The Saeima¹ has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:

Gauja National Park Law

Chapter I
General Provisions

Section 1.

(1) Gauja National Park (hereinafter - the Park) is a specially protected nature territory of national significance that is located in the ancient Gauja River valley and its vicinity. Borders of the Park have been determined in accordance with the scheme of borders of the Gauja National Park (Annex 1) and the description of borders of the Gauja National Park (Annex 2).

(2) The Park shall be administered by the Nature Conservation Agency (hereinafter - the Agency) that is an institution of direct administration subordinate to the Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development.

[16 December 2010]

Section 2.

(2) The purpose of the Law is to protect the lightly touched nature territories of the Park that are characterised by huge biological diversity, the rock outcrops, terrain forms, boulders, springs (hereinafter - the geological and geomorphological nature monuments of national and local significance), and also the typical landscapes, nature and cultural monuments, and to promote nature tourism and sustainable development of the territory.

(2) The Cabinet shall approve the areas of functional zones of the Park and the descriptions of borders thereof.

(3) The Cabinet shall issue regulations governing individual protection and use of the Park.

Section 3.

(1) It shall be prohibited within the territory of the Park to:

1) damage or destroy cultural and historical objects;

2) damage or destroy geological and geomorphological nature monuments of national and local significance;

3) perform activities which cause soil erosion;

4) damage or destroy micro-reserves, specially protected biotopes, specially protected species and their habitats;

5) damage or destroy specially protected trees which are included in the category of natural monuments;

6) damage or destroy protected trees of local significance the list of which is approved by local governments;

7) damage bird nesting sites, anthills, and homes of other animals;

8) dump or discard waste, except for landfill sites and waste dumps;

9) straighten rivers and streams;

10) move along rivers, lakes, and other water bodies by motorboats, personal watercraft, and other means of water transport operated by engines of any type and capacity. This prohibition shall not apply to the movement of officials of State and local government authorities while performing their office duties, and also to the movement by water transport on the Lake Ungurs;

11) damage or destroy objects for the improvement of nature tourism and information infrastructure and informative and instruction signs;

12) build dams and artificial obstacles without installing fish passes on rivers and other watercourses where fish migration takes place, except for the cases where it is necessary for the protection and preservation of ecosystems, specially protected species, and specially protected biotopes.

(2) Movement by motorboats, personal motorcraft, and other means of water transport operated by engines of any type and capacity shall only be permitted on the Lake Ungurs with a written permit of the Agency.

(3) Any activities causing pollution of soil, air, surface water bodies, springs, and groundwaters within the territory of the Park shall only be permitted provided that requirements of the laws and regulations regarding pollution are complied with.

[7 October 2010]

Section 4.

(1) It shall be permitted with a written permit of the Agency to:

1) extract mineral resources, except for the extraction of groundwater for personal use;

2) perform scientific and archaeological research work and explore subterranean depths;

3) transform forest land in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding land transformation and change the category of use of agricultural land;

4) use motorised means of water transport in the Lake Ungurs.

(2) A written permit of the Agency shall not be required for the following activities in the neutral zone of the Park:

1) transformation of forest land;

2) changing the category of use of agricultural land.

[7 October 2010]

Section 4.¹

(1) When issuing a written permit or coordinating the activities referred to in the Law, the Agency shall use the information included in a nature protection plan and the latest available information on specially protected species and biotopes in the specific territory. The written permit of the Agency shall not be required for the activities in respect of which the State Environmental Service issues technical regulations or carries out an initial environmental impact assessment, in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding the environmental impact assessment.

(2) The written permit of the Agency referred to in this Law shall not be required if the relevant activity is performed by the Agency in order to fulfil the functions and tasks laid down for it laws and regulations.

[7 October 2010]

Section 5.

Territorial spatial plans of the local governments located in the territory of the Park shall be coordinated with the Agency prior to adoption thereof. A working group for development of a territorial local government spatial plan, if such is established, shall include a representative of the Agency.

Chapter II
Functional Zones

Section 6.

The territory of the Park shall be divided into the following functional zones:

1) the strict nature reserve (strict regime) zone;

2) the nature reserve zone;

3) the landscape protection zone;

4) the cultural and historical zone;

5) the neutral zone.

Section 7.

(1) The strict nature reserve (strict regime) zone has been established in order to preserve the natural processes taking place in biologically diverse territories.

(2) Any extraction of natural resources, economic or any other activity shall be strictly prohibited in the strict nature reserve (strict regime) zone, except for the following:

1) scientific research;

2) forest fire safety measures;

3) measures necessary for the protection and preservation of the strict nature reserve (strict regime) zone in accordance with the nature protection plan;

4) crossing of the strict nature reserve (strict regime) zone along specific routes in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Agency.

(3) Land of the strict nature reserve (strict regime) zone shall constitute the State property.

Section 8.

(1) The nature reserve zone has been established in order to preserve the natural landscape specific to the ancient Gauja River valley and valleys of tributaries of the River Gauja with a mosaic of biotopes of lightly touched nature and biotopes impacted by human activity, and also to preserve the geological and geomorphological nature monuments of national and local significance, and other nature monuments concentrated within this territory.

(2) Forestry activity in the nature reserve zone shall be performed in accordance with a forest management plan. The content of such plan, and also the procedures for the development and approval thereof shall be laid down in the individual regulations regarding protection and use of the Park. The forest management plan shall be approved by the Agency.

(2¹) The following activities shall be permitted in the nature reserve zone without the forest management plan:

1) felling of dangerous trees which pose a threat to human life and health, nearby buildings, and infrastructure objects (leaving the felled trees in a forest stand to the extent possible);

2) tree felling to take fire safety measures and eliminate consequences of accidents, natural disasters, or catastrophes;

3) felling of trees damaged by pests in sanitary felling (except in biotopes of specially protected species and specially protected biotopes) in the event of mass propagation of pests upon receipt of a sanitary opinion of the State Forestry Service and a positive opinion of the Agency. The Agency shall provide its opinion within 10 working days upon receipt of a request of the State Forestry Service;

4) tree felling in another felling for the protection and preservation of species and biotopes, preservation of cultural monuments, long-term reconstruction of artificially created forest stands, improvement of landscape quality, installation and maintenance of viewpoints upon receipt of a positive opinion of the Agency;

5) extraction of forest non-timber values;

6) reforestation and maintenance of a young stand. When sowing or planting a forest, it shall be restored with the species of trees laid down in the individual regulations regarding protection and use of the Park.

(3) It shall be prohibited in the nature reserve zone to:

1) perform forestry activity in the forests owned by State and local governments, except for the activities permitted in accordance with Section 2.¹ of this Law;

2) prepare timber in clear felling;

3) drain swamps;

4) damage, destroy, plough, or cultivate alluvial, terrace, and forest meadows;

5) use mineral fertilisers and chemical plant protection products in high nature value grasslands and forest lands;

6) change the relief and perform any activity promoting accelerated surface runoff and development of soil erosion;

7) extract mineral resources, except for the extraction of groundwater for personal use;

8) burn dry grass and reeds, and also burn forest felling debris during the fire danger period;

9) introduce the species of flora and fauna that are foreign to local conditions in natural habitats.

(4) Restrictions on ownership rights in the nature reserve zone shall be registered in the Land Register on the basis of this Law and a request for corroboration of the Agency.

(5) In order to ensure unimpeded existence of species of flora and fauna, and also a possibility for animals to gather in migration periods, the Agency may, in accordance with the individual regulations regarding protection and use of the Park, take a decision, in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Administrative Procedure Law, to impose a seasonal closure in the nature reserve zone or part thereof - a restriction or a prohibition for visitors to stay temporarily within the specific territory but for persons who live in the nature reserve zone or have property therein to perform specific economic activity. A submission or an application for contestation or appeal of the decision shall not suspend the operation thereof.

(6) Mass entertainment events (recreational, sports, and other events in which more than 50 persons participate) may be organised outside in the nature reserve zone with a written permit of the Agency. The written permit of the Agency shall not be required if the events take place in the places provided specifically for this purpose.

(7) A land parcel located in the nature reserve zone may only be divided if the area of each individual land parcel is at least 10 hectares after division. This condition shall not apply to the borders of cities and villages determined in a territorial local government spatial plan.

(8) Construction may be performed in the nature reserve zone in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations regarding construction by taking into account the laws and regulations regarding environmental impact assessment.

[10 December 2020]

Section 9.

(1) The landscape protection zone has been established in order to preserve the characteristic versatile landscape, national cultural environment, and recreational resources, and also to ensure sustainable economic activity.

(2) Construction may be performed in the landscape protection zone in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations regarding construction by taking into account the laws and regulations regarding environmental impact assessment.

(3) The final felling in the landscape protection zone shall be performed in accordance with the forest management plan.

Section 10.

(1) The cultural and historical zone has been established in order to ensure complex protection in specially protected cultural and historical territories, and also in the territories where cultural monuments are concentrated.

(2) Construction may be performed in the cultural and historical zone in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations regarding construction by taking into account the laws and regulations regarding environmental impact assessment.

(3) The final felling in the cultural and historical zone shall be performed in accordance with the forest management plan.

Section 11.

The neutral zone has been established in order to facilitate sustainable development of densely populated territories or intensively used agricultural areas located in the Park.

Chapter III
Administration of the Park

Section 12.

(1) The Advisory Council of Park shall be established in order to coordinate interests of environmental protection and economic activity in the territory of the Park. The Council shall be composed of one representative from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the Ministry of Agriculture, the State Forestry Service, the Rural Support Service, the State Inspection for Heritage Protection, the Latvian Fund for Nature, the Latvian Ornithological Society, and organisations directly representing interests of forest and land owners or residents of the protected territory, and all local governments which are located in the territory of the Park.

(2) The Cabinet shall approve the by-laws of the Advisory Council of the Park. The Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development shall approve the personnel of the Advisory Council of the Park.

[16 December 2010]

Transitional Provisions

1. With coming into force of this Law, the Gauja National Park Law (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas un Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 2000, No. 2) is repealed.

2. The Cabinet shall, by 30 December 2011, issue the regulations referred to in Section 2, Paragraph three of this Law. Until the day of coming into force of such regulations, but not later than until 30 December 2011, Cabinet Regulation No. 352 of 7 August 2001, Individual Regulations Regarding Protection and Use of the Gauja National Park, shall be applied, insofar as it is not in conflict with this Law.

[7 October 2010]

3. The Cabinet shall, by 1 October 2009, approve the by-laws referred to in Section 12, Paragraph two of this Law. Until the day of coming into force of such regulations, but not later than until 1 October 2009, Cabinet Regulation No. 239 of 18 July 2000, By-Laws of the Advisory Council of the Gauja National Park, shall be applied, insofar as it is not in conflict with this Law.

[7 October 2010]

4. [7 October 2010]

5. [7 October 2010]

6. The Park shall be administered by the Administration of the Gauja National Park until 1 June 2009.

The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 30 April 2009.

Acting for the President,
the Chairperson of the Saeima G. Daudze

Riga, 20 May 2009

Gauja National Park Law
Annex 1

Scheme of the Borders of the Gauja National Park

Gauja National Park Law
Annex 2

Description of the Borders of the Gauja National Park

1. Description of the External Border

2. Description of the Internal Border

Note.
Cadastre information has been indicated in accordance with the data of the State Immovable Property Cadastre Register Information System as of 28 October 2008.

¹ The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2022 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)