• THREATS
• RESPONSIBLE INSTITUTIONS
• LEGISLATION AND POLICY
• MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION ACTIVITIES
• RESEARCH AND MONITORING
• INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
• PUBLICATIONS

Mires are an important part of Latvian landscape and are distributed in all regions of Latvia. Mires cover 4.9 % from the whole area but they are of considerable biodiversity value often supporting varied and rich plant communities. Surveys indicate that a rich diversity of mire types occur in Latvia, many of which are of international significance.
Many rare plant and animal species occur in mires, as well as habitats of European importance. Mires are important as a peat resource.

Mires in Latvia include minerotrophic mires (fens and transition mires) and ombrotrophic mires (raised bogs). Distribution of mires and diversity of vegetation is determined by geology of the area, origin of mires, climatic differences between coastal and continental parts of Latvia.
Mires, represented by fens, started to develop in the early Holocene in the Preboreal 10,000 years B.P. Later, in the Atlantic many fens transformed into transition mires and gradually - into raised bogs.

Peat deposits, including wet forest types on peat soil comprise 10.4 % from the total land area of Latvia and are defined as peatlands having an average depth of peat layer more than 0.5 m and an area of more than 1 ha.
More than a half of the mires are in natural condition. The others have been drained or used for peat extraction.
Mires are situated all over the country but the area covered differs in the geo-morphological districts of Latvia. The largest raised bogs are in the East Latvia and North Vidzeme. Raised bogs are most widespread, although fens occur as well. Valuable peatlands appear also in the Coastal Lowland. Size of peatlands varies from small ones less than 1 ha up to more than 5,000 ha.

There are 7 largest mires with areas over 5000 hectares - Teiči Mire, Cena Mire, Peikstulnīca-Sala Mire, Seda Mire, Sala Mire, Ķemeri-Smārde Mire and Krievi-Jersika Mire. In the eastern part of Latvia Teiči Strict Nature Reserve is located. It is one of the three Ramsar sites in Latvia. In 1995, Engure and Kaņieris Lakes situated in the Coastal Lowland were designated as Ramsar sites.

Teiči Mire. PHOTO: I. Druvietis

THREATS

In Latvia, mires are subjected to several kinds of threats - peat extraction, drainage, eutrophication, and even fire. After peat extraction and drainage, the hydrological regimen changes and it is impossible to restore the initial state of the mire as well as the mire communities that existed before.

Peat is an important nature resource for Latvia. During previous years and also now, Latvian mires are used for agriculture, forestry, as well as for peat extraction purposes. Many raised bogs are still threatened by peat litter extraction. Fens are threatened most of all, especially those located in the flood- plain area of the rivers.

About 9 % of Latvia's raised bogs (37 bog areas with the total area of 70,000 ha) are influenced by peat cutting activities, 20,000 ha are nearly exhausted. 
The first efforts to drain wetlands in Latvia took place in the 17th century. However, most widely, it was carried out from 1960 to 1980. Recently drainage of wetlands has practically ceased. In total, 14,571 km² of drained wetlands are used for agriculture and 4,000 km² support wet forests. Drained peat deposits cover a total area of 1,862 km². Because of drainage and land reclamation, the total area covered by mires including rich fens has decreased.

Fens are least protected in Latvia. Especially great species diversity is in calcareous rich fens where a great number of rare plant species occur including orchids. Many rich fens are already drained.

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RESPONSIBLE INSTITUTIONS

Responsibility for nature conservation on the National level belongs to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (MEPRD), the Nature Protection Department.
Administrative authorities have been established for the administration of protected nature areas. Teiči Strict Nature Reserve, North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve, Ķemeri, Slītere and Gauja National Parks are subordinated to the MEPRD.

Scientific institutions where mires are studied:

• State Geological Survey, Subsurface Resource Department
• University of Latvia, Faculty of Biology, Department of Botany and Ecology
• University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, Geology Department
  

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LEGISLATION AND POLICY

General legislation on nature conservation is ensured by the provision of the Law on Environmental Protection. One of these provisions is to ensure maintenance of natural diversity of the gene fund, habitats and landscape. The law concerns protected nature areas, species, habitats, environment, natural resources, and protective zones.

Laws connected with species and Habitat Conservation (concerning mire conservation):

• The Law on Conservation of Species and Habitats (2000)
• Law on Protection of Plants (1998)

Laws connected with the establishment specially protected nature areas, their conservation and management:

• Law on the Specially protected nature terrritories (1993, amended in 1997, 2002)
• Amendments in the Law about Specially Protected Nature Territories (20.03.02)
• Law on Ķemeri Nacional Park (1997)
• Law on Gauja Nacional Park (1999)
• Law on Slītere Nacional Park (2000)
• Law on North Vidzemes Biosfere reserve (1997)
• Law on Grīņi Strict Nature Reserve (2000)
• Law on Teiči Strict Nature Reserve (2000)
• Law on Krustkalni Strict Nature Reserve (2000)

Regulations:

• Government Regulations No. 212 ´´On Nature Reserves´´, 1999
• Government Regulations No. 83 ´´On Nature Parks´´, 1999
• Government Regulations No. 69 ´´On Protected LandscapeAreas´´
• Government Regulations No. 60 ´´On the Nature Park of Engure´´, 1998
• Government Regulations No. 345 ´´On General Protection and Use of the Specially Protected Nature Territories´´
• Government Regulations No. 421 ´´On the List of Specially Protected Habitats´´, 2000

International Conventions and Directives:

• Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, Ramsar, 1971 (ratified in 1995)
• Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Bern, 1979 (ratified in 1997)
• Convention on Biological Diversity, Rio de Janeiro, 1992 (ratified in 1995)
• EU Species and Habitat Directive
• Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea, Helsinki, 1992 (ratified in 1994)
• Convention on Trans-boundary Impact Assessment in a Trans-boundary Context, 1991 (ratified in 1998)
• EU Bird Directive
  Since the Latvian Parliament has ratified the European Agreement in 1995, an overall approximation to the EU legislation has been started.

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MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION ACTIVITIES

The National Programme of Biodiversity includes several aims that are important for mires: conservation, rehabilitation, maintenance of species biodiversity, traditional landscapes and wise use. The Programme foresees to diminish the further changes of human influence in the biologically important plant species and animal communities.
The National Programme of Biodiversity includes the Strategy and the Action Plan.

Nature Conservation plans must to be elaborated to protect the mire ecosystems. For separate mires the restoring of the previous hydrological regimen must be foreseen, that has been changed during the course of drainage.

There must be a wise use of mire ecosystems. Mire rehabilitation plans are to be elaborated.
More than a half of the mires in Latvia are relatively undisturbed by human activities. The others have been drained or used for peat cutting. About 12% of mires are state protected.
There are 3 Ramsar sites in Latvia - Kaņieris Lake, Engure Lake, Teiči and Pelēčāre Mires. At present mires are protected in the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve, Slītere, Ķemeri, Gauja National Parks as well as in 140 nature reserves and 6 protected landscape areas. These sites include raised bogs, fens and mires near lakes.

Overview by different categories of protected areas focusing on mires in Latvia

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RESEARCH AND MONITORING

Institutions where mire research and projects are carried out:

• State Geological Survey, Subsurface Resource Department 
  Study of peat resources
• University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, Geology Department
  Mire development, paleovegetation and mire stratigraphy
• University of Latvia, Faculty of Biology, Department of Botany and Ecology
  M. Pakalne. - Development and diversity of Latvian mire vegetation during Holocene. (2001- 2003)
• Latvian Fund for Nature
  Elaboration of Mire Habitat Conservation Plan (2002)
• Teiču and Krustkalnu Strict Nature Reserves
  Measures to Ensure the Nature Conservation Management of Teiči Area, 2001-2005
  Complex monitoring
• Slītere National Park
  Mire monitoring after fire 
• Gauja National Park
  Mire monitoring after the fire (2001)
  Spring and spring mires research (2001);
  Research project of protected mires and lakeshore vegetation (2000)
• Ķemeri National Park
  Development and Implementation of the Ķemeri National Nature Conservation Plan, 2000-2002
• North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve
  Mire management
• Engure Nature Park
  Implementation of the Engure Lake Nature Park Management Plan, 2001-2004
  Monitoring of vascular plants

Another project where mire habitats of European importance are studied:

• EMERALD / NATURA Project (Preparation for Compliance of Latvia with the EMERALD and NATURA 2000 Networks of Protected Areas), 2001-2003

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INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

Mire researchers of Latvia co-operate with:

• International Mire Conservation Group
  In 1998 the Symposium of International Mire Conservation Group was organised in Latvia

• International Association for Vegetation Science

• From 1996 with "European vegetation survey" project

• Finnish Peatland Society. In 2000 a field trip of Finnish specialists was organised to the Latvian mires

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PUBLICATIONS IN LATVIA 

Bambe B. 1998. Purvu veģetācijas dinamika Teiču rezervātā. "Latvijas purvu veģetācijas klasifikācija un dinamika". 56-66.lpp.
Pakalne M. 1995. Rich fen vegetation in the Coastal Lowland of Latvia. - Colloques Phytosociologues 1995, France, p. 342.-353.
Pakalne M. 1998. Latvijas purvu veģetācijas raksturojums. "Latvijas purvu veģetācijas klasifikācija un dinamika". 23.-38. lpp.
Salmiņa L. 1998. Smiltenes un Rankas ezeru pārpurvosanās joslu veģetācija. "Latvijas purvu veģetācijas klasifikācija un dinamika". 86.-92.lpp.
Pakalne M., Kalniņa L., 1999. Comparison of mire palynostratigraphy with the local and present vegetation. In.: The 4th Baltic Stratigraphical Conference "Problems and methods of modern regional stratigraphy " Rīga, pp. 78-80.
Salmiņa, L. 2000. The quacking mire vegetation of Latvia. Proceedings IAVS Symposium, Opulus Press. Uppsala. pp. 303-307.
Salmiņa, L., Kalniņa, L., Diņķīte, A., Lācis, A., 2000. Pūricas ezera vēsture un veģetācijas dinamika. Latvijas Universitātes 58. zinātniskā konference. Zemes un Vides zinātņu sekcijas referātu tēzes. Rīga. 138-141 lpp.
Pakalne M., Kalniņa L. 2000. Mires in Latvia. Suo, 51(4), 213-226.
Pakalne, M., Kalniņa, L., 2000. Grīņu sārtenes (Erica tetralix) izplatība Latvijas teritorijā ieprieksējos starpledus laikmetos un mūsdienās. Latvijas Universitātes 58. zinātniskā konference. Zemes un Vides zinātņu sekcijas referātu tēzes. Rīga. 126-127 lpp.
Pakalne M., Čakare, I. 2001. Spring vegetation in the Gauja National Park. Latvijas veģetācija, 4, Latvijas Universitāte, pp. 17-33.
Pakalne, M., Čakare, I. 2001. Avoksnāji Gaujas nacionālajā parkā. Latvijas Universitātes 59. zinātniskā konference. Ģeogrāfija. Ģeoloģija. Vides zinātne. Referātu tēzes. Rīga. 127-128. lpp.
Pakalne M., Kalniņa, L. 2001. Past, Present and Future of Latvian mires. 2nd World Congress of Latvian Scientists, Riga, 14-15 August, Congress proceedings. pp. 368.
Diņķīte, A., Kalniņa, L., Lācis, A., 2001, Purvu veidosanās un kūdras uzkrāsanās dinamika Latgales Augstienes dienvidu daļā. LU 59. zinātniskā konference. Ģeogrāfija. Ģeoloģija. Vides zinātne. Referātu tēzes. 30.01.-02.02.2001. 38-39. lpp.

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