Latvia plans to separate botanical garden from nature agency

Latvia plans to separate the National Botanical Garden in Salaspils from the Nature Conservation Agency, after the government gave preliminary support to the proposal on Tuesday, LSM reported.

The garden would again operate as a direct administration institution under the minister for smart administration and regional development. It was merged with the agency earlier this year in a move intended to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency.

Minister Edgars Tavars said the merger had been a mistake. He said the reorganisation had increased bureaucracy, slowed decision-making, restricted the organisation of traditional events and reduced the garden’s own revenue.

The ministry said the agency currently combines government oversight and control functions with the garden’s scientific and research work, which it considers unrelated. Separating the agency’s supervisory duties from the garden’s management and research would follow the principle of good governance, it said.

The garden needs greater autonomy to plan long-term research and preserve and develop its collections and genetic resources, according to the ministry. The plan would not restore its status as a scientific institution, although the garden could continue to conduct scientific work without that status.

The ministry also cited falling visitor numbers and revenue. As a separate institution, the garden could focus more directly on attracting visitors with events and better plan and carry out operational work. It said centralised decision-making at the agency had sometimes delayed tasks: arranging grass cutting, for example, took two and a half months from ordering the work to signing the contract.