In order to make it easier to report the observed alien species and to obtain more information about the sites of invasive species in Latvia, the Nature Conservation Agency in the project LIFE-IP LatViaNature has set up an Invasive Species Manager online to help raise public awareness of invasive species and collect data on their distribution.

Invasive Species Manager is available to anyone interested on the website http://bit.ly/invazivs. It includes almost 50 species that have been identified by scientists as invasive - alien species that are multiplying and spreading rapidly, threatening native species and biodiversity, and it is therefore necessary to identify and limit the distribution of these species.

The website provides residents with the opportunity to get to know and identify invasive plant and animal species in Latvia through illustrations and concise descriptions. Fact sheets provide descriptions of species, descriptions of their growth or habitat conditions, paths of invasion, while maps provide information on the already identified distribution of each species in Latvia.

LIFE-IP LatViaNature expert on invasive species Santa Rutkovska explains that invasive species have a devastating effect on nature: they threaten native species, alter ecosystem functions, cause economic damage, such as reducing the value of agricultural and forest land, and some species are also dangerous to human health. Invasive species are recognized as one of the most significant threats to biodiversity in the world.

Some of the most common invasive plant species in Latvia are Heracleum sosnowskyi, Impatiens glandulifera, Solidago canadensis, Amelanchier spicata, Sorbaria sorbifolia, Acer negundo and Rosa rugosa, etc.

In turn, invasive animal species in Latvia are recognized, for example, Arion vulgaris, Nyctereutes procyonoides, Perccottus glenii, Pacifastacus leniusculus, Eriocheir sinensis, etc.

Everyone is invited to submit observations and thus contribute to the preservation and restoration of natural values. Reporting on observations of invasive species is much needed and expected, it promotes the early detection of invasive species, which is essential for effective management of these species.

The data will be used in the planning and implementation of measures to control the spread of invasive species, in the management of species and habitats, in scientific research, as well as in the development of various reports.

To submit an observation, on the website http://bit.ly/invazivs the exact location of the invasive species on the map should be noted, photographed and some data fields filled in in the questionnaire. The submitted observations shall be reviewed and, as far as possible, verified by species specialists of Nature Conservation Agency, if necessary, involving other experts. The approved sites become publicly available on the Invasive Species Manager website, and related data are stored in the state information system's natural data management system “Ozols”.