Landscape development in Kemeri National Park

Landscape development in Kemeri National Park, Latvia by Lilita Lazdāne, Jūlija Artemjeva, Madara Bērziņa and Ieva Lukša

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<googlemap version="0.9" lat="64.960766" lon="-18.918457" zoom="6" width="300" height="200"> http:// 64.947899, -19.196045 </googlemap>

Rationale: Why is this case study interesting?

Kemeri National park is a nature-protected area of international importance

It is interesting object because of:

• nature diversity (this territory was relatively little affected by the human activity) • promote ecological education; • sustainable management related to nature treasures protection and tourism

Landscape management instruments:

Open landscape structure management – meadows in the Dunduru meadows and Lielupe floodplain meadows are introduced with large free-ranging herbivores

Landscape reconstruction projects – the restoration of River Slampe meanders and floodplain meadows and newly created wetlands in the Great Kemeri bog's former peat extraction site also make significant landscape changes

Author's perspective

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Landscape and/or urban context

Park history and dynamics

• In 1957, the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR decided to establish Kemeri Nature Reserve (46,700 ha). Territory have been enlarged by adding Lake Kanieris as an ornithological reserve (in 1977), the valley of the River Slocene (in 1977), Lielais Ķemeru tīrelis bog has been protected as a bog reserve since 1987. • In 1997, Kemeri National Park was established. • In 2001, the revised law "On Kemeri National Park" was proclaimed, and in 2002 the Management plan of the Kemeri National Park, years 2002-2010 was elaborated. • Park is member of EUROPARC Federation and network of organisations devoted to nature conservation management EUROSITE since 2006

Ecosystems in Kemeri National Park:

• Forests - 57 % • Wetlands - 24 % • Meadows, although covering only 6 % • Waters cover 10 % • Dunes are found both along the coast of the Gulf of Riga and in inland areas

Cultural features

The areas of the richest cultural heritage in KNP are Lapmežciems municipality and Ķemeri - a town of national importance due to its architectural monuments (Hotel “Ķemeri”, the water tower, the Lutheran church and Ķemeri Park with its architecture etc.) Many valuable cultural monuments were destroyed during the two world wars. Some of them were destroyed during the Soviet times.

Ķemeri is long famous for its curing springs. The first water analysis was done in 1801 by an academic from St. Petersburg, T. Lovics. In 1891, the first data was published about using mud for medical purposes.

Most significant objects to see in Ķemeri: • Ķemeri Railway station. • Hotel “Ķemeri”. • The Water Tower. • Ķemeri Park. • The “Love Islet” and Pavilion – Rotunda. • Restaurant “Jautrais ods” (‘Cheerful Mosquito'), now called “Meža māja” (“Forest House”). • The Catholic and Lutheran churches. • The Orthodox Church of St. Peter-Paul. • Ķemeri Bathing Facility. • The Sulphur Spring Pavilion “Ķirzaciņa” (“The Lizard”).

Ķemeri National Park includes also some old fishing villages along the coast - Bigauņciems, Lapmežciems and Ragaciems.

There are two archaeological monuments of national importance in the Lapmežciems municipality: • Siliņupe Stone Age settlement • Kaņieris Castle mound

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