UNHIDE Agroforestry - A Knowledge Exchange Latvia- Sweden 2023-25 - Report - Page 48
Nature Gift cranberry farm: Alley-cropping, Latvia
NATURE GIFT CRANBERRY FARM, 31 miles north
of Riga, is established on a pristine peat bog.
Andris Špats, who founded and runs the farm,
explains that the protection provided by pine and
birch trees in the alley-shaped system mitigates
spring frosts and cools the site during hot summers.
The berries require cool summers and cold winters
in acidic, nutrient-poor soils to develop flavor and
color.
Latvia hosts a diverse range of peatlands—including
fens, transition mires, and bogs—covering approximately 10% of the country’s territory. A considerable proportion of these peatlands have been influenced by human activities such as peat extraction,
forest planting, and land reclamation. These interventions require drainage, which alters the hydrological regime and leads to habitat loss. Pristine
bogs and wetlands constitute critical habitats for
many species and are among Latvia’s natural treasures.
The Baltic countries have a long history of peat
extraction, and extensive areas were exploited,
Sid
21-22 cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon).
American
particularly during and after the Soviet era (1940
–1991). Many of these extraction fields have since
been drained and converted into agricultural
land.
In the 1980s, commercial cranberry cultivation on
former peatlands became popular in Latvia and
has since been promoted as an alternative restoration strategy, particularly where hydrological
restoration is considered difficult or costly due
to surrounding drained agricultural land. While
some traditional cranberry farming practices involve flooding for harvest, Latvian cranberry cultivation often does not. Instead, drainage systems
maintain an average groundwater level of approximately 0.5 metres to prevent waterlogging and
root rot. Irrigation systems are frequently used to
supplement rainfall and ensure adequate moisture.
While some traditional cranberry farming practices involve flooding for harvesting, Latvian cranberry cultivation often does not, and drainage systems designed to ensure an average groundwater
level of 0.5 meters, preventing waterlogging and
