UNHIDE Agroforestry - A Knowledge Exchange Latvia- Sweden 2023-25 - Report - Page 38
•
At
Bekas Family/Nature Demonstration Farm: Silvopasture, Latvia
According to Viesturs, the meadows created during pre-industrial agriculture represent an important example of how agriculture can have a positive effect on biodiversity. The grazing and mowing currently used to manage these meadows he
refers to as “biodiversity farming.” “Our Scottish
Highland cattle consume at least 200 different
plant species in their daily diet, so the meat we
produce is unique in terms of its origin.”
INUNDATION,WATERLOGGING, UNEVEN TERRAIN, AND EXTREMELY
DRY AREAS HISTORICALLY
RENDERED THIS SITE
UNSUITABLE FOR
INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE.
Sid 9-10
The fact that restoration measures also included the
removal of a beaver dam sparked, on the Swedish
side, the group’s curiosity and led to discussions
about the coexistence of agroforestry and rewilding.
In Latvia, the beaver population is considered excessive (between 80,000 and 150,000 individuals), and
beavers are classified as “non-limited” game. Tens
of thousands are legally hunted each year to control
numbers and mitigate flooding and tree damage—
explaining why we were served beaver meat at the
end of the week. At Bekas, beavers are perceived as
a threat to rare oak habitats, and their dam constructions a threat to migrating fish.
Today, sandy soils and recurring inundation and
drought continue to limit the availability of land
sufficient to feed the cattle herd. For comparison,
previous generations living from the land kept fewer
cattle.
