Latvijas Dabas fonds

What Latvijas Dabas fonds does

Latvijas Dabas fonds (Latvian Fund for Nature) is a non-governmental, non-profit nature protection organization founded in 1990 and headquartered in Riga, Latvia. Self-described as the largest non-governmental nature protection organization in Latvia, it focuses on biodiversity conservation, habitat restoration, climate action, environmental education, and policy advocacy. Its core activities center on natural meadow restoration through the GrassLIFE2 grant competition (offering €600 per hectare to land owners), citizen science programs via the dabasdati.lv portal, and public-facing nature livestreams of protected bird species including the Eurasian eagle-owl, goshawk, and lesser spotted eagle. The organization serves multiple stakeholder groups including the general public (donors and volunteers), land owners/managers with natural meadows in Natura 2000 sites, municipalities, and youth aged 15-20 through its Dabas un klimata skola educational program.

The organization's technology infrastructure is modest and operationally focused: specialized camera systems installed by technicians Jānis Īuze and Jānis Rudzītis at bird nesting sites, with LMT's 4G mobile network providing data transmission for live public broadcasts. Grant applications are collected via ArcGIS Survey123, and Google Analytics supports web analytics. Revenue is derived from three primary streams: EU LIFE Programme project grants (GrassLIFE2, LIFE LFN4GD), individual donations through the website and Mobilly mobile payment platform, and meadow product sales through the e-commerce sub-brand Dabisko pļavu produkts (ldf-veikals.lv). Annual revenue is not publicly disclosed.

The go-to-market approach is community-led and event-driven, combining grassroots volunteer mobilization (meadow restoration workdays, citizen science), public awareness events (the annual Pļavas festivāls at the University of Latvia Botanical Garden), educational content across YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, and direct policy engagement including the Zaļais barometrs (Green Barometer) tool published ahead of parliamentary elections. Operational partnerships span EU institutions (LIFE Programme), forestry companies (SIA 'Rīgas meži'), academic institutions (University of Latvia Botanical Garden), peer NGOs (Latvian Botanists Society, Latvian Ornithological Society, WWF Latvia), and technology providers (LMT, Mobilly).

Name

Latvijas Dabas fonds

Legal name

Nodibinājums Latvijas Dabas fonds

Website

https://ldf.lv

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Latvijas Dabas fonds is Latvia's largest non-governmental nature protection organization, conducting biodiversity conservation, meadow restoration, citizen science, and environmental education programs for the general public, land owners, and youth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nature Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAGAC

Land Trusts & Protected Areas

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYBPADALAE

Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

SECONDARYTHAAAFAH

Citizen Science & Conservation Volunteer Tourism Programs (On-Site)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations)

SECONDARYTHAAAGAF

Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/National Parks & Protected Area Visitor Services (Concessions, Guided Access)

Keywords

• Nature conservation
• Biodiversity protection
• Habitat restoration
• Environmental education
• Citizen science

Headquarters

HQ city

Riga

HQ country

Latvia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Donations: Latvijas Dabas fonds receives financial donations from individuals and organizations to support its nature conservation activities. Donations can be made through the organization's website or via Mobilly mobile payment platform.
2. EU LIFE Programme Funding: The organization receives EU co-financing through the LIFE Programme for projects such as GrassLIFE2 (EU importance priority grassland habitat restoration), LIFE LFN4GD (Strengthening Latvian Civil Society for EU Green Deal and Biodiversity Strategy), and other biodiversity and climate-related projects.
3. Meadow Product Sales: The organization operates an e-commerce store (ldf-veikals.lv) selling natural meadow products, including meadow-inspired goods and local produce from meadow-friendly farming, as well as tickets and merchandise for the annual Pļavas festivāls event.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Latvijas Dabas fonds (Latvian Fund for Nature) is a non-governmental, non-profit nature conservation organization that delivers practical field conservation, biodiversity restoration, environmental education, and policy advocacy in Latvia. Its core activities include a grant competition for natural meadow restoration (GrassLIFE2), live nature broadcasts of protected bird species, citizen science programs, the annual Pļavas festivāls (Meadow Festival), the Dabas un klimata skola (Nature and Climate School) educational program, and an e-commerce store selling natural meadow products.

Product overview

Latvijas Dabas fonds (Latvian Fund for Nature) is a non-governmental nature protection organization focused on biodiversity conservation, environmental policy, citizen science, climate action, forest preservation, and meadow restoration in Latvia. The organization operates programs including grant competitions for natural meadow restoration, educational publications and guides, citizen science initiatives, nature livestreams featuring bird nests, a merchandise shop for meadow products, and an annual Meadow Festival. These are programmatic offerings and educational resources focused on nature conservation rather than a technology product portfolio in the traditional SaaS sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dabisko pļavu produkts: Natural meadow products shop

Products and services

• GrassLIFE2 Meadow Restoration Grant Competition A grant competition offering financial support to land owners and managers for natural meadow restoration workdays in Natura 2000 sites, prioritizing rare EU-importance grassland habitat types. Awards €600 per restored hectare, up to 5 hectares per project.
• Live Nature Broadcasts (Dabas tiešraides) Public-facing live video streams of protected bird species at nesting sites, including Eurasian eagle-owl, Eurasian goshawk, lesser spotted eagle, and swifts, accessible via the LDF website and YouTube.
• Dabas un klimata skola (Nature and Climate School)

Quantifiable outcome

• Natural meadows in Latvia have survived on only 0.9% of the country's territory, making every restored hectare significant for biodiversity conservation.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate and minor.

• SIA 'Rīgas meži'coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIA 'Rīgas meži' (Riga Forests) is the forestry company whose territory hosts the Eurasian eagle-owl nesting site observed through LDF's live camera system. The cooperation enables public live nature broadcasts of one of Latvia's most threatened bird species, demonstrating urban forestry's role in biodiversity conservation.
• Latvijas Universitātes Botāniskais dārzs (University of Latvia Botanical Garden)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Latvia Botanical Garden hosts the annual Pļavas festivāls (Meadow Festival), the organization's flagship public awareness and education event. The venue provides a setting that physically connects urban audiences with the meadow ecosystem theme of the festival.
• Latvijas Botāniķu biedrība (Latvian Botanists Society)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating organization at the Pļavas festivāls, contributing to the festival's educational zone with expertise on plant species identification and botanical knowledge relevant to meadow conservation.
• Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība (Latvian Ornithological Society)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with LDF on bird monitoring projects, including the installation of artificial nest structures for bitterns in the eagle owl territory observed via live stream. Also participates in the Pļavas festivāls educational zone.
• Pasaules dabas fonds (World Wildlife Fund Latvia)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating organization in the Pļavas festivāls educational zone, representing international biodiversity conservation collaboration at the local level festival.
• Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde (Nature Conservation Administration)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributes the Mobile Nature Classroom to the Pļavas festivāls educational zone, providing hands-on nature conservation education to festival visitors.
• Permakultūras biedrība (Permaculture Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating organization at the Pļavas festivāls, providing workshops on composting and sustainable land use practices that complement meadow conservation themes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde (Nature Conservation Agency of Latvia): State agency with overlapping mandate on protected area administration and species monitoring. LDF cooperates with it (Mobile Nature Classroom at the Meadow Festival) but it is the largest publicly funded incumbent in the same conservation space.
• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): One of Europe's largest nature conservation NGOs, operating a model combining citizen science, livestreaming of wildlife, donor membership, and EU project execution that is structurally similar to LDF's approach at a much larger scale.
• EuroNatur Foundation: Pan-European nature conservation foundation active across the continent, including the Baltic region. Comparable on mission and LIFE project execution but operates at materially larger scale and broader geographic remit.

Direct peers

• Latvijas Botāniķu biedrība (Latvian Botanists Society): Domestic peer focused on botanical expertise, contributing the plant-identification zone at LDF's Pļavas festivāls and overlapping on meadow habitat expertise; partnership also creates overlap in the niche funder base.
• Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība (Latvian Ornithological Society): BirdLife partner in Latvia and a direct peer, collaborating with LDF on artificial nest installations and shared livestream subjects (eagle-owl, goshawk), while competing for ornithology-focused donor and volunteer attention.
• Baltijas Vides Forums (Baltic Environmental Forum): Regional environmental NGO active in Latvia on biodiversity, environmental policy, and EU project delivery. Competes for similar LIFE and Interreg funding pools and shares a cross-Baltic operating scope.
• Pasaules dabas fonds (WWF Latvia): Latvian affiliate of the World Wildlife Fund and a direct domestic peer to LDF, operating in the same nature conservation space, competing for the same donor base, and co-participating in events such as the Pļavas festivāls.

Regional players

• Lietuvos gamtos fondas (Lithuanian Fund for Nature): Lithuania's counterpart nature conservation NGO with parallel EU LIFE project activity and donor base. Directly comparable in mission and operating model, though serving a separate national market.
• Eesti Looduse Fond (Estonian Fund for Nature): Closest regional peer across the Baltic states, operating a near-identical nature conservation, Natura 2000 restoration, and public engagement model. Highly comparable in scale, funding mix, and mission.

Emerging players

• Zaļā brīvība (Green Liberty): Latvian environmental NGO with an adjacent but broader remit including climate, energy, and civic advocacy. Overlaps with LDF on policy advocacy (Zalais Barometrs-style campaigns) and shares the Latvian donor base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LVDabasFonds
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@LatvijasDabasfondsOnline
• Facebookfacebook.com/dabasfonds
• Instagraminstagram.com/lvdabasfonds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/latvijas-dabas-fonds

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Latvijas Dabas fonds