This territory covers the shoreline between the Ventspils-Liepāja highway and the Baltic Sea on both sides of the Užava River. The territory was established to protect shoreline biotopes such as the grey dunes, as well as a number of endangered plants. To the South of the mouth of the Užava River we find one of the most romantic lighthouses in Latvia – the Užava lighthouse, which is at the top of a steep dune.

Cena's heath swamp's trail was made to introduce vistors to one of the most beautiful things in nature - a moss swamp. The pathway goes not only around beautiful swamp lakes but also meets the degraded part of the swamp. At the beggining and the end is a watch tower.

This territory was established to protect the rare tree specie in Latvia - common hornbeam, which covers approximately 4% of the territory, but the most visually interesting part of the area is the Tīrspurvs swamp, also known as the Dunika heath. This is where the visitor will find Latvia’s longest and most impressive swamp footpaths, which crosses the area from the North to the South. Visitors will be fascinated by the unique landscape of the central part of the swamp, where in some places there are not even small swamp pine trees. Various habitats will be found – small swamp lakes, mineral islands, marsh pools, etc., and that is to say nothing of all the birds in the area.

This is a swamp into which sulphurous waters flow, and it is on the left bank of the Abava River valley. This is the only place in Latvia where the protected shrubby cinquefoil is found in the wild. This bush covers approximately one-fifth of the restricted territory. It also includes forests, various kinds of meadows and sulphurous streams, including the one which is known as the Devil’s Eye.

The nature reserve “Plieņciema kāpa” is founded in 1987 and covers 60.6 hectares of land. Since 2005 it is a Natura2000 site. The nature reserve protects a 150-200m wide and 3.5km long part of a distinct, continuous dune rampart. The dunes shelter Plieņciems village protecting from sea winds. The key natural values here are rare and protected biotopes of national and European significance: “Wooded dunes of the coast 2180” in the area of 61.8 ha, “Fixed dunes with herbaceous vegetation, 2130 (grey dunes)” in the area of 8.27 ha, “Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria (white dunes) 2120 in the area of 3.20 ha”, “Black alder swamp forests 9080”, ) in the area of 2,68 ha, as well as rare and protected species of Latvian and European significance including eastern pasqueflower (pulsatilla patens), Rolling Hen-and-chicks(Jovibarba sobolifera), Nothorhina muricata, Wryneck (Jynx torquilla), Woodlark (Lullula arborea).

In the nature reserve, there is a “Vabu square” – a deflation in the dune where for centuries local fishermen have been drying nets. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries ships were built here. Nine ships have been built here in 1882 - 1925. The four-masted gaff-rigged schooner with hoisting engine “Eurasia” was completed in 1925, the largest ship built by the Kurzeme fishermen. It was one of the works of Martin Morgenstern (1866-1945), a famous shipbuilding master.

Thanks to dunes, Plieņciems village was a popular holiday resort and has been mentioned in written sources already in 1738. Clergymen and landlords with their families used to stay here. In 1808, a merchant from Riga bought the local pub and replaced it with a massive two-storey building with a large ball-room and dining hall. On July 15, 1810, a sea bathing facility was opened for health treatment. For arrival of the empress Elisabeth Alexeievna, the wife of emperor Alexander I of Russia, who was a grandson of Catherine the Great, the road from Tukums town was repaired, the two highest hills were levelled, a road passage was dug across the Plieņciems dune, and a lime-tree alley was planted to facilitate access to the beach and bathing spot. Later, in 1920ies, the resort circles consisted mainly of the Kurzeme region landlords. There was a dance-floor in the park of Plieņciems village, and a special orchestra played music for resort guests three times a day.