutions

• Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia 
• Institute of Biology, University of Latvia 

Non-governmental institutions

• Latvian Fund for Nature
• Latvian Orntihological Society 

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LEGISLATION AND POLICY

For conservation of the biological diversity most important is the National Programme of Biological Diversity with which legislation must be agreed so far it concerns the use of agriculture land. Needs of the maintenance of the biological diversity are incorporated in "Countryside development programme SAPARD".
 Most important normative acts are as follows:

• Ramsar Convention. On Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, Ramsar, 1971 (ratified in 1995)
• Helsinki Convention. On Protection of the marine Environment of the Baltic Sea area, Helsinki, 1974, 1992. (ratified in 1994)
• Bern Convention. On Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Bern, 1979 (ratified in 1996)
• Bonn Convention. On Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, Bonn, 1979 (ratified in 1999)
• Rio de Janeiro Convention. On biological diversity, Rio de Janeiro, 1992 (ratified in 1995)
• EU Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds 79/409/EEC (1979)
• EU Directive on Conservation of Species and Habitats 92/43/EEC (1972)
• The Law on the Protection of Environment (1991, 1997)
• The Law on Specially Protected Nature Territories (1993, 1997)
• The Law on Melioration (1993)
• The Law on Agriculture (1996)
• The Law on Protected Belts (1997)
• The Law on Environmental Impact Assessment (1998)
• The Law on Conservation of Species and Habitats (2000)
• Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on Water Use Permits, (15/22.04.1997)
• Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on the General Protection and Use of Specially Protected Nature Territories (354 /1997)
• Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on the Environmental State Monitoring (198/1997)
• Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on the Territorial Planning (62/1998)
• Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on the Lists of Specially Protected and Limitedly Exploitable Specially Protected Species (396/14.11.2000)
• Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on the Lists of Specially Protected Habitats (No 421/05.12.2000)
• Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on establishment, protection and management of micro-reserves No.45 (2001)
• Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on Biological Agriculture (in preparation)

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MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION ACTIVITIES

In Europe the Agri-environment Programmes being an important part the continuous agriculture development become more widespread. These programmes as obligatory are planned also in the new EU Regulations of Rural Development in a Programme Agenda 2000. Also in Latvia the National Project of Agri-environment Development is elaborated. Recommendations developed in the project are included in various EU support programmes for rural development in candidate countries - parts of SAPARD plan. The Cabinet of Ministers Republic of Latvia and European Commission Plan has approved the plan. Project results are applied in the description of the 5th priority-support sub-programme "Environment Friendly Agriculture Methods".
Support for the Agri-environment activities in Latvia will be available in selected pilot areas. Highest priority is given to local communities with considerable areas of biologically valuable grasslands.
Taking into consideration quite large areas without great agriculture chemistry application that still have a high biological diversity it is important to elaborate the optimum strategy for the long-term agriculture development decreasing threats to the natural habitats and their flora and fauna. Planning support activities for agriculture and rural development financed by Government resources and EU structural funds various priorities and varied further development scenarios must be given to different territories.
The following Species Conservation Action Plans had been prepared - for Corncrake Crex crex, for Great Snipe Gallinago media , for Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila poparina, also Report on Cranes Grus grus and Agriculture.

RESEARCH AND MONITORING

With rapid decrease of biological diversity in agriculture lands and forests in the EU countries intensive research is carried out to develop mathematical models for habitats and landscape elements to evaluate the overall species diversity as well as separate species. In 1995 a project concerning agriculture landscape was started in Latvia:

• Latvian -Danish co-operation project "Biodiversity management in Latvian farmland, a decision support system" (1995, 1997-2000). Project was realised by the Latvian Fund for Nature in co-operation with the Danish expert company "Ornis Consult". Support for research was received also as a grant from the Latvian Scientific Council (leader J. Priednieks). This is the only research in the frame of which the monitoring of bird species nesting in agriculture lands was started.
• In addition, research of separate species, like corn-crake, snipe, white stork were started (see separately about these species).
• Latvian Agriculture Environment Programme project and the correspondent part in the SAPARD Programme was elaborated in the Latvian Fund for Nature in co-operation with the Ministry of Agriculture and co-ordinated experts from several countries co-ordinated by the Dutch company "Avalon". Project title "Agri-environmental programmes in Central and Eastern Europe", financed by Dutch Government MATRA Programme.

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PUBLICATIONS

• Regularly updated List of publications of Latvian ornithologist
• Species Conservation Action Plans

Auniņs A. 2001. Ķikuta populācijas teritoriālais izvietojums, skaits un biotopa izvēle Latvijā: patreizējā situācija (1999-2001) un vēsturiskā informācija. Putni dabā 1. pielikums, 4-12.
Bergmanis U., Petriņs A. 1999. Mazais ērglis - gada putns'99. Putni dabā 9.1, 2-7.
Dzērvju aizsardzības pasākumu plāns sakarā ar postījumiem lauksaimniecībā, 1999. (Sast. V. Liepa). Salaspils: LU Bioloģijas institūts.
Griezes aizsardzības pasākumu plāns, 1999. (Sast. O. Keiss). Rīga: Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība.
Ingelög T., Andersson R., Tjernberg M. (ed-s) 1993. Red Data Book of the Baltic Region 1. Uppsala.
Janaus M., Stīpniece A. 2000. Balto stārķu uzskaites rezultāti Latvijā 1994.-1995. g. Putni dabā 10.2, 2-13.
Kabucis I., Strazdiņa E., sternbergs M. Bagātības lauku ainavā. Rīga: Latvijas Dabas fonds.
Keiss O. 1997. Griežu Crex crex skaita novērtējums un biotopu izvēle Latvijā 1996.gadā. Putni dabā 7.1, 22 - 27.
Keiss O., Ķemlers A. 2000. Griežu (Crex crex) skaita palielināsanās Latvijā 1990. gados - vai varam lepoties ar sekmīgu sugas                aizsardzību? Putni dabā 10.3, 22-30.
Ķikuta aizsardzības pasākumu plāns, 1999. (Sast. A. Auniņs). Rīga: Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība.
Labas lauksaimniecības prakses nosacījumi Latvijā. 1999. Jelgava: Latvijas Lauksaimniecības Universitāte.
Latvijas lauku attīstības plāns Eiropas Savienības pirmsiestāsanās programmai lauksaimniecības un lauku attīstībai. 2000. Rīga: Zemkopības ministrija.
Latvijas lauku putni. 1998. Rīga: Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība.
Latvijas Sarkanā Grāmata. 6.sēj. Putni un zīdītāji. (red. G. Andrusaitis). 2000. Rīga: LU Bioloģijas institūts.
Lipsbergs J., Kačalova O., Ozols G., Rūce I., sulcs A. 1990. Populārzinātniskā Latvijas Sarkanā grāmata. Dzīvnieki. Rīga: Zinātne.
Priednieks J., Strazds M., Strazds A., Petriņs A. 1989. Latvijas ligzdojoso putnu atlants. Rīga: Zinātne.
Priednieks J. 1993. Monitoring activities in Latvia. Bird Census News, 6,2, 79 - 82.
Račinskis E. 1996. Zosu uzskaite 1996.gada rudenī. Putniem nozīmīgu vietu apskats 1, (1996. g. decembris), 1-3.
Račinskis E., Stīpniece A. 2000. Putniem starptautiski nozīmīgās vietas Latvijā. Rīga: Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība.
Strazdiņa E., Auniņs A., Kabucis I., Priednieks J. 2000. Dabas daudzveidības saglabāsana lauku ainavā. Rīga: Latvijas Dabas fonds.
Strazds M., Priednieks J., Vāveriņs G. 1994. Latvijas putnu skaits. Putni dabā, 4.3, 3-18.
Strazds M., Bergmanis U., Petriņs A. 1997. Mazā ērgļa Aguila pomarina skaits un izplatība Latvijā. Putni dabā, 7.1, 19-24.
The Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy. 1996. Council of Europe, UNEP, European Centre for Nature Conservation.
Tucker G. M., Heath M. F. 1994. Birds in Europe: their conservation statuss. Cambridge.
Zaļās vārnas aizsardzības pasākumu plāns. 2000. (Sast. E. Račinskis). Rīga: Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība.