Training for Nature Guides in the Abava River Valley

On 15 April this year, from 10:00 to 16:00, environmental guide training will take place in the Abava River Valley. Environmental guides working in the Kurzeme region are invited to apply. The meeting point for the training will be the Īvande Waterfalls car park in Renda.

The training will focus on exploring and interpreting the geological heritage of the Abava Valley in guided tours. This is the first of three planned training sessions for guides, each dedicated to different aspects of natural heritage in Kurzeme.

A poster has been prepared for the environmental guide training organised within the Geosites project, indicating the date (15 April), time (10:00–16:00), and meeting point (Īvande Waterfalls, Renda). Participation is free of charge; however, the number of places is limited and prior registration is required.

Date: 15 April, 10:00–16:00

Meeting point: Īvande Waterfalls car park, Renda

Registration (mandatory): https://ej.uz/geositesapmacibas

Participation is free of charge. The number of participants is limited.

During the training, participants will explore the ancient rocks of the Abava Valley and the natural formations associated with them. The geological history of the Devonian period will be introduced, including the formation of sandstone and dolomite, as well as the indicators used to determine the conditions in which these rocks were formed. Participants will also learn about calcite and dolomite inclusions in Devonian sandstones and the processes behind their formation.

The training will also cover the relationship between modern landforms—such as caves, niches and waterfalls—and Devonian rocks, as well as the formation of springs and the precipitation of iron compounds from spring waters.

Participants will visit several geologically significant sites in the Abava Valley, including:

• Īvande Waterfalls
• Great Stelpe Spring
• Māra’s Chambers
• Abava Rapid

The training will start and conclude at the Īvande Waterfalls car park. From there, participants will travel to the sites using organised transport.

The training will be led by Ģirts Stinkulis, Associate Professor and Director of the Geology Programme at the University of Latvia.

The training is organised by the Kurzeme Planning Region  within the project “Promoting the Protection of Geological Structures in Latvia and Lithuania” (Geosites, No. LL-00244), co-funded by the European Union Interreg VI-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme 2021–2027.