According to LDF, 68% of the population live in cities and the quality of the urban environment plays an increasingly important role in people's lives. Nature in the city improves the well-being of people, our physical and mental state, and provides a living environment. There are also different plants and animals in urban areas.
With rural industrialization increasing, cities are also becoming increasingly important areas for the preservation of natural diversity. In recent years, the presence of nature in cities has increasingly been considered worldwide and the issue is becoming more and more topical in Latvia.
"If traditionally the countryside is perceived as a natural refuge and cities are considered as a “concrete jungle”, this distinction is changing at the moment. Rural areas that are heavily industrialized are becoming deprived in terms of natural diversity, while the role of cities in preserving biodiversity is increasing. So we also chose to declare a city as a habitat this year to highlight the role of cities in promoting biodiversity," said LDF expert Rūta Sniedze-Kretalova.
Nature findings in the city can be reported on the nature observation portal “www.dabasdati.lv”.
