Gauja National Park (NP) was founded in 1973, and it was the first national park in the territory of Latvia at that time. It focuses mainly on nature protection but it is also used for educational and leisure tourism. Its territory of 91,745 ha is divided into five functional areas. The most important of them are nature reserves and restricted nature areas. Nature reserves take up a small but particularly valuable part of the Gauja NP, and access to these territories is restricted. Gauja NP includes the Primeval valley of the Gauja River and together with its tributaries it forms a particularly original landscape. On the banks of the Gauja, Amata, Brasla, many smaller rivers and brooks there are the biggest Devonian outcrops in Latvia – sandstone cliffs, rocks and caves. Forests cover 47% of the park’s territory. About 900 plant, 149 bird and 48 mammal species inhabit the territory of the Gauja NP. The territory of the Gauja NP comprises more than 500 monuments of history and culture – castle mounds, castles, churches, manors, water and windmills as well as numerous archaeological and art monuments.
Volunteers will work on making new bear lair and helping to clean other parts of National Park.
ACCOMMODATION & FOOD:
Living conditions are very basic. The volunteers are accommodated in the local school or in the tents depending on weather conditions. Toilets and washing facilities are provided. Cooking is done by volunteers themselves.
LOCATION:
In the territory of Gauja National Park (Gauja NP) a wide variety of nature biodiversity is richly represented. The major part of Gauja NP is the Gauja River ancient valley, which makes one of the most unique landscapes. In the territory of Gauja NP almost all natural ecosystems of Latvia are represented - forests, natural grasslands, bogs, rivers, lakes, as well as geological objects, such as sandstone and dolomite outcrops and caves. In Gauja NP two-thirds of all Latvian caves are located. In the territory Gauja NP the highest and largest cave/grotto of Latvia and Baltics is located - the Gūtmaņala cave. The territory of Gauja NP is rich in forests. Forests take a little less than a half of the total park area. In the Gauja NP almost all forest types are present characteristic for Latvia - both pine and fire-tree forests, relatively broad - oak, asp tree and ash-tree stands, which are specifically characteristic to the ancient valley near to the Sigulda town. In the ancient valley there is also the highest proportion of old forests in Latvia. In Gauja NP territory approximately 90 natural water bodies are located - lakes, mill-pools and lakes of distributaries. The most significant bog in the Gauja NP is Sudas bog – in the territory of this bog several rare plant species are found. In the territory of Gauja NP almost 900 vascular plant species are present, 67 of them are rare and endangered. The Gauja NP territory is inhabited by 149 species of birds and 48 mammal species. In Gauja NP almost all kinds of bat species are detected. All these species are protected. Bat also was chosen as the symbolic animal of Gauja NP. Līgatne are located aproximetely 50 km from Riga.
TERMINAL:
Riga international airport or Riga international bus station.
LEISURE TIME:
During the weekends and leisure time volunteers will have opportunities to enjoy walking bike tour around the National Park. Capital city of Latvia – Riga are located close to project place and it will be possibility to have a tour in it.
PARTICIPATION FEE:
Since we do not receive funds to support your participation in the camp neither from the state nor from private sponsor, you are asked to contribute 50 Euro. The fee has to be paid by volunteers to host upon arrival to the camp.
Ķemeri National Park is a nature protected area of international importance established in 1997. The area of the park is 38,1 ha including 57% forests, 24% bog and 10% open water. The most popular nature trail in Ķemeri National Park are Boardwalk in Ķemeri raised bog. Wooden path of approximately 3 km length is winding through the kingdom of mosses, small pines and low tiny birches. Silence. Sparkling reflection of the sun in the mirrors of bog lakes. Birds of mires. Red cranberries. In this summer with help of volunteers National Park administration want to remove part of this wooden path to make place for reconstruction. Volunteers will help as well in cleaning other parts of National Park.
ACCOMMODATION & FOOD:
Living conditions are very basic. The volunteers are accommodated in the local school or in the tents depending on weather conditions. Toilets and washing facilities are provided. Cooking is done by volunteers themselves.
LOCATION:
A part of the park's territory was shaped by the ancient Littorina Sea, which left behind rows of inland dunes and shallow lakes (Lakes Kaņieris, Dūņieris, Slokas). This territory was relatively little affected by the human activity, mainly in the coastal fishing villages and in agricultural lands around Slampe. Therefore KNP is a home to many protected plant and animal species that are rare both in Latvia and Europe. At present, the largest part of the park is covered by bogs and forests. Lielais Ķemeru tīrelis bog with its maze of bog lakes is very special. Thanks to bogs, mineral water rich in hydrogen sulphide forms underground, which was the basis for the former Kemeri spa. Both shallow lakes and bogs are important nesting sites for various waterfowl species and nesting sites for thousands of migrating geese and cranes. Wet floodplain forests are home to the whitebacked woodpecker – the symbol of Kemeri NP. Various orchid species grow in calcareous meadows and fens. Ķemeri are located aproximetely 40 km from Riga.
TERMINAL:
Riga international airport or Riga international bus station.
LEISURE TIME:
During the weekends and leisure time volunteers will have opportunities to enjoy walking around the National Park. Capital city of Latvia – Riga are located close to project place and it will be possibility to have a tour in it.
PARTICIPATION FEE:
Since we do not receive funds to support your participation in the camp neither from the state nor from private sponsor, you are asked to contribute 50 Euro. The fee has to be paid by volunteers to host upon arrival to the camp.
Gauja National Park (NP) was founded in 1973, and it was the first national park in the territory of Latvia at that time. It focuses mainly on nature protection but it is also used for educational and leisure tourism. Its territory of 91,745 ha is divided into five functional areas. The most important of them are nature reserves and restricted nature areas. Nature reserves take up a small but particularly valuable part of the Gauja NP, and access to these territories is restricted. Gauja NP includes the Primeval valley of the Gauja River and together with its tributaries it forms a particularly original landscape. On the banks of the Gauja, Amata, Brasla, many smaller rivers and brooks there are the biggest Devonian outcrops in Latvia – sandstone cliffs, rocks and caves. Forests cover 47% of the park’s territory. About 900 plant, 149 bird and 48 mammal species inhabit the territory of the Gauja NP. The territory of the Gauja NP comprises more than 500 monuments of history and culture – castle mounds, castles, churches, manors, water and windmills as well as numerous archaeological and art monuments.
Volunteers will work on making new bear lair and helping to clean other parts of National Park.
ACCOMMODATION & FOOD:
Living conditions are very basic. The volunteers are accommodated in the local school or in the tents depending on weather conditions. Toilets and washing facilities are provided. Cooking is done by volunteers themselves.
LOCATION:
In the territory of Gauja National Park (Gauja NP) a wide variety of nature biodiversity is richly represented. The major part of Gauja NP is the Gauja River ancient valley, which makes one of the most unique landscapes. In the territory of Gauja NP almost all natural ecosystems of Latvia are represented - forests, natural grasslands, bogs, rivers, lakes, as well as geological objects, such as sandstone and dolomite outcrops and caves. In Gauja NP two-thirds of all Latvian caves are located. In the territory Gauja NP the highest and largest cave/grotto of Latvia and Baltics is located - the Gūtmaņala cave. The territory of Gauja NP is rich in forests. Forests take a little less than a half of the total park area. In the Gauja NP almost all forest types are present characteristic for Latvia - both pine and fire-tree forests, relatively broad - oak, asp tree and ash-tree stands, which are specifically characteristic to the ancient valley near to the Sigulda town. In the ancient valley there is also the highest proportion of old forests in Latvia. In Gauja NP territory approximately 90 natural water bodies are located - lakes, mill-pools and lakes of distributaries. The most significant bog in the Gauja NP is Sudas bog – in the territory of this bog several rare plant species are found. In the territory of Gauja NP almost 900 vascular plant species are present, 67 of them are rare and endangered. The Gauja NP territory is inhabited by 149 species of birds and 48 mammal species. In Gauja NP almost all kinds of bat species are detected. All these species are protected. Bat also was chosen as the symbolic animal of Gauja NP. Līgatne are located aproximetely 50 km from Riga.
TERMINAL:
Riga international airport or Riga international bus station.
LEISURE TIME:
During the weekends and leisure time volunteers will have opportunities to enjoy walking bike tour around the National Park. Capital city of Latvia – Riga are located close to project place and it will be possibility to have a tour in it.
PARTICIPATION FEE:
Since we do not receive funds to support your participation in the camp neither from the state nor from private sponsor, you are asked to contribute 50 Euro. The fee has to be paid by volunteers to host upon arrival to the camp.
« I would recommend participating in a workcamp, especially with VAP, who ensured that I found a project to suit me and provided essential training for me in preparation for my trip. Being part of a workcamp really is a life-changing experience, oh, and it looks great on your CV! »
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