Wetland restoration in Latvia and Lithuania

The LIFE Marsh Meadows project aims to highlight the connection between healthy ecosystems and local economic benefits by restoring two major wetland complexes across three Natura 2000 sites in Latvia and Lithuania.

Over seventy years ago, peat extraction began in the Baltoji Vokė wetland complex to provide heating fuel for Lithuania's capital city Vilnius. This significantly degraded one of the biggest fen mires in the country, transforming it into a devastated dryland. However, thanks to nature restoration and beaver activity, this 1390-hectare site now serves as a refuge for rare species, including bluethroat birds, crested newts, and fire-bellied toads, and has earned Natura 2000 status. Of course, peat extraction has left lasting scars: drainage ditches, fragmented habitats, and an imbalanced water regime have encouraged the spread of shrubs, trees, and reeds.

The EU co-funded LIFE Marsh Meadows project, which began in 2021 and will run until 2027, focuses on restoring hydrology, which is vital for wetland biodiversity. Adjustable dams will regulate water levels to mimic natural fen conditions, while new ponds will support amphibians. Active vegetation management, including removing woody plants and mowing reed-overgrown areas, is helping create more open habitats. This summer, the fen orchid (Liparis loeselii) population at the site flourished, making it one of the largest in the country.

To prevent the comeback of unwanted woody biomass, extensive grazing by highland cattle and samogitian horses is being tested to help manage vegetation in hard-to-reach areas. Although the recovery is slow, early signs of success are already showing.

Alongside habitat restoration, nature management and restoration actions, engaging the local community and providing educational activities are no less important. Through bird watching tours, voluntary activities, presentations and seminars, LIFE Marsch Meadows is involving citizens for a better understanding of wetland ecosystems and the need for nature restoration.

#WaterWiseEU campaign 

This story has been submitted by a partner of the #WaterWiseEU campaign. The EU-wide campaign focuses on water resilience, aiming to change the way we see, use and value water. Find out more about the campaign and how you can get involved.