Willingness of the Local Community to Support Management for the Improvement in the Quality of the Riparian Zone in North-Eastern Latvia

The preservation and management of riparian zones in nature protection areas are challenging due to the simultaneous demands of nature protection regulations, active nature tourism burdens, and local community needs. The local community’s willingness to participate in riparian zone management is an essential contribution to establishing successful long-term riparian zone management. This study aimed to gain insight into the perceptions of the local community, particularly landowners, on the management perspectives of riparian zones in nature protection areas. We used a questionnaire survey to gather data from three distinct localities within the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve (NVBR). In total, 734 respondents were interviewed, of which 40% were landowners who owned land in riparian zones. Landowners did not differ significantly from those without property rights in their willingness to undertake voluntary work to improve the quality of riparian zones. Landowners more often use riparian zones for cultural and recreational activities. Overall, the landowners had similar perceptions of riparian zone management to respondents without property rights in the NVBR.