Meadows of Seda River Total site surface area of Natura 2000 territory Seda bog (ha): 7300 Project site surface area (ha): 234 NATURA 2000 Code: LV0526800 Site description The site is situated in northern Latvia. The project site is a part of a larger nature reserve, the greatest part of which (ca 75%) is former raised bog that has previously been intensively used for peat extraction, then abandoned and has presently turned into a large wetland. The wetland consists of ponds that are partly overgrown with reeds and bushes and there is a network of dams between the ponds. The remaining parts of the reserve are forest areas (ca 10%), mires (ca 5%) and floodplain meadows (ca 10%). The project area includes only the meadow part of the nature reserve. The Seda River, which has been dredged in this section, crosses project area and the remains of the former meanders are present as oxbows. Approximately two thirds of the project area has been drained and ditches fragment these meadows. The meadows have been completely abandoned at least for the last decade and used only for recreational hunting and fishing. Nature values Density of the calling Crex crex* is among the highest in the northern Latvia. Site holds one of 5 Gallinago media leks in the region. Altogether, the site holds over 30 nationally protected bird species, 3 mammal species and one invertebrate species. The site is an IBA and it meets IBA criteria A1 for Crex crex*, criteria B1i for Cygnus cygnus, Anser fabalis and Anser albifrons, and criteria B2 for Chlidonias niger. Altogether the site hosts 27 bird species listed in the Annex I of Birds Directive and 8 of them will be targeted by the project including 2 priority species Crex crex* and Aquila pomarina*. The site also qualifies as pSCI containing 5 habitat types listed in Annex I of Habitats Directive, however only one of them (6450) will be directly targeted by the project. 
Please visit photo gallery, to see more pictures about nature reserve "Seda bog" Nature management plan is worked out on 2006 by Lūcija Konošonoka from ELLE Ltd. Latvian online version of full text document available. Publications: Brouchure for stakeholders (LV) available here Booklet for visitors of Seda meadows - download here Online version of information board - here 
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