Luntiči bog in Brunava parish to see ecosystem restoration begin
Restoration of a former peat extraction site covering 40 hectares will start in the second half of November in the Paņemūne forests, Brunava parish, Bauska municipality. The state forestry company Latvijas valsts meži is carrying out the EU co-funded project.
Work to restore a former peat extraction site, the Luntiči bog, will begin in the second half of November in the Paņemūne (Budberga) forests in Brunava parish, Bauska municipality. The state-owned company Latvijas valsts meži (LVM) will carry it out under the project "Restoration of Bog Ecosystems in Specially Protected Nature Areas". The aim is to restore the water regime the bog needs and preserve biodiversity.
Why the work is needed
Peat was once extracted at the Luntiči bog, then dried and used as bedding in barns. A drainage system built at that time still dries the bog and carries water away, even though peat extraction ended long ago. The area is gradually becoming overgrown with trees. It lies within the protected area "Paņemūnes meži", home to protected birds such as the black stork and the lesser spotted eagle.
What is planned
Jānis Belickis, LVM's forest management planning manager in the Middle Daugava region, says the plan is to limit water outflow and raise the water level across 40 hectares. Tree felling will begin within the next two weeks. Most felled trees will be left on site, both to dam ditches and to shape the terrain and cover the bog needs. The project is designed so as not to affect neighbouring land belonging to other owners.
Belickis stressed that the area will not turn into a lake but will remain a bog with a higher water level, where berry picking will still be possible. An old office building was demolished this spring, and on 4 November information signs were put up near the Paņemūne forest for visitors.
The wider project
The EU co-funded project will improve protected bog habitats in seven specially protected nature areas, covering at least 1,500 hectares in total. LVM will work in five nature reserves, while the Nature Conservation Agency will work in Gauja National Park and Ķemeri National Park. Total funding is 7,058,824 euros, including 6,000,000 euros from the Just Transition Fund and 1,058,824 euros from the Latvian state budget.
Since 2024, bog ecosystems have been restored across more than 1,125 hectares in five protected areas. In 2025, University of Latvia scientists installed 55 monitoring wells with sensors that measure water levels hourly. It is still too early to judge how effective the work has been, as several years of observations are needed.
