This week, a new landscaped beach area, new walking paths and parking lots with all amenities will be commissioned for residents and guests of Riga in Mangalsala, in the territory of the Nature Park “Piejura”. The City Development Department of Riga City Council implements the project “Construction and Reconstruction of Infrastructure Reducing the Anthropogenic Load in the Nature Park “Piejura” (Natura 2000 site)”, and “LIFE CoHaBit”, which aim to reduce the anthropogenic load on the protected habitats of the European Union in the territory of the Nature Park “Piejura” (Natura 2000 site) ensuring the conservation of biodiversity of the organic nature for the next generations. Construction and reconstruction of anthropogenic load-reducing infrastructure has been carried out throughout the territory of the Natural Park “Piejura”. The new improvement of the territory is aimed at preserving natural values, additionally providing various recreational opportunities on the coast – both active and cognitive.
This year, a health trail with all amenities including elements for gymnastics is built in Mangalsala. In the end of the health trail, there is a fully facilitated and equipped rest area on the beach where the visitors can do sports using the installed elements for gymnastics. In total, within the framework of the projects, five recreational trails have been built and two already existing trails have been extended, benches, waste bins and bicycle stands have been placed on the trails, which will provide residents with comfortable recreation opportunities in the Nature Park “Piejura”. The total length of the well-maintained walking trails in Mangalsala and Vecaki reaches almost 2 km! Parking lots with all amenities are built in 5a Mangalsalas Street and 2 Mangalsalas Street. The built trails will prevent trampling down of ground cover and dune by organizing pedestrian flows along the trails, but parking lots will reduce unauthorized parking.
In Daugavgriva, a dune support wall has been built, information stands, boundary signs, barriers, benches and a bicycle stand has been installed.
The Nature Park “Piejura” is a Specially Protected Natural Area of European importance. At present, the Nature Park “Piejura” occupies an area of more than 4,103 hectares; 1,265.7 hectares of this territory are located within the administrative boundaries of the city of Riga. The park is unique for its habitat diversity, it has 10 habitats that are protected in Europe as well as rare and protected species of plants, birds and animals.
