Mulching of stumps

Restoration and maintenance of open grasslands, suitable for Corncrakes and other meadow birds, is one of the main activities of LIFE+ project DVIETE. Stumps of removed bushes and trees hinder management of grasslands, especially mowing, and the impact of grazing animals on growth of shoots of removed bushes is unequal, therefore mulching of stumps takes place within the project. It is applied in restored grassland areas, where the number of stumps is high and they are tall, and grazing animals limit growth of shoots insufficiently.

Latvian Fund for Nature carried out a price quotation at the end of January and selected a subcontractor - „AL&M” Ltd. from Ilūkste municipality. „AL&M” started mulching at the left bank of Dviete river at the end of February and will continue it till the end of March, when grassland restoration will be stopped because of beginning of bird breeding season. Works will be continued in the end of summer - autumn.

During mulching, stumps and roots of previously sawn trees and bushes are mechanically crushed with appropriate machinery above the ground and till the depth of several centimeters under the ground.

Total area of grasslands, where application of mulching is planned within Dviete floodplain nature park, is about 60 ha. The first agreement with the subcontractor provides mulching of stumps in 26 hectares.

Ilze Priedniece

19.03.2014.

Mulching of stumps (©L.Goba/Elm Media 13.03.2014.)