We inform you that this week, within the framework of the project LIFE CoHaBit “Protection of coastal habitats in the Nature Park “Piejūra””, works are started to limit the spread of invasive alien plants in the Nature Park. Within the framework of the project, measures to limit invasive plant species have already taken place in 2018/2019 in the following Riga territories: Vakarbuļļi, Rītabuļļi and Daugavgrīva. In turn, during the spring/summer season 2020, measures to limit the spread of invasive plants continue in Carnikava county – in Garciems, Kalngale and at the mouth of the Gauja.

The main objective of the works is to limit the spread of invasive alien plant species and reduce their areas in the coastal protected habitats of Carnikava region. The spread of the following species will be restricted in Garciems: Low Juneberry (Amelanchier spicata) (figure 1.a and 1.b), Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) (figure 2.a and 2.b) and Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) (figure 3.a and 3.b). In Kalngale – Blue Lettuce (Lactuca tatarica) (figure 4.a and 4.b), while at the mouth of the Gauja – Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa) (figure 5.a and 5.figure b).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                               

   

1.a un 1.b figure. Vārpainā korinte.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                     

 

2.a un 2.b figure. Melnaugļu aronija

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                   

 

 3.a un 3.b figure. Puķu sprigane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                   

  4.a un 4.b attēls. Tatārijas salāts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                     

5.a un 5.b fihgure. Krokainā roze

In this spring/summer season works will be carried out twice in each territory. It is known that uprooting a plant only once may be insufficient for effective reduction of plant spread. The root parts of the plant may remain in the ground and may be able to grow back in the next vegetation season. Combating invasive plant species in general is a lengthy process and requires a long period of time.

As a method of combating invasive plants, sawing, tearing and digging up to the root neck by sawing it will be used (figure 6.a and 6.b). Immediately after the plant uprooting, soil will be levelled without leaving pits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                       

 

6.a un 6.b figure. Melnaugļu aronijas un rozes sakņu kakls

Removal of plant residues from the territory of the Natural Park is essential. Only uprooting or sawing plants may not be enough. If the plant is left there, in some cases it may be viable, or in other cases it may multiply by seeds that have been left with the plant in the ground vegetation. After carrying out the work, all plant residues will be removed from the Natural Park area, reducing the likelihood that the plant will regrow, thereby contributing to a reduction in the spread of invasive alien plants. For the collection and removal of plant residues, a quad bike with a trailer will move through the territory of the park.

Work areas are selected on the basis of expert surveys and opinions, which are available here.

Cartographic material of work sites is available below:

Garciems       Kalngale    Gaujas grīva

Invasive species and illegal compost heaps in the Nature Park:

Illegal compost heaps deliberately made by people have been detected in the Nature Park “Piejūra”, where unnecessary shrubs and other plants found in home gardens have been thrown away. The largest number of such areas was identified in Garciems (figure 7). We ask you to compost biological waste in your property or take it to the municipal compost site near the Zibeņi-Briljants road.

Figure 7. Illegal compost pile in Garciems

The disposal of biological waste in natural areas, in particular, in specially protected natural areas, such as the Nature Park “Piejūra”, adversely enriches the soil, creates shading and changes growing conditions, contributing to lower natural biodiversity in the long term. This means that plants in specially protected habitats are no longer able to grow in unsuitable conditions and begin to wither. In their place, invasive species grow. They spread rapidly and colonize territories.

We remind you that in accordance with the national legislation, the formation of compost heaps and the dumping of garden waste in specially protected nature areas (SPNA) is strictly prohibited and a fine of up to 700 EUR may be imposed for violation of the rules!

An infographic presenting the most common invasive species in the Nature Park is provided in figure 8.

Figure 8. Most common invasive species in the Nature Park "Piejūras”

Vairāk par invazīvām svešzemju sugām lasi zemāk:

Read more about invasive alien species below:

What is an invasive alien plant species?

An alien species is a species that has entered the habitat and become dominant or aggressive and displaces other native species, resulting in the transformation of natural habitats. Invasive alien species and invasive native species are distinguished. The species of plants not characteristic of Latvian nature threaten local species and their habitats and cause environmental damage. Invasive species most often do not have natural competitors that could control their distribution. Thus, invasive species begin to dominate, suppressing native species and spreading unhindered into ever wider areas.

An interesting fact is that of all plant species found in Latvia, about 1/3 are alien species, but not all of them are invasive.

How do invasive alien species arise and spread?

The entry of species into Latvia is closely related to human activity – they were introduced intentionally as crops, ornamental or other plants useful to humans or entered accidentally by means of freight traffic, transport or by waterways and were brought in by birds.

Species that have entered or migrated into the wild beyond human control, are able to survive and spread even without human assistance, both in man-made conditions and outside them.

Invasive species spread in two ways:

* as a result of natural processes
· spreading plant seeds by wind, water, insects or birds;
* through animal migrations by land, watercourses or air;

*as a result of conscious or unconscious actions of a man.

What invasive species are found in the Nature Park “Piejūra”?

The most common species in the park are Low Juneberry (Amelanchier spicata), Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), Blue Lettuce (Lactuca tatarica) as well as Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa) and Canadian Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis).

How to successfully combat the spread of invasive alien species?

An open landscape (such as seaside dunes) is a favourable place for spread of invasive alien species. For example, a Rugosa Rose can form an impenetrable shrubbery, where other plants and animals can not live. In addition, such places are not usable for recreation. Therefore, it is very important to prevent the spread of invasive species, particularly in specially protected natural areas.

Different invasive alien species have different living conditions and also ways of spreading. Thus, the methods of limiting the spread are also diverse. Mechanical, biological and chemical methods of combating are applied. Most often, felling (sawing), uprooting, root digging, mowing, grazing of plants and treatment of young shoots with herbicides in moderate doses (sometimes applied in Europe to particularly aggressive plants that are difficult to combat by other methods) are used to combat plants.

For more information about invasive alien species, their distribution and descriptions, we recommend to go here and type the Latvian or Latin name of the plant in the search engine.

 

Projekts LIFE CoHaBit (Nr. LIFE15 NAT/LV/000900) „Piekrastes biotopu aizsardzība dabas parkā “Piejūra”” tiek ieviests ar Eiropas Savienības LIFE programmas un Latvijas vides aizsardzības fonda administrācijas finansiālu atbalstu.

 

Informāciju sagatavoja: A. Rudusāne