Outdoors
ECO-TOURISM
Along with culture, the environment, with its natural and manmade landscapes and townscapes is a determining factor in the tourist's choice of traveling to Latvia.
The Latvian Tourism Development Agency initiates and monitors regional tourist programs focusing on unique resources of natural heritage, which Latvia is blessed with.
A demand for food cultivated without the use of pesticides and other chemicals is rapidly growing in the world market. Presently, there are vast uncontaminated areas in Latvia, which like other Eastern European countries, has only recently begun to develop. Latvia is in the unique position of being able to choose methods of sustainable management before nature has been devastated. More important, the diverse forests of Latvia, as well as the long coastline, should also retain their natural condition. The goal in Latvia is to create an ecologically sound agricultural system. Crops would be organically grown, thus avoiding soil depletion. Price increases for pesticides; fertilizers and other chemical pollutants could perhaps serve as incentives for Latvian farmers to grow organically sound crops. Such crops would also help to guarantee the health of the consumer. Such an environmentally friendly approach would allow Latvians to preserve the soil and water from pollution and depletion. As a result, this could retain the natural fauna and flora of the farmlands.
The Eastern European farmers initiated small-scale tourism with an ecological origin. The farmers have undertaken this initiative in co-operation with ECEAT (European Centre for Eco Agro Tourism), an international foundation which implements concrete initiatives in the field of environmentally friendly agriculture and tourism. ECEAT staff members are from both the Netherlands and other participating countries. Through the network of ECEAT, ecological farmers, and their supporting organizations in the various countries are able to offer you a pleasurable, environmentally friendly style of tourism. In each participating country, there is an ECEAT national co-ordinator. They maintain contact with the farmers, local and national governments, and the local nature protection and environmental organisation. ECEAT is a non-profit organization. It is not a tour operator or commercial travel agency. However, ECEAT does co-operate with travel agencies and tour operators who are willing to incorporate ECEAT accommodation into their programs.
Ecotourism Society Kurmajas prosp. 13, Liepaja, tel. 371 3426336, 371 6585221
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