Territory Latvia, Vidzeme

Ziemelvidzemes biosferas rezervats

The largest NATURA 2000 territory in Latvia covers 6% of the country’s area. It is located in parts of the Limbaži, Valmiera and Valka districts, and it is a place of an enormously diverse range of landscapes, biotopes and species. The Salaca River is one of the most important rivers in the entire Baltic Sea region in terms of spawning grounds for salmon. The river valley and its sandstone cliffs attract many visitors. It is no accident that this is the second most popular river in Vidzeme for water tourism. The shore of the Bay of Rīga, which is not very long, also features a great diversity in landscapes and biotopes. At the northern end, we find the Randu meadows. In the central part there are sandy beaches, but at the southern end – 22 kilometres of rocky shoreline. The so-called Northern swamps are found on the border with Estonia, while the Seda heath is one of the most important places in the region for birds to rest and feed during migration. The reserve also features a diverse forest in which one can find all of the types of forest which are common in Latvia. Nature trails and viewing towers or platforms are found in the Randu meadows, on the banks of Lake Burtnieks, along the Planči and Niedrāji-Pilka swamps, on the banks of Lake Dziļezers and Lake Lielezers, and elsewhere. The Skaņākalns park in Mazsalaca is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Northern Vidzeme. The territory boasts many important cultural monuments, including one of the earliest known settlements in Latvia – a fishing settlement and burial ground which date back to the 5th to the 2nd millennium BC.