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This Year, Forest Restoration Starts with Mechanized Forest Sowing

With the arrival of spring, JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) has started forest restoration works with mechanized sowing. Mechanized forest sowing with high-precision technological equipment allows forest restoration works to be carried out faster and in better quality. In general, this year, forest is planned to be restored on an area of 18 300 hectares, and with mechanized sowing – on 684 hectares.

Currently, the mechanized sowing works are taking place in the Baldone area of the LVM Zemgale region, where snow has melted, and soil has thawed. In the coming weeks, work is planned to start in other LVM regions as well – in the West Vidzeme region, later in the East Vidzeme region, and then also in the North Latgale region.

“Currently, forest is restored by mechanized sowing of pine. The most suitable type of forest for forest sowing is heath, marsh, swamp, where successful pine regeneration is possible. 180-200 grams of seeds are needed to restore one hectare of forest with pine seeds using mechanized sowing. The technologies guarantee an even sowing, which ensures that several seeds will not be poured together in one place or that a larger section will remain unsown. This year, by increasing the mechanized sowing area, the previous service provider SIA “ASP PLUSS” has been joined by a new service provider – SIA “BILLERUD Latvia” – which has also equipped its technical unit with a mechanized forest sowing machine,” says Juris Katrevičs, LVM Forestry Expert.

Mechanized forest sowing was introduced into LVM production in 2022. Mechanized forest sowing works can be done simultaneously with the soil preparation works, where 5 to 15 cm deep furrows are made with heavy disc ploughs, at the same time sowing seeds. It is possible, because the forest machine is equipped with a soil preparation unit and mechanized forest sowing equipment. The entire process is controlled by the operator from the cabin of the forest machine.

“We have been preparing soil for 25 years now, but this is the first time we are doing this kind of work, when we have to prepare soil and sow seeds at the same time. Our task is to keep track of the deadlines for completing the work task, because it is important that seeds are sown while the soil is still wet, while the air temperature is low. The customer has entrusted us with a large material value and keeps a strict accounting of the seed material, where a photo fixation report must be submitted for each felling area. We will work hard to meet the requirements of our customer and so that we can feel satisfied with the job done,” says Juris Pirktiņš, BILLERUD Latvia Work Manager.