The LDF is creating urban meadows in Riga for the third year. The soil of the area is prepared and grassland plant seeds are incorporated into it, for which the most appropriate sowing time is autumn, explained LDF.
"At a time when natural diversity is declining in front of our eyes, people need to act to preserve meadows and grasslands. Urban meadows are one way to do that. Moreover, the wildlife havens in the urban environment also provide other valuable benefits – both for pollinators and for urban residents to become acquainted with meadows as a cycle of ecosystem development,” said Rūta Sniedze-Kretalova, project manager of the urban meadows, botanist of the LDF.
This autumn, urban meadow campaigns will also take place on October 21 in Maskavas Forštate district, October 22 at Slāvu Roundabout, and October 28 in Purvciems. All are invited to take part in this.
The Latvian Fund for Nature will also form meadows in October in cooperation with several organizations – Riga New Technicians Centre, Latvian National Library, Faculty of Biology at the University of Latvia, and society Mozaika.
Urban meadows are being developed in the Latvian Fund for Nature project “urbanLIFEcircles” with the aim of preserving, improving and sustainably managing green infrastructure in cities, increasing biodiversity, restoring and improving the connectivity and health of ecosystems, as well as providing new recreational areas to residents. The project “UrbanLIFEcircles” is implemented by the Latvian Fund for Nature in cooperation with Riga State City local government, Tartu City local government and Aarhus City local government, as well as several partners from Estonia. The project is financed by the EU LIFE Programme, the State Regional Development Agency and the Society Integration Foundation from the State budget resources of Latvia granted by the Ministry of Culture. The project will run until 2027.
There are already 36 urban meadows in the capital, formed in cooperation with Riga City Council and neighborhood associations.