Pakalni, Vireši Parish, Smiltene Municipality

Ziemeļgauja Protected Landscape Area

Farmer: Gints Graudiņš

  • The farm manages 90 ha of forest and 100 ha of agricultural land.
  • Main activity: full-cycle forestry

With support from the GrassLIFE2 project, 25 ha of biologically valuable grasslands are being restored.

Rare plant species found in the farm’s grasslands:

  • Cross gentian Gentiana cruciata
  • Heath spotted-orchid Dactylorhiza maculata
  • Marsh helleborine Epipactis palustris

Grassland restoration methods applied on the farm:

  • Increasing species diversity by spreading seed-rich hay;
  • Establishment of vegetation characteristic of natural grasslands on abandoned land;
  • Deep ploughing to restore areas overgrown with undesirable species;
  • Adaptive mowing to control undesirable species and conserve protected species.