A bird observation tower has been built on Island Mīlestības saliņa

The idea about construction of a bird observation tower on Island Mīlestības saliņa belongs to Viesturs Silenieks, Chairman of the Board at the Freeport of Riga Authority and representative of Ministry of Environment. „The Freeport of Riga Authority feels responsible for the impact that economic activity of the port has on environment, therefore it makes investments that reduces consequences of port operation and in long term will affect environmental quality of port territory positively. Our efforts comprise not only preservation of environment, but also its recovery and implementation of new – socially and morally significant projects. With the initiative of the Freeport of Riga, remediation of environment in historically polluted areas was performed; every year, participating ourselves and making other types of investments, we are one of the main supporters of the Big Clean-up; a territory suitable for nesting of birds has been established in Island Žurku sala; a floating platform envisaged for the needs of birds has been built in River Daugava, and other smaller projects influencing the environment favorably have been implemented. Already during the closing ceremony of last year's Big Clean-up that took place on the Island Mīlestības saliņa a model of the bird observation tower was presented. On that day I personally promised that the Freeport of Riga Authority will find a possibility and funds to build an observation tower on this island. I have held my promise and the tower is ready!" After presentation, the model was transported to the Riga ZOO where a new place near the bird sector was allocated to it. Current tower visually differs from the initial model, and it has a more symbolic meaning.

When coordinating the intention to build the tower with the Riga City Council, its recommendation was to create an untraditional and contemporary object that would be not only functionally convenient, but also visually attractive because it is the first object characterizing Riga that everyone arriving to the city by water notice. Architect Andris Vītols elaborated a dynamic, northwards-oriented design of the tower that is practically a tilted trapezium with an equilateral triangle foundation and one rectangular side. The tower is 12 meters high with a grey metal roof that harmonizes with the grey shade of the wood that is obtained using a special wood stain. „The wood will obtain the special grey shade as if of old wood within six months. It has not „ripened” yet,” explains the architect. The specific architecture stimulated to give the tower name, and it is called the „Beak” now. This name is also engraved near the first step that leads to the 9 meters high observation platform. Ornithologists think that height of the platform is suitable for observation of birds because it corresponds to the average height of flying. Meanwhile, three cameras will be installed at the roof to record surrounding occurrences, also movement of people and birds. Construction of the tower was mainly performed by hands because heavy construction equipment is not available on the island. Also materials were transported with barges, but up to the shore floated like in ancient times. Further, within the island they were carried by hands. Unfortunately, thieves managed to steal part of materials even from the island. Andris Vītols hopes that good guarding will be ensured to the tower so that nobody destroyed the unique object.

As usual, when building a new object a capsule with a message for the next generations is built into the foundation-stone. This time the capsule will be visible and the information put in it supplementable with the latest and most important news during the lifetime of the bird observation tower. „Specially produced sheets of lavsan paper that is a water-proof material will be placed into an 80 cm long metal cylinder and the initial message will be written on it. In case of important events, ornithologists and other experts will supplement it. Thus we will not stop at purely historical data that are limited to one day, but we will provide an opportunity to the next generations to learn about events of a longer period of time. We will start writing history of the tower already today,” explains Silenieks.

The tower is basically envisaged for the needs of ornithologists and other experts connected with observation of nature because the island is a protected territory that is included in the list of NATURA 2000. Minister of Environment Raimonds Vējonis, representatives of the Freeport of Riga Authority, including author of the idea Viesturs Silenieks, architect Andris Vītols, representatives of several environmental organizations and media will participate in the opening ceremony. It will be hosted by Ingus Ulmanis and the Nature Concerthall team.

Interested persons and media representatives will be taken to the venue by river ship Jelgava that will wait for the guests in the quay near Bridge Akmens tilts at 2.00 p.m.