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Stretching along Latvia’s north-western coast, the Jaunciems landscape forms part of the historic region of Courland — a mosaic of pine forests, sand dunes, and meadows where the Baltic Sea meets ancient woodland.
Blanketed by towering Scots pines and silver birch, these forests are alive with deer, elk, foxes, and migrating birds that cross the Slītere Peninsula each spring and autumn.
Once traversed by Livonian fishermen and couriers of the Duchy of Courland, the land retains a quiet grandeur — a place where the rhythm of wind and waves has remained unchanged for centuries.
Blanketed by towering Scots pines and silver birch, these forests are alive with deer, elk, foxes, and migrating birds that cross the Slītere Peninsula each spring and autumn.
Once traversed by Livonian fishermen and couriers of the Duchy of Courland, the land retains a quiet grandeur — a place where the rhythm of wind and waves has remained unchanged for centuries.
Jaunciems
The Jaunciems site lies within the western Latvian region of Kurzeme (Courland), distinguished by a mild maritime-influenced climate and diverse natural habitats. Forests dominate much of the region, with pine, spruce, birch, and mixed stands. Short rivers, dune ridges, and peat wetlands interweave across the landscape.
- Mean annual precipitation and temperature (site-specific, placeholder)
- Soil types: sandy coastal soils, podzols, shallow morainic till
- Wind exposure and salt tolerance gradient
- Groundwater dynamics and drainage
Behind the coastal fringe, forest biomes dominate. Pines, spruces, birch and mixed woodlands create layered canopies, understory shrubs, moss mats, and leaf litter zones. Slītere National Park contains all major forest types of Latvia, supporting half the country’s plant species and many rare invertebrates.
Forest Realm — Pines, Spruces & Mixed Woodlands
- Dominant trees: Scots pine, Norway spruce, Silver birch
- Understory shrubs: blueberry, juniper, cranberry, alder buckthorn
- Ground cover: mosses, lichens, ferns, forest herbs
- Fauna: deer, elk (moose), foxes, squirrels, woodland birds, invertebrates
Every building, path, and open space is conceived to weave into the biome rather than reshape it. Respect for natural gradients (coast → dune → forest → wetland) guides our design. Native species planting, ecological corridors, low-impact materials, and dark-sky protection further our vision of a development that regenerates rather than exhausts.
The goal isn’t to dominate the landscape but to cohabit it.
- Maintain native species bands (coast → forest → wetland)
- Habitat corridors connecting fragments
- Low-impact construction and foundations
- Water-sensitive design, natural drainage
- Light management (dark-sky, minimal light pollution)
Along the Baltic shore, dunes, dunes-forest ecotones, and beach littoral zones form the first line of natural defense and habitat. Species here must resist salt spray, wind, shifting sands, and occasional flooding. Coastal dunes often support grasses, low shrubs, and specialized pioneer species.
Shifting Sands — Coastal Dunes & Beach Flora
- Fore dunes (marram grass, beach grasses, dune grasses)
- Dune slack areas (moist depressions)
- Beach zone (salt-tolerant lichens, algae, small invertebrates)
- Adaptive species: marram (Ammophila arenaria), sea sandwort, dune lichen species
The moisture-rich areas of Jaunciems include marshes, bogs, peatlands, and lagoon-like ponds. Though your site may not include large bogs like Teiči, smaller wetlands and influence zones may occur. Latvia’s nature includes many protected wetland reserves.
Life in the Marsh — Wetlands & Aquatic Habitats
- Reed beds, sedge meadows, marsh grasses
- Sedge species (Carex), sedge glades
- Aquatic plants, water lilies, emergents
- Amphibians, dragonflies, aquatic insects
- Bird species reliant on wetlands (waders, reed warblers)
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Bird Species
Migratory and resident birds thrive along the Jaunciems coast. White-tailed eagles, cranes, woodpeckers, and over 30 protected species nest in nearby forests and wetlands. - 19
Mammal Species
Elk, red deer, foxes, badgers, and beavers roam freely through pine forests and meadows, alongside smaller mammals like hedgehogs and hares. - 114
Insect Species
Butterflies, moths, and dragonflies flourish in grasslands and bog margins. Species like the large copper butterfly and blue hawker signal high habitat quality. - 312
Plant Species
The region’s mixed forests and coastal meadows host a mosaic of flora — from dune grasses and mosses to orchids, bilberry, and wild heather. - 43
Fish & Aquatic Species
Nearby rivers and lagoons provide habitat for pike, perch, roach, and lamprey, vital to both wildlife and traditional local fisheries.
Explore Jaunciems Biome with Us
If you’d like to dive into detailed ecological plans, plant lists, habitat surveys, or integration strategies for your future property or project, reach out.
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