Applicant

Ķemeri National Park, Public organisation

Modified project document, as approved in 20th December2005 - MS Word, approximately 0,6 MB

Project policy area

The project aims at the conservation of:
NA2 Sites of international importance hosting bird species listed in the relevant resolutions of the Bern Convention

Summary of the project

Project title: Conservation of wetlands in Ķemeri National Park, Latvia
Ķemeri National Park is a nature conservation area in Latvia, established in 1997 and comprising 380 km2 of diverse habitats of EU priority - such as mire woods, black alder swamps, raised bogs, rich fens etc. About a half of the territory (19,500 ha) is directly targeted by the project. The territory of the park and the project area host rich populations of species listed in the Bern Convention and EC Birds and Habitats Directives, e.g., Crex crex, Aquila pomarina, Porzana porzana, Cypripedium calceolus, Lynx lynx, Canis lupus etc. The lake Kaņieris is designated as an internationally important wetland under Ramsar Convention and is an important site for migratory and nesting bird species. Ķemeri National Park is an Important Bird Area and CORINE site. The area holds about 30 habitats of Community importance listed in the Bern Convention and EC Habitats Directive. Due to such a high biodiversity, Ķemeri National Park is designated as a NATURA 2000 site because it meets all its criteria.

In 2000-2001, with the support from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, the nature protection (management) plan for the park was elaborated and its practical implementation is necessary. This LIFE project is the first step toward implementation of the management plan through specific management measures related to the on-site protection of valuable wetland areas within the park.

The objective of the project is to ensure long-term conservation of priority habitats and species of European importance included into the Bern Convention and Habitats and Birds Directives by implementing the nature conservation plan developed in close co-operation with all interested parties and to put into operation management schemes for different habitats, as specified below. Also, raising public awareness of nature conservation is another essential component of the project.

The following tasks will be fulfilled during the project:
1) Restoration of natural hydrological regime of the active raised bogs (4635 ha) influenced by drainage;
2) Purchase of private lands (163,2 ha meadows including feeding / breeding habitats of Crex crex and Aquila pomarina) in order to ensure conservation of the most vulnerable habitats and/or using the incentive measures to ensure special management of their lands;
3) Restoration of 105 ha of the natural flood-plain meadows along the river Slampe;
4) Prevention of over-growing by scrubs and reeds of calcareous fens (1 ha) and hay meadows (311 ha), simultaneously maintaining habitats of bird species of EU importance (e.g. Crex crex) and regional and Latvian importance, requiring meadow vegetation;
5) Active management to conserve bird colonies at the Ramsar site – lake Kaņieris.

As a result of the project, which is the first step of the implementation of the management plan, the current high level of biodiversity will be kept. Also, the model for self-sustaining management will be established. In a long run, it will ensure that a big proportion of the total population of several endangered species and/or habitats is well preserved and serves as a pool for their further increase in numbers and range on the European scale.

Proposed project funding

Sources of direct financing + applicant and partners' share of costs	Amount EUR	% of total direct project cost
1. Community contribution requested	990 908	75
2. Applicant's share of project costs	311 552	24
3. Partner's share of project costs	18 750	1
4. Co-financiers’ contribution (other than EC)	-	-
Total project cost	1 321 210	100

Provisional budget breakdown

Budget item	Total costs EUR
1. Personnel	382 812
2. Travel	24 000
3. External assistance	461 807
4. Durable goods	183 612
5. Land purchase	113 421
6. Consumable material	70 439
7. Other costs	21 660
8. Overheads	63 459
Total	1 925 468