The LIFE GoodWater IP first International conference on nature-based solutions for water quality improvement and river basin management is coming already this week.

On the 26-27th of October 2022, the first international conference of the LIFE GoodWater IP project will be held in Riga. The purpose of it is to discuss with industry experts and stakeholders the importance of nature-based solutions and ecosystem services approaches to improve the ecological quality of water bodies, and to share experiences and lessons learned in implementing these measures in rural areas, including agricultural and forest lands, as well as in surface water bodies.

On the first day of the conference, the participants will go on a site visit to the vicinity of Saulkrasti to get to know the current situation and the planned nature-based solutions for improving the water quality in the Aģe river – one of the demonstration objects of the LIFE GoodWater IP. Nature-based solutions are various measures for overcoming societal challenges/problems that use or imitate natural processes and at the same time contribute to the improvement of environmental quality, preservation of natural diversity and human well-being. During the research trip, together with experts, we will discuss various situations in the improvement of which it is possible to use nature-based solutions, for example, water quality in forest lands, fish migration, drainage systems.

On the second day of the conference, there will be a plenary session and parallel presentation sessions on the concept of nature-based solutions, the framework of ecosystem services for water resource management. Practical examples and lessons learned when implementing nature-based solutions in rural areas and surface water bodies will be presented. Experts from Latvia, Estonia, Sweden and other countries will share their experience at the conference.

The conference will be held in English.

Please see the agenda and other materials: