An Eagle, a Cow and Evidence of the Stone Age in the Dviete Floodplain

On 11 August people from the Rubene Parish gathered for a seminar organized by the Latvian Fund for Nature. They found themselves in the middle of the recently restored floodplain meadows of the Dviete Floodplain Nature Park trying to spot a lesser spotted eagle and the wild Highlander cows that gladly enjoy the rich green grass and shrubs of  Augšzeme. The nature park that covers almost 5000 ha of land hosts the largest homogenous floodplain meadows in Europe; archeological evidence suggests that it is one of the oldest settlements within Latvia. 

Grey Partridge

An Eagle, a Cow and Evidence of the Stone Age in the Dviete Floodplain

On 11 August people from the Rubene Parish gathered for a seminar organized by the Latvian Fund for Nature. They found themselves in the middle of the recently restored floodplain meadows of the Dviete Floodplain Nature Park trying to spot a lesser spotted eagle and the wild Highlander cows that gladly enjoy the rich green grass and shrubs of  Augšzeme. The nature park that covers almost 5000 ha of land hosts the largest homogenous floodplain meadows in Europe; archeological evidence suggests that it is one of the oldest settlements within Latvia. 

The Latvian Fund for Nature had sent out 33 invitations for landowners in the Dviete Floodplain Nature Park to take part in a practical seminar; seventeen of them had taken the invitation. The goal of the seminar was to demonstrate good management practice in specially protected nature territories, and to promote nature-friendly management.

The seminar took place in the Birds Island of the Bebrene Parish, Ilūkste District. The Gruberts, owners of the Atāli homestead, hosted the event and welcomed the participants to their family home. The participants were introduced to the nature values that served as a basis for establishing the nature park two years ago. Many were truly surprised to learn that the Dviete Nature Park hosts one of the biggest minimally transformed floodplain meadows in Europe.

Studying Tools from

the Stone Age

The site also hosts 1/6 of the Latvian population of the great snipe – a globally threatened bird species; over 100 pairs of the corncrake are found nesting here, and during the spring migration up to 25 thousand migratory aquatic birds could be observed here at one time.

The project coordinator of the Bebrene Parish Council, Benita Štrausa, told about the arrival of the wild cows to Augšzeme and their initial behavior. Dāvis Gruberts, chairman of the board for the Parish Union of the Dviete River Valley, introduced the participants to the ancient history of the Birds Island; he demonstrated various archeological finds discovered in the nearby potato field or elsewhere in the vicinity. Two pots with clay chips, many flint items and jewelry are evidence of one of the oldest settlements in the territory of Latvia.

Highlander herd

Ārija Gruberte invited everyone into the pasture that covers 50 ha of land to learn more about the wild cows. Upon their arrival, the Highlander cows that were sponsored by the Dutch Nature Fund, ARK, felt a bit bewildered by the freedom and abundance of food found here. Yet, in the three months that they have spent here evidence of trampling and grazing is visible, which means that pastures will not overgrow. Wild horses will join the current herd in the end of August.

The seminar was also attended by Romalds and Dzidra Jakovicki who own the Mežāres homestead in the Rubenes Parish. Their property is a candidate for the prestigious Sējējs Prize this year. The specialty of their farm is breeding Charolet beef cattle; parts of the property lie within the Dviete Floodplain Nature Park. “We own biologically valuable floodplain meadows in the Dviete Floodplain; recently we eagerly sought the protected Siberian irises and other rare plants on our land to demonstrate them to two hundred visiting scouts,” Dzidra told the participants. She admitted that it is very useful to see how lands are managed in the neighboring parish.

A similar seminar for landowners of the Dviete Parish took place here the day before; at the beginning of September a similar opportunity will be offered to farmers from the Ilūkste District. Just when the bus carrying the participants left, the lesser spotted eagle appeared in the sky and made rounds in search of some vole.

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Over 1000 ha of floodplain meadows in Latvia have been restored over the past two years. The activities have taken place in the framework of the LIFE-Nature project on Restoration of Floodplain Meadows for European Species and Habitats administered by the Latvian Fund for Nature. Throughout the next year funding will still be available for restoration of floodplain meadows in 15 Natura 2000 sites around Latvia. A management plan for the Dviete Floodplain Nature Park was developed last year; it was drawn by the Latvian Ornithological Society and at the beginning of this year it was approved by the Minister of the Environment. The document intends to balance economic interests with those of nature conservation; much attention has been given to promoting nature-friendly tourism.

The Dviete Floodplain Nature Park was established in 2004 and it covers an area of 4989 ha. It is situated in the Ilūkste District and the Dviete Parish of the Daugavpils Region, and the Rubene Parish of the Jēkabpils Region. The Dviete Nature Park is designated as a Natura 2000 site, and as such belongs to a list of specially protected nature territories of European Union.

Andris Klepers; the article was published in Staburags, a newspaper of the Jēkabpils Region.