Main threats

Main threats to the biological diversity and the breeding bird populations in the Lake Engure Nature Park (LENP) are overgrowing of the lake by reed, overgrowing of meadows both at the lake and sea. Lack of public involvement and awareness is obstacle to successful implementation of regulations and the management plan. 

Overgrowing of the lake by reed, merging of separate reed-beds is considered very significant threat to the lake Engure. Main causes of the overgrowing are lowering of lake levels in 1842, intensive pollution with nutrients from agricultural runoff in the 1960s - 1980s, accumulation of organic material in lake sediments and termination of reed harvest.   

Loss of meadow habitats and overgrowing of calcareous fens is another dangerous trend, leading to disappearance of such bird species as Crex crex and all Limicolae species, as well as numerous plant species, such as Liparis loeselii (L.) Rich and others.Several habitats of Community importance are in danger of disappearing due to this threat, such as Boreal Baltic coastal meadows, Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils, Northern boreal alluvial meadows and Calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus and species of the Caricion davalliana. 

Uncontrolled, illegal and increasing rate of forest cutting is nationwide threat and the result of such actions is that the mid-aged, old and over-age stands have very few elements favouring biological diversity: (large trees, standing dead trees, broken stems, wind-throws of old age, trees with hollows (>25 cm diameter). Therefore, there are no forests that have developed in the longer term without anthropogenic impact. As a result of sanitary cutting, in most of the territory, stands have low stem density, stumps of variable age, stumps from wind-broken trees, and vehicles have trampled the vegetation.
A negative trend that has been increasing in importance since renewal of independence is uncontrolled harvest by private forest owners. Continuation of this process, together with further drainage of forests would intensify the threat to biological diversity in the Lake Engure Nature park forests, and such important habitats as Transition mires and quaking bogs, Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicon albae, Fennoscandian deciduous swamp woods and Bog woodland.

Many habitats and species are influenced by violation of the nature protection regime in Lake Engure Nature Park.

1.      Violation of fishing and hunting regulations (violation of allowed net length limits, angling and net fishing out of season or in forbidden locations, use of banned fishing instruments and unregistered fishing craft),

2.      Violation of hunting regulations (hunting in the restricted nature protection territory, use of electrical engines during hunting, use of banned ammunition types),

3.      Violation of regulations concerning boating stations  (allowed boat number exceeded, clients are not informed of regulations).

Uncontrolled tourism and visitor activities along the sea is another nationwide threat, endangering many important coastal habitats, such as Embryonic shifting dunes, Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria (white dunes), Fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes), Wooded dunes of the Atlantic, Continental and Boreal region.

The negative effects have been caused by the following factors:

-         Insufficient number of recreational sites with public services along the seashore,

-         Insufficiently developed seashore management (refuse collection, regeneration and tending of recreational sites),

-         Lack of information and control (insufficient information on the LENP regulations regarding protection and use, and insufficient information on beach and dune ecology, plants and animals).