GrassLIFE2 areas

The Sventāja River Valley is one of the most biodiversity-rich areas in Western Kurzeme. The site hosts 21 habitat types of European Union importance, providing habitat for numerous plant and animal species, including 33 species of national or EU importance. Despite its relatively small size, the area plays a crucial role as a species dispersal corridor in southern Kurzeme and is important for maintaining landscape connectivity in the region.

Kujas Nature Park, named after the river that runs through it, covers more than 10,000 hectares in Madona Municipality. The landscape is characterised by a mosaic of floodplain meadows, forest patches and diverse grasslands. The site includes 13 habitat types of EU importance and is home to 10 protected vertebrate species, 20 protected invertebrate species, 10 protected plant species and 30 protected bird species. It is one of the most important areas for grassland conservation in Latvia. For example, for the conservation of habitat type Species-rich pastures and grazed grasslands (6270*), this site is of decisive importance – if the habitat is maintained here, it has prospects at the national scale.

Lake Liepāja is one of the largest and most significant lagoon-type lakes in Latvia. The site includes 12 EU habitat types and 76 plant and animal species listed in the Birds and Habitats Directives. Additionally, it provides protection for more than 100 breeding, migratory and wintering bird species and is included in the list of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas.

The most distinctive feature of this area is the landscape of the Vidzeme Upland – a visually expressive relief and a mosaic of natural diversity. It contains 22 habitat types of EU importance, as well as 36 plant and animal species of European importance and 101 of national importance.

The environment of Ziemeļgauja is shaped by the unaltered and highly meandering Gauja River, its network of oxbow lakes, species-rich grasslands, and broadleaved forests. The area hosts 28 habitat types of EU importance and 70 plant and animal species of European importance, as well as 69 species of national importance.

The Sita and Pededze floodplain includes a highly meandering stretch of the Pededze River, the confluence of the Sita and Pededze rivers, as well as extensive floodplain meadows with groups of oak trees and oxbow lakes. The area contains 12 habitat types of European Union importance, six of which are priority habitats. It is also home to 8 invertebrate species, five of which are listed in the Habitats Directive, and 10 protected plant species. The area is also designated as a Special Protection Area, supporting 28 protected bird species, all listed in the Birds Directive.

GrassLIFE2 will restore 54 hectares of grassland habitats here.

Gauja National Park encompasses the ancient valley formed by the Gauja River, with numerous side valleys and tributaries, relatively undisturbed forest massifs, outcrops, mires, springs and cultural landscapes. Due to historically extensive land management shaped by complex environmental conditions, the park has retained high biodiversity. It includes 33 habitat types of EU importance and 341 plant and animal species of national or European importance.

The most distinctive feature of this area is the landscape of the Alūksne Upland, where a visually expressive relief combines with a mosaic of natural diversity. Due to extensive management shaped by complex environmental conditions, the area is characterised by high biodiversity. It contains 24 habitat types of EU importance and 49 plant and animal species of European importance, as well as 79 species of national importance.

The Lubāns Wetland is the largest inland wetland in Latvia, comprising Lake Lubāns, the surrounding bogs, the lower reaches of the Pededze River, and fish ponds. The area hosts a high diversity of protected habitats – floodplain meadows, bogs, boreal forests, bog woodland, wood-meadows and pastures – with a total of 21 habitat types of EU importance. Wetlands, forests and grasslands provide habitat for many rare and protected species.

This nature park contains one of the most impressive river valleys in western Latvia, renowned for its distinctive relief – steep slopes, dolomite outcrops, sandstone cliffs, caves, springs and waterfalls, as well as river meanders and oxbow lakes.
The scenic landscape includes many biologically valuable grasslands, small fens, old mixed forests on slopes, as well as small towns. Due to these complex environmental conditions, only extensive management has been possible, allowing high biodiversity to be preserved in the area.
The site includes 28 EU habitat types and 275 rare and protected plant and animal species.

GrassLIFE2 will restore 510 hectares of grassland habitats here.