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Construction Works at the Seedling Sorting and Processing Complex of the Mežvidi Nursery are Underway

The construction works of the seedling sorting and processing complex, which is planned to be completed by the end of 2023, have started in the newest Mežvidi tree nursery of JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM). Currently, seedling production is taking place in five greenhouses and outdoor landfills, including completed construction and installation of equipment in long-night landfills.

“In the Mežvidi Nursery, it is planned to grow pine and spruce container seedlings for the restoration of forests managed by LVM, for forestry in Latvia's private sector, as well as, depending on the demand for seedlings in the future, for export to Estonia and Sweden. Only selected seeds are used for growing seedlings, which allows us to increase forest productivity by 20-25 %. Guided by the demand for seedling protection methods and their technological development, an alternative treatment line will be purchased for the protection of seedlings against weevil damage in the forest,” says Laima Zvejniece, Executive Director of Production at LVM Sēklas und stādi.

It is planned to build a seedling sorting and processing complex building with an area of 8 000 square metres in the facility, which will house production facilities, seedling freezers, and the nursery's administrative premises. Moreover, a storage warehouse for inventory and equipment with an area of 500 square metres, construction of utility networks and improvement of the area of 2.8 hectares are planned. It is intended to use glued wooden structures combined with other materials in the building's supporting structures.

Last fall and this spring, the first 2.5 million pine tree saplings grown in Mežvidi have already been sold. Currently, the implementation of pine container seedlings for reforestation in the autumn season continues.

The construction process of the complex has been delayed because of the difficult global processes; therefore, the number of seedlings sold in 2023 and 2024 is planned to reach 7.5 million seedlings annually, and in 2025 – 12 million seedlings. It is planned that the Mežvidi Nursery will reach full production capacity – 15 million seedlings per year – in 2026.

Construction works at the facility are carried out by SIA “Selva būve”. The construction works are expected to be completed by December 2023. After putting the complex into operation, the nursery will have the opportunity to continue the started production works and processes in full volume and quality; storage of seedlings in freezers and their delivery to customers in the spring – the most stressful time of planting – will be of particular importance.