EU grassland management seminar in "Bekas" farm

On June 19, the first face-to-face seminar of this year was held at the nature farm "Bekas", where the owner of the farm - Viesturs Lārmanis shared his experience in management and restoration of grassland habitats of EU importance.

Together with Viesturs Lārmanis and Latvian Fund for Nature grassland expert Zane Līka, the participants had the opportunity to go on a practical tour of different EU grassland habitats and identify typical plant species, as well as to learn more about the beef production of the Bekas farm using EU grassland habitats and to taste the delicious products.

Most of "Bekas'" land is located in the nature reserve and nature park areas of the North Gauja Protected Landscape Area, which is also included in the Natura 2000 network of nature sites of EU importance and bird sites of international importance. The farm's pastures contain 13 different types of grassland, forest and aquatic habitats (biotopes) that are specially protected under the EU Habitats Directive or Latvian legislation. This is the largest richness of specially protected habitats in Latvia, and possibly in the EU, in such a small (about 80 ha) contiguous area. The same landscape also contains more than 30 specially protected species of animals, lichens, plants and fungi, as well as six national beech trees. The farm's valuable grasslands are helped by the preservation and restoration of the Highland cattle breed.