Lake Pape - The People

Sandra Sedlina, WWF guide

Sandra is 19 years old, and a law student in Liepaja, the closest big city. At Lake Pape, she works as a WWF guide. "The education system allows us to attend only part of the courses, which means that I can work the rest of the time," she explains. She chose to be a guide because she loves walking and talking to people.

"Also, when I was younger, I used to spend a lot of time in the forest with friends, picking wild fruit, berries, and mushrooms," she recalls. "This job is an opportunity to stay connected with nature." She likes WWF's project because she believes it will attract more and more people and bring new income and job opportunities to local residents.

On the other hand, she regrets that local people remain very passive and don't commit more to the project. Nevertheless, she hopes that tourism will increase, and that she can be a guide on a more permanent basis.