Type Intro Leaflet
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KS KS DABAS PARKS «PIEJŪRA» PARKS DABAS NATURE PARK «PIEJŪRA» Every year, a large number 1 of people visit the Nature Park «Piejūra». The nature 2 park is associated with both wide and sandy bea 3 4 ches and old dune fo rests. Only in Nature Park 4 «Piejūra» you can dis co ver unique land scapes, alter 1 nating between du nes and lakes. When visi ting the nature park, it is possible to LEGEND OF MAPS see the mouth of the three largest 1 rivers in Latvia – Lielupe, Daugava Parking place Border of Nature Park and Gauja. From Vakarbuļļi to Saulkrasti, Bus stop Walking trails NATURE PARK «PIEJŪRA» PARK NATURE the nature park is easily accessible by both Birds watching tower 1 Worth seeing public and private transport, it is crossed by larger and smaller forest trails and paths 0 500 m accessible for pedestrians and cyclists. In recent years, new trails, recreation areas, JS3024, 2020 health trails, parking lots and information stands have been set up in the nature park in Riga and Carnikava municipalities. This infrastructure manages visitor flow and allows discovering the “pearls” of the nature park in sustainable manner. 2 Lielupe mouth Nature Park «Piejūra» is mainly covered by forests. They cover about 80% of the Worth entire park area. However, Buļļu sala is the part of the nature park where, in addition The section of the Lielupe estuary from Buļļupe to the inlet to seeing to forests, you can also see unique grasslands - coastal meadows in Vakarbuļļi, the sea with its adjacent dunes, meadows and sandy areas is an and you can go for a walk on a well-maintained meadow trail across the lagoon important resting and feeding place for migratory birds. complex in Daugavgrīva, exploring the meadow plant life and watching birds. 1 Vakarbuļļi meadows One-sixth of all coastal meadows in Latvia have been located in the Nature Park «Piejūra». Meadows are periodically flooded with river and sea water, and plants that love the brackish environment – halophytes– grow here. Buļļu or Daugavgrīva island is the largest island in Latvia - it is about 13 km2 large and became a part of Riga only in 1923. Worth The island was formed in the middle of the 18th century, when Lielupe broke a new mouth into the sea. The old Lielupe estuary knowing Strawberry Clover Sea Thrift Shingled Gladiolus Marsh Angelica VAKARBUĻĻI – DAUGAVGRĪVA VAKARBUĻĻI Trifolium fragiferum Armeria maritima Gladiolus imbricatus Angelica palustris - the connection with the Daugava River, is now called Buļļupe. 3 Vakarbuļļi – Rītabuļļi beach 3 Worth seeing Vakarbuļļi beach is one of Riga’s well- maintained places for swimming in the sea, where water quality and safety of the visitors is regularly monitored. A new parking lot has been built for the convenience of visitors. This beach is also easily accessible by public transport. To reduce the impact on the dunes caused by the visitors, boardwalks VAKARBUĻĻI – DAUGAVGRĪVA VAKARBUĻĻI have been constructed. 4 Grassland-lagoon complex in Daugavgrīva A tower has been built for bird wat- ching in the Daugavgrīva grass land- lagoon complex. The boardwalks winds through the meadow, along the lagoons and reedbeds and takes you to the dunes, which is one of the few habitat places of the Tawny Pipit in Latvia. Common Redshank Water Rail Tawny Pipit Great White Egret Worth Tringa totanus Rallus aquaticus Anthus campestris Egretta alba knowing In the part of the nature park in Daugavgrīva you can observe about 60 species of birds, among them are The existence of lagoons depends also rare and protected species, which mainly inhabit on the periodic inflow of seawater. the reedbeds and the surrounding meadows. Daugavgrīva lagoons are not directly The Riga section of the nature park is crossed by one of connected to the sea and their the most important bird migration routes in Europe - the flooding can only occur during very White and Baltic Sea bird migration route. strong storms. The last time this Corncrake happened was in January 2005. VAKARBUĻĻI – DAUGAVGRĪVA VAKARBUĻĻI Crex crex Along with natural values, Mangaļsala has a 5 1 unique military heritage - buildings from the 0 500 m JS3024, 2020 times of tsarist Russia and military buildings of the Soviet army. Part of the Nature Park «Piejūra» 1 in Mangaļsala can be reached both by public 2 transport and new and well-maintained parking 1 lots have been built. MANGAĻSALA MANGAĻSALA 2 Fortifications Worth The Daugava bank fortification building complex seeing is a protected cultural monument of national 1 Trails and coastal landscapes significance. Mangaļsala underground buildings are one of the Crossing the forests and dunes of the nature park along boardwalks and largest bat wintering places in Latvia, and the bat further walking along the beach in the direction of the Daugava River, one of migration route is concentrated along the coast the most popular destinations of Mangaļsala visitors can be reached - the of the nature park. 10 species of bats have been Mangaļsala pier. The pier is located outside the nature park, but on the way found in the nature park. there you can see a natural coastal landscape - the pine forest alternates with wetter black alder depressions, which pass into the gray dunes covered Attention! Interference with bats during the with lichen and species of plants found in sandy areas, until the primary or winter can lead to their death. white dune bank gently descends into a beach. Sand Pink Sea Pea Dianthus arenarius Lathyrus maritimus From the middle of 16th century to the second half of the 19th century, Mangaļsala was separated from the rest of the land by the old and new (current) mouth of the Daugava river. The Worth old Daugava estuary (Vecdaugava) gradually became clogged knowing and today Mangaļsala is no longer an island, but a peninsula. It became a part of Riga only in 1960. The section of the Nature Park «Piejūra» from Kalngale to Garciems will be 7 appreciated for peaceful rest. Kalngale beach is one of the least visited 0 500 m beaches in the nature park area. However, when you arrive in Garciems, you JS3024, 2020 should definitely visit the Eimuru canal. 1 1 2 Worth Kalngale beach seeing 1 When visiting the beach, you can get to know the plants growing on the sea shore and discover their ability to adapt to harsh conditions. Plant growth is hampered by wind, storms, heat and sunshine in summer, the salty sand and the lack of fresh water. KALNGALE – GARCIEMS KALNGALE – GARCIEMS Garciems and 2 Eimuru canal In Garciems, at the end of Aizvēju iela, there is a beginning of a scenic trail that leads along the Eimuru canal to the sea. The Eimuru canal estuary can be Woolly Butterbur Dark-red Helleborine Sea Sandwort seen from the viewing platform. Petasites spurium Epipactis atrorubens Honckenya peploides The plants are covered They are able Water is stored in thick, with short, thick hairs to develop protection fleshy leaves. They are co - that protect them from against burns. vered with a cuticle – a pro- the sun, wind and water. tective layer that prevents water from evaporating. At the mouth of the Eimuru canal, the most intensive coastal processes can be observed in the Nature Park «Piejūra». The Eimuru Canal was excavated in the middle of the 20th century to drain an ancient lagoon. As a result of the coastal processes Worth and the flow of shore sediments, the estuary of the Eimuru canal Lyme-grass Kidney vetch Prickly Saltwort knowing Leymus arenarius Anthyllis maritimus Salsola kali shifts to the north-east and resembles a natural watercourse in To access the water, the roots of the plants are They are able to absorb terms of its landscape. The movement of the bed contributes long, strong and extend deep into the ground, the salty sea water. to the leaching of the shore. It is expected that the mouth of the KALNGALE – GARCIEMS KALNGALE – GARCIEMS or the plants form an extensive root system. canal could deviate another 50-100 m from the current location. 9 0 500 m JS3024, 2020 2 2 Worth seeing 1 2 The mouth of the Gauja River CARNIKAVA – GAUJAS GRĪVA GRĪVA – GAUJAS CARNIKAVA 1 Carnikava promenade The mouth of the Gauja River is one of the most scenic places in the Nature Park «Piejūra». It is included in the electronic repository of Latvian landscape The part of the nature park from Vecāķi to the mouth of the Gauja is the oldest treasures (ainavudargumi.lv) and is a popular destination for visitors. The part of the nature park – since the foundation of the park in 1962. Carnikava estuary of the Gauja is special in the context of Latvia and also Europe in is the largest settlement and a popular destination of both Latvian and foreign that it is one of the few large rivers, the estuary of which is natural - no port visitors. The loads caused by the visitors of the nature park can be successfully or other artificial structures have been built there. reduced by setting up trails and boardwalks in the most popular areas. There is a wide gray dune on the left bank of the Gauja mouth, but the trees There is a boardwalk across the washed up on the beach are a refuge for young birds. dunes. The fences reduce dune erosion by accumulating sand and Attention! The beach on the left bank of the Gauja mouth is an encourage visitors to walk along the important nesting place for birds nesting on the beach. During boardwalk. A viewing platform has the nesting season from the beginning of May to the end of Worth been built by the sea, which will also July, the presence of people in the estuary of the Gauja is not knowing protect visitors from rain and wind.