More than 60 participants gathered at the offices of the Nature Conservation Agency (NCA) in Salacgrīva for the conference The Baltic Sea, Coast and Salaca in Perpetual Motion and Change. Its objectives were to raise awareness of the Baltic Sea and the Salaca in the context of sustainable environmental development in relation to tourism development opportunities, to raise awareness of the public responsibility for the balanced management of the natural resources of the sea, rivers and coasts and the need to preserve biodiversity and to promote ethical principles in scientific research and technological development.

At the opening of the conference, Dagnis Straubergs, Chairman of the Limbaži County Council, stressed the importance of both the Baltic Sea and the Salaca River for the development of the county, as well as for the daily life of local people. Ilze Millere, Director of the Vidzeme Regional Administration of the DAP, presented the natural values of the Northern Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve (NBR) and modern trends in tourism development. Rimantė Balsiūnaitė, representative of the Lithuanian project Save the Baltic Sea: Ocean literacy and living well, gave an overview of the project, its objectives and why it was started.

The lecture on Marine Protected Areas in the Gulf of Riga and the Open Baltic Sea Coast of Latvia was given by Solvita Strāķe and Anete Fedorovska, lead researchers of the LIFE REEF project and representatives of the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology. The participants were introduced to the LIFE REEF research and findings, as well as to the need to protect marine areas and their biodiversity . Ms Strāķe focused on alien species as a silent threat to the Baltic Sea ecosystem, stressing the importance of the problem and the fact that more than 140 alien species can currently be found in the Baltic Sea.

Linda Uzule, freshwater habitat expert of the Life is Salaca project, gave a presentation on the natural values of the Salaca River and its coastline. At the beginning of her lecture, she stressed that we should be proud of the place where we live, because the Salaca is one of the most beautiful rivers in Latvia. During the lecture, the participants explored the natural values of the Natura 2000 site Salaca Valley Nature Park and learned about the work and research carried out so far in the Life is Salaca project.

Lauma Krišāne, Senior Expert of the Nature Conservation Department of the Pierīga Regional Administration of the Nature Conservation Agency, introduced the participants to nature-friendly behaviour in her presentation "Code of Ethics for Coastal Visitors".

Juris Smaļinskis, tourism and environment expert, spoke on the topic "Establishment of a volunteer movement for further development of Jūrtaka and Mežtaka". His presentation included information on both the walking habits of tourists and the possibilities for developing the volunteer movement in Latvia.

The conference was organised by the NWB Support Society and DAP in cooperation with the Lithuanian project Save the Baltic Sea: Ocean literacy and living well. The event was moderated by Ilze Grīnfelde.