Ķemeri National Park

The National Park Ķemeri ( lett: Ķemeru Nacionalais parks ) is one of the four national parks in Latvia. It is located on the coast of the Gulf of Riga, west of the city of Jurmala.

In the area there are extensive wetlands, lagoons, lakes and swamps. There are some sulphurous mineral springs, which are used medicinally.

History

Already in 1957, was short a nature reserve in Ķemeri. Then special zones were protected until the present National Park was established in 1997. The management is based on the conservation authorities of Latvia. 2005 and 2006 with the help of European Union projects started to undo river regulation and bog drainage.

Description

The majority of the area is forested. The characteristic pine stands found on the sandy soil along the coast. On Schlock Lake, there are rare species.

There are some small, slow-flowing rivers in the area. The passage of Slocene lies almost entirely in the protected area. To a number of protected species such as the spotted river snail ( upes raibgliemezis ), freshwater mussels, fish woodpeckers, black storks, water bats and otters on the banks. When flow Vēršupīte there are sulfur springs and moist deciduous forests.

Of the many lakes in the area of Kaņieris and Schlock Lake ( Slokas ezers ) are the biggest. The marsh areas make up a quarter of the total area of the nature park. There are occurrences of orchid species. The big Ķemeri Marsh is a typical high - or moss marsh. Others were drained for peat extraction and will not regenerate a hundred years ago.

At the spa town Ķemeri the springs are used medicinally.