Dr. Mara Pakalne University of Latvia

Transcription

1 Wetland conservation and management in Latvia Dr. Mara Pakalne University of Latvia

2 CONTENT OF PRESENTATION Wetlands in Latvia Wetland restoration experience

3 LOCATION OF LATVIA LATVIA Area Elevation Vegetation zone Vegetation section Mire region Total current peatland area Total current mire area 64,635 km² m a.s.l. boreonemoral intermediate and slightly oceanic Typical raised bog region 599, ,600 ha 316,500 ha Latvia is located in the western part of the East- European Plain

4 Wetland types in Latvia There are rivers and 2256 lakes which are bigger than 1 hectare. Mires 4,9 % of Latvia and include raised bogs, transitional bogs and fens. Total area of Latvia 64,635 km² There are also flooded and coastal meadows. In Latvia there are all together 6 Ramsar sites covering hectares. The length of the Latvian coastline along the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga is 496 km

5 WETLANDS IN LATVIA Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season. Water saturation (hydrology) largely determines how the soil develops and the types of plant and animal communities living in and on the soil. Wetlands may support both aquatic and terrestrial species. Mires cover 4,9% from the total land area, they are characterised by permanent water logging, active peat formation and the continuous upward growth of the surface and specific plant cover adapted to these conditions. Minerogenous mires (fed by groundwater rich in mineral substances) and include fens and transtion mires. Ombrogenous mires (obtain water and mineral substances only from precipitation) and include raised bogs.

6 MIRES IN LATVIA 333 Natura 2000 sites TRANSITION MIRES GEOGENOUS MIRES (FENS) OMBROGENOUS MIRES (RAISED BOGS)

7 Interaction of mire components

8 Sudas - Zviedru Mire

9 MIRES IN LATVIA

10 EC LIFE PROJECTS FOR PEATLAND MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION LIFE_Wetlands project «Conservation and Management of Priority Wetland Habitats in Latvia» ( ) PROJECT «LIFE RESTORE» LIFE 14 CCM/LV/ Sustainable and responsible management and re-use of degraded peatlands in Latvia ( ) LIFE PEAT RESTORE» LIFE 15 CCM/DE/ «Reduction of CO2 emissions by restoring degraded peatlands in Northern European Lowland» ( ) Teici Mire ( ) Kemeri Mires ( ), ( ) Lubana Wetland complex ( ) Implementation of Mire Habitat Management Plan in Latvia ( ) Restoration of Raised bog habitats in the Especially Protected Nature Areas of Latvia) ( )

11 EC LIFE+ «Wetlands» ( ) Project sites: Slītere National Park, Gauja National Park, Raunas Staburags Nature Reserve and Ziemeļu Mires Nature Reserve Coordinating beneficiary: University of Latvia; 6 associated beneficiaries and co-financers:

12 ZIEMELU MIRES Degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration Intact raised bog priority protection status in EU About half of Latvian mires have been influenced by various human activities, like drainage, peat extraction and fires

13 ZIEMEĻU MIRES NATURE RESERVE Total area: 7718 ha Northern bogs Ramsar site North Livonian transboundary Ramsar site together with Nigula and Sookuninga Nature Reserve

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15 DRAINAGE INFLUENCE ON MIRE VEGETATION g g.

16 ZIEMELU MIRES NARURE RESERVE

17 GEOLOGICAL, HYDROLOGICAL STUDIES AND MONITORING IN ZIEMEĻU MIRES, STUDY OF MIRE DEVELOPMENT

18 RESTORATION OF SITE HYDROLOGY AND HABITATS IN BAŽU MIRE TECHNICAL DESIGN APPROVED, 4 DRAINAGE DITCHES AND 15 DAMS

19 HYDROLOGICAL AND VEGETATION STUDIES IN THE INTER-DUNE MIRES

20 HABITAT MAPPING IN THE INTER-DUNE MIRES

21 BAZU MIRE IN SLITERE NATIONAL PARK Total area 2,646 ha Drainage ditches 7,9 km

22 Liparis loeselii Drosera intermedia Hamatocaulis vernicosus Nymphaea alba INTER-DUNE MIRES

23 RESTORATION OF MIRE HYDROLOGY AND HABITATS LIFE PROJECT «RAISED BOGS» LIFE 08 NAT/LV/ ( ) EC Building of peat dams on drainage ditches

24 MELNAIS LAKE MIRE

25 RESULTS: MELNAIS LAKE MIRE Change of the proportions in Sphagnum coverage Sphagnum cuspidatum Sphagnum magellanicum The coverage of species of more wet areas has increased Sphagnum fallax

26 PEATLAND RESTORATION EXPERIENCE IN LATVIA BEFORE AFTER STIKLI MIRES ROŽU MIRE

27 CENA PEATLAND PROJECT «LIFE RESTORE» LIFE 14 CCM/LV/ ( ) Strategy for peatland management of degraded peatlands after peat extraction is being elaborated

28 EC LIFE PROJECT «LIFE PEAT RESTORE» LIFE 15 CCM/DE/ «Reduction of CO2 emissions by restoring degraded peatlands in Northern European Lowland» ( ) Countries involved : GERMANY, LATVIA, ESTONIA, LITHUANIA, POLAND Coordinating beneficiary: Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) Associated beneficiary: University of Latvia Associated beneficiary: Lake Engure Nature Park Fund Associated beneficiary: Lithuanian Fund for Nature Associated beneficiary: Tallinn University

29 PROJECT OBJECTIVES Reduce the CO2 emissions causing climate change by restoring degraded peatlands and providing guidelines on how to do it for decision makers and conservationists measuring GHG and applying of GEST analysis restoration of degraded peatland sites elaborating an handbook on how to conduct the restoration and to manage the restored peatlands at best giving guidelines with best practice scenarios for development legislation on peatland use in relation to the EU climate policy and legislation

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31 CONCLUSIONS Raised bog restoration in Latvia is carried out mainly within EC LIFE projects and has been successful in the project sites; Hydrological and habitat monitoring shows that after raising of water level by building of peat dams on the drainage ditches, immediate changes take place in site hydrology and afterwards also in raised bog vegetation; Rising groundwater level in mires by building dams on the drainage ditches is an effective way of mire restoration; Re-establishment of Sphagnum species is an indicator of mire regeneration in the degraded mire areas; After rising of groundwater table, regeneration of mire species takes place in the same vegetation season.

32 LIFE13 NAT/LV/ CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PRIORITY WETLAND HABITATS IN LATVIA THANKS FOR THE ATTENTION! University of Latvia Kandavas Street 2, Riga, LV-1083, LATVIA