On 8 August, the final Open Meadow Day of this season will take place in Skrīveri, where the Latvian Fund for Nature and entrepreneur and grassland manager Jānis Kravalis will introduce participants to the biodiversity and restoration of natural meadows. The Open Meadow Day will take place at the “Piekrastes” farm in Skrīveri, where Jānis Kravalis has been restoring natural meadows for more than seven years. The event will be useful both for people who would like to restore meadows on their own property and for those who want to explore meadow biodiversity and plants. Participation is free of charge, with prior registration at https://ej.uz/plavudienaskriveri. https://ej.uz/plavudienaskriveri
Jānis Kravalis has been restoring the meadows in Skrīveri since 2017, when he became involved as a partner in the GrassLIFE project. His meadows have been used to test and implement the use of rattle seeding as a grassland restoration method, which has produced visible results, with the meadows recovering from the dominance of expansive species. These meadows are also home to the rare and specially protected cross Gentian.
The event will begin with morning coffee at 10.30. From 11.00 to 12.00, Jānis Kravalis and Latvian Fund for Nature grassland expert Baiba Strazdiņa will talk about the management of natural meadows in this area. From 12.00 to 14.00, participants will take a walk through the meadows, where they will be able to discover different plants and learn about the meadow restoration methods used here. From 14:.0 onwards, participants will be able to taste natural meadow products at a picnic and ask experts and the host questions about meadow restoration.
During Open Meadow Days, the Latvian Fund for Nature introduces participants to nature-friendly farmers — landowners and managers who, alongside their agricultural activities, work to conserve and restore natural values. Natural meadows are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in Latvia, but they now cover only 0,9% of the country’s territory, and their conservation requires targeted management.
Jānis Kravalis runs an IT company in his everyday life, but in the meadows of the Daugava Valley, he becomes a nature-friendly farmer. Here, step by step, he restores natural meadows — clearing shrubs, shaping the landscape and experimenting with different grassland restoration methods in search of the most suitable solutions for nature.
Jānis’ greatest motivation is his family and children. By restoring meadows, he is not only caring for today’s landscape, but also ensuring that one of Latvia’s most valuable natural treasures — natural meadows — will be preserved for future generations.
Event location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kVhytLVcaEb6eajJ6?g_st=iw