Drive to Revive Latvia's Magical Meadows
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Loading... - Kasih Chin
- 28 Mar 2025
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Natural grasslands in Latvia currently make up only about 0.9% of the country's territory, a significant decline from their historical coverage. In an effort to encourage landowners and managers to engage in the restoration of these vital ecosystems, the Latvian Fund for Nature (LFD) has announced a grant competition aimed at supporting grassland restoration teams. This initiative focuses on restoring both existing and potential biologically valuable grasslands located within the EU's Natura 2000 network.
Gunta Gavare, the owner of the farm SIA "Andruks," has documented the beauty of her meadows through a photo album that showcases the vibrant wildflowers that thrive there. She takes pride in the fact that her meadows are home to wildflowers that have disappeared from many other areas. "Here is a meadow of nightshades, where you enter and sometimes you don't even know where to put your foot. But I would say that it doesn't matter how many orchids or some specially protected plant you have there; what matters is that there is a range, that there is diversity," Gunta remarked.
The natural meadows on her farm stretch along both banks of the Gauja River, and their restoration has required considerable effort. Andris Gavars, Gunta's husband, shared that their journey began with a project in collaboration with the Latvian Fund for Nature focused on managing the protected area of Ziemeļgauja, which enabled them to purchase beef cattle. They also participated in the "GrassLIFE" projects, which have been instrumental in their restoration efforts.
During the GrassLIFE 1 project, the Gavars family successfully restored 66 hectares of meadows, and by the end of the project, they had acquired additional land, bringing the total restored area to approximately 76 hectares. Today, they manage around 200 hectares of meadows. "Restoring meadows has now become our way of life," Andris stated, highlighting the deep connection their family has developed with the land.
Their daughter, Līga Gavare, has also embraced this commitment to grassland restoration, becoming a grassland expert at the Latvian Fund for Nature and coordinating the grant competition. Līga explained the support provided by the competition: "First of all, we have territories that are in the Natura 2000 network. In the project, the applicant will receive 600 euros in funding per hectare applied for to carry out these restoration works. This can include cutting down bushes, root milling, or purchasing seeds for sowing in the territory."
The grant competition is part of a broader initiative by the Latvian Fund for Nature, themed "Let's build a meadow together!" This campaign aims to educate and involve the public in the preservation and restoration of natural meadows. Gunta and Andris believe that this support could serve as a strong incentive for other farmers to participate in similar restoration efforts.
"It's hard to call them owners if they haven't been interested in those meadows to this day and are only starting to be interested now, but better late than never—maybe a generational change," Andris assessed. Gunta added that the project fosters community connections: "First of all, it's about being together. The meadow benefits. Help is needed. Those pieces of land, although small, are being restored."
The drive to revive Latvia's magical meadows represents a crucial step toward restoring biodiversity and preserving the country's natural heritage. Through initiatives like the grant competition by the Latvian Fund for Nature, landowners are encouraged to take an active role in the restoration process, ensuring that these vital ecosystems can thrive for future generations. As more individuals and families become involved, the hope is that Latvia's grasslands will once again flourish, contributing to the rich tapestry of the nation's landscape.
