Renaturalization of the Slampe River
During the Soviet times, meadows surrounded by forests were cleared of the shrubs, and the Slampe River was straightened by cutting a deep channel through the floodplain, thus making the formerly wet meadows and the landscape rather monotonous. In 2005, within a frame of the EU LIFE-Nature project the river was restored in its originally weaving shape by digging meanders and thus imitating the former floodplain situation. The benefits of it are not only visually pleasing, but it also increases the surface area where the running water and the soil interact.
After the drastic change the river ecosystem needs to recover. However, already few years after digging works the riverbed host many water plants and animals providing habitats which are more diverse than those of the previously straightened river. In the course of time the re-naturalized stream start to create new habitats – small-scale erosion banks and deposits of sediments providing a variety of suitable dwelling and feeding sites for numerous water creatures.
The blocked drainage ditches are overgrowing gradually and are a suitable spawning site for amphibians and other water creatures. During winters and springs the river overfloods the meadows, and many migrating and local bird species gather here. In summers, corncrakes and other floodplain bird species nest in the lush meadows, and black storks hunt fishes in the river. Lesser spotted eagle and other birds of prey are feeding in floodplain meadows.
In the enclosure of the Heck cattle and konik horses
Important changes to the ecosystem of the Dundurpļavu meadows are brought by introducing free-ranging Heck cattle and Konik horses. These are special breeds created from domestic cattle and horses that are similar to aurochs and tarpans that once roamed in the wild in European park-like forests and meadows. Unlike livestock, these animals can feed on grass throughout the year and survive harsh winters. Their main task in the ecosystem is to maintain diverse meadow vegetation and prevent overgrowing with tall grasses, shrubs and trees. Continuous grazing pressure promotes many plant and animal species which are able to survive only in open grasslands. Unlike mowing management that ensures instant removal of grass, horses and cattle graze the grass step by step creating mosaic-like, diverse grass composition.
Konik horses and Heck cattle co-exist with the neighbouring wild red deer, roe deer and wild boars that come to graze to the same meadows at night time. Foxes are interested in these new animals as well as wolfs, which pay an occasional visit to them. Free-ranging cattle and Konik horses avoid wolf attacks by living in big groups where strong bulls or stallions defend weaker animals that are inside the circle that the herd forms.
Bog restoration
Restoration project has brought significant changes on the eastern margin of the Great Kemeri Bog. On the second half of the 20th century, peat extraction had taken place in this area. In natural raised bogs, humid conditions ensure the functions of this ecosystem and existence of many species, which are characteristic only to bog environment. Most often degraded raised bogs and abandoned peat extraction sites with lowered water and functioning drainage ditches table overgrow with heath, shrubs and trees making the ecosystem unlikely to be restored in natural way.
In 2006, within a frame of the EU LIFE-Nature project the former peat extraction site was restored by building dams on the drainage ditches. According to special design, smaller and bigger dams were built and thus the water level was increased. Most of the formerly dry, bare abandoned peat fields were rewetted promoting slow establishment of vegetation. After restoration measures have taken place, the area of open water has increased by more than 10 times. Additionally, the area of open water has increased also in several small bog lakes in the surroundings of the peat extraction site. Already in the first years after restoration, the newly created wetland with shallow water offer suitable habitats for several bird species such as sandpiper, lapwing and redshank. Also cranes and swans can be seen here.
Within the last years significant changes in vegetation were observed. The flooded trees and shrubs are dying out, thus forming more open landscape. On the rewetted peat fields the monotonous heather is drying out and gradually being replaced by species, which are typical for depressions in natural raised bogs - beak sedges and cotton sedges. The wet peat is being slowly overgrown by Sphagnum mosses – the most typical ‘inhabitants’ of raised bogs, cranberries and sundews – species that are able to grow only in raised bogs. Recovery of degraded ecosystem is a slow process, however, the current results are promising.
Meadow management
Although the total cover of meadows comprise only about 6 percent of the area of the national park, their role in preserving the diversity of habitats for many species is crucial. Already several years the administration of the national park is managing the meadows, thus preserving not only the landscape-level diversity, but also ensuring existence of many plant and animal species. In 2009, the total area of managed meadow area will comprise around 600 ha. The meadows are mowed and pastured every year. In floodplains along the Slampe and Lielupe Rivers free-ranging Heck cattle and Konik horses had been introduced. In some areas the abandoned meadows were cleared from shrubs and regular mowing was established.
In order to observe the changes caused by management, a regular monitoring was established. As a result of successful management, the observations over the last years show positive changes toward more diverse grasslands providing suitable habitats for many plant and bird species.
Last revision 10-11-2008
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