On May 14, the second Bioregion Forum was held in the town of Cēsis, bringing together more than 160 participants from across the Vidzeme region in Latvia. The event united representatives of municipalities, NGOs, community initiatives, food producers, and public caterers around the shared goal of building a sustainable, inclusive, and locally rooted bioregion.
This year’s theme – “Local Economy, Circularity, and Organic Food” – highlighted the importance of cooperation and coordinated action in developing the Gauja National Park Bioregion, Latvia’s first official bioregion, established in 2023.
Bioregions – Local Action for Sustainable Transformation
A bioregion is a place-based approach to development that aligns economic activity with ecological integrity and social well-being. It encourages collaboration between public authorities, civil society, and entrepreneurs to support climate-friendly, resource-efficient, and locally anchored systems.
Since its establishment, the Gauja National Park Bioregion has made significant progress – for example, by improving green public procurement practices and engaging citizens in shaping the transition.
From Vision to Practice: Mainstreaming Organic Food
A key topic at the forum was the role of organic food in public catering, especially in schools and preschools. Participants emphasized that organic food should not be a luxury – it should be a regular part of everyday meals that educate and inspire new generations.
This ambition is one outcome of Transition Arena co-creation workshops held within the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project “We Make Transition!”, which supports the Bioregion’s work by empowering communities to co-design practical pathways to sustainability. The project also supported the forum’s final session: a matchmaking event between producers and caterers.
Short food supply chains and producer cooperation were highlighted as key drivers of resilience. Experiences shared during the forum showed that collaboration unlocks new markets and enables small producers to scale up impact, share resources, and build strong community-based networks.
Circular Economy: Making Change Tangible
Another major focus of the forum was implementing circular economy principles in local businesses, infrastructure, and everyday life. Participants explored issues of resource use, waste reduction, and the mindset shifts required to move toward circular systems.
Entrepreneurs from the region shared inspiring examples – from producing organic fertiliser out of sheep wool to rethinking packaging in the beverage industry. These stories reinforced the idea that sustainability and economic viability go hand in hand.
Connecting Producers and Caterers
To support practical implementation, the forum concluded with matchmaking (“speed-dating”) sessions between organic food producers and public caterers – an opportunity for direct dialogue and the start of new supply partnerships.
These sessions deepened mutual understanding of needs and capacities, showing that building a sustainable food system begins with trust and communication.
Shared Responsibility for a Transition
The forum built on the momentum created in 2023, when 13 institutional partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Gauja National Park Bioregion. The document affirms a collective commitment to creating a region that is nature-friendly, climate-smart, socially inclusive, and economically resilient.
The 2025 Bioregion Forum confirmed that real change happens when local actors come together – and that the transition to sustainability is a shared journey, rooted in cooperation and guided by shared values.
Organised and supported by:
The municipalities of Cēsis, Sigulda, and Valmiera; Vidzeme Planning Region; rural partnerships and local NGOs; and the Interreg Baltic Sea Region projects “We Make Transition!”, “KISMET”, “From Waste to Resources”, and “Towards a Green Region”.
The photographs are part of the inter-territorial cooperation project No. 23-00-A019.332-000007, “Towards a Green Region”, and are the work of Andris Mačāns (“KLV Creative Agency”).
