News from the SGF: Latvia completes SGF project for Teici Reserve

Latvia completes SGF project for Teici Reserve

Annex: Photographs and further details

(text and photos submitted with project final report)

Main activity of the project – purchasing of land for nature conservation needs. Purchased land pieces were with high nature values and endangered by forest lodging. Two land properties (“Kurtavas salinas”, 46.7 ha and “Ergli”, 10.1 ha), were purchased with the help of this project and registered on the name of Ministry of Environment protection and Regional Development, of Latvia and added to Teici Reserve. Now this land will be used and managed according to prescriptions of national legislation for protected areas and Ramsar guidelines.

High biodiversity was detected in property "Kurtavas salinas" (46.7 ha), purchased during the project. The following habitats and species under EU concervation concern – "Bog woodland", "Western taiga", "Ficedula parva", "Lanius collurio", "Tetrao tetrix tetrix", "Strix uralensis" (top right picture – Ural owl), "Glaucidium passerinum", "Aegolius funereus", "Dryocopus martius", "Picoides tridactylus" etc. were investigated here.

The land was historically private owned as non-protected area inside of the Teici nature reserve. After the reprivatisation of property, intensive use of forest – clearcuttings was planned in the largest part of area during 1999 – 2001. With the help of the Ramsar SGF project this area was saved and added to Teici Nature Reserve.

Pictures - mature forest of "Western taiga" and "Bog woodland" cover the largest part of property "Kurtavas salinas".

Main value of land property "Ergli" (10,1 h) is nest of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos.

This is one from 5 pairs nesting in all Latvia, and one from nests of this pair (occupied 1988 and 2000) previously was located in private forest near borders of Teici Nature Reserve. Also this forest, like in "Kurtavas salinas", was planned for intensive forestry. Now the necessary protection for this forest is provided with the help of the Ramsar SGF project. This area was saved and added to Teici Nature Reserve.

Both purchased areas are used by Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix tetrix for feeding, nesting and rearing of young’s. Males of grouse were usually observed in the meadows in the middle of property "Kurtavas salinas" during last decade. Therefore management of meadows, started from next season, (necessary also for maintanence of natural meadow vegetation) probably will improve habitat necessary for leek of Grouse in future.

-- Photographs by A. Avotins, A. Eglitis, J. Jatnieks, A. Petrins, G. Zembergs