Pededzes lejtece

Total site surface area (ha): 1338

NATURA 2000 Code: LV0519600

Site description

Site is located in eastern part of Latvia in floodplain area of river Pededze, of which only a small proportion is currently protected. Drainage works have not much affected the territory and the river in this section has maintained its natural bed. Due to natural erosion processes affecting the riverbanks, the riverbed is not permanent and changes from year to year leaving oxbow lakes that serve as temporary pools. The site consists of 3 habitat groups: river habitats, meadow habitats and forest habitats. Regular spring floods affect both meadow and forest habitats. Forest habitats consist mainly of riparian oak and other deciduous forests and are surrounded by mixed and conifer forests outside the area. Meadow habitats consist of alluvial meadows and wooded meadows along the Pededze River in different stages of overgrowing. Site is unique in the sense that it is the only place in Latvia where the wooded meadows are still present in comparatively large areas and some of them are still managed.

Nature values

Best site for conservation of 6530* Fennoscandian wooded meadows in the northeastern part of Latvia as it holds ca 80% of this habitat present in the region. Open parts of the site holds one of the highest densities of calling Crex crex* in the northeastern region of Latvia.

Site hosts 23 nationally protected bird species both as breeders or regular migrants, 4 nationally protected mammal species and 14 nationally protected invertebrate species, 5 nationally protected plant species and 3 nationally protected habitat types. Best site in Latvia for conservation of 6530* Fennoscandian wooded meadows (holding ca 50% of national area of this habitat), Boros schneideri (the only locality in Latvia) and feeding habitats of Aquila clanga* (one of 2 territories during recent years in Latvia). It holds also very large population of breeding Crex crex* and feeding and breeding habitats of Aquila pomarina*. Very large population of Osmoderma eremita* is present in the site and its habitats are of exceptional quality.

Site is a part of an IBA and it meets IBA criteria A1 for Crex crex* and Aquila clanga*, criteria B2 for Aquila pomarina* and Ciconia nigra as well as criteria B3 for Dendrocopus medius. Altogether site hosts 19 bird species listed in Annex I of Birds Directive and 8 of them are targeted by the project including 3 priority species Crex crex*, Aquila pomarina* and Aquila clanga*. Site also qualifies as pSCI hosting 3 species listed in Annex II of Habitats Directive including 1 priority species (Osmoderma eremita*). 8 habitat types listed in Annex I of Habitats Directive are present in the territory and 2 of them are targeted by the project including 1 priority habitat type 6530* Fennoscandian wooded meadows.