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Forest Animals Can Now Refresh Themselves at a Water Site Created by LVM

As part of the restoration of meadows in a Natura2000 territory, employees of JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) have created four additional water bodies in the Kangara Meadows of the “Ziemeļu purvi” nature reserve. These water bodies are not only used as drinking sites for forest animals, but also as breeding places for amphibians and insects. A camera was also installed for research purposes to observe animal activity.

In a short time, the camera has recorded several forest dwellers such as wild boar, roe deer, red deer, wolves and raccoon dogs near the water spot. Also, the camera captured a lynx that refreshed itself at the new drinking site on a warm day.

“Birds and bats also showed interest in the water. Considering that this place was created only this year, the vegetation and insects have not yet developed, which is usually an additional factor for attracting animals. We will continue to observe and study this place,” says Mārtiņš Kalniņš, LVM Environmental Planning Manager.

This year, LVM will complete the meadow restoration works in the Natura2000 territory in the nature reserve “Ziemeļu purvi” with a total area of 26 hectares. It is one of the 14 specially protected natural areas where LVM carries out various biotechnical measures within the framework of the European Union Cohesion Fund co-financed project No. 5.4.3.0/20/I/001 “Implementation of management measures in specially protected nature territories and micro-reserves to improve the protection status of habitats and species”. The Nature Protection Board is the leading partner of the project.

Natural grasslands are one of the fastest disappearing habitats in Europe. Such meadows have particularly rich biological diversity – up to 40 different plant species can be found in one square metre of grassland. However, if meadows are not managed – mowed or grazed – they become overgrown with trees and shrubs.