Ķemeri National Park
| Ķemeri National Park | |||
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| Location: | Latvia | ||
| Next city: | Jūrmala , Jelgava , Tukums | ||
| Surface: | 38,165 hectares | ||
| Founding: | 1997 | ||
| Address: | Ķemeri, "Meža māja" | ||
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The Ķemeri National Park (Lat .: Ķemeru nacionālais parks) is one of four national parks in Latvia . It is located on the coast of the Gulf of Riga , west of the city of Jūrmala .
In the area there are extensive wetlands, lagoon lakes and swamps. There are some sulphurous mineral springs that are also used medicinally.
history
As early as 1957, there was a short-term nature reserve near Ķemeri. Thereafter, special zones were protected until today's national park was established in 1997. The administration comes from the Nature Conservation Authority of Latvia. In 2005 and 2006 projects were started with the help of the European Union to reverse river straightening and peatland drainage.
description
Most of the area is forested. On the coast there are characteristic pine stands on sandy soil. Rare tree species can be found at Schlock Lake.
There are some smaller, slow flowing rivers in the area. The course of the Slocene is almost entirely in the protected area. Several protected animal species can be found on the banks, such as the spotted river snail (upes raibgliemezis), freshwater clams, herons, black storks , water bats and otters. The Vēršupīte River has sulfur springs and wet deciduous forests.
Of the many lakes in the area, the Kaņieris and the Schlock Lakes (Slokas ezers) are the largest. The swamps make up a quarter of the total area of the national park. There are species of orchids here . The large Ķemeri swamp is a typical high or moss swamp. Others have been drained to extract peat and will not regenerate a hundred years ago.
At the health resort Ķemeri (German: Kemmern) the healing springs are used medicinally.
In the national park there are still visible remains of position systems from the Second World War . In 1944, the swamp area shielded the last connecting road between Army Group North and Army Group Center . As part of the Doppelkopf company , the Kemeri corridor, which was only a few kilometers wide, was cleared and held until the cut-off Army Group North ( Aster Company ) withdrew . The swamps were the last major obstacle for armored vehicles before reaching the Riga Bay .
