How the grass is getting “greener” in Latvian regions?

By EU funding from the LIFE environmental and nature conservation instrument

Grass is getting “greener” in Latvia thanks 
to grassland identification, mapping and restoration measures supported by funding from the EU’s LIFE environmental and nature conservation instrument. Operating in the Sigulda and Ludza districts, the Grassservice project attempts to put uncultivated agricultural land to good use. The intention is to restore land that is not currently used for agriculture and is overgrown with trees and shrubs of up to 10 m in height. Cut grass from the restored grasslands and from grassy areas that are not yet overgrown is then used for biogas and biofuel production.

Work has begun on 97 hectares in the Sigulda district. Experts are building a
pilot biogas plant for installation at the Sigulda wastewater treatment facility, where its capacity for producing biogas from grass will be tested and demonstrated. The project also gives farms that have abandoned cattle breeding the chance to have their own grass forwarded for processing and conversion into fuel. About 30 % of agricultural land in the Ludza district is unused, largely due to the rural population moving to cities in search of work. Grassservice restored 25 hectares of grassland in the district, increasing the availability of a biologically valuable resource. Shrubs and trees were cut down and sawn up, and roots were dug out. The cleared areas are
in a picturesque location, which is used by local people for recreation. The project thus improves quality of life for residents. A view of Lake Dunākļa, previously obscured by trees and shrubs, was also restored. 

Source: European Commission