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This Year, Latvia's State Forests are to be Restored in an Area of 18.3 Thousand Hectares

With the arrival of spring and favourable weather conditions, JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) carries out forest planting and seeding works throughout the territory of Latvia. In general, this year the forest is planned to be restored and planted in an area of 18.3 thousand hectares.

Of the total work area, 0.7 thousand hectares will be restored by sowing, 1.3 thousand hectares – by mechanized planting, 11.4 thousand hectares – by planting with hand tools, while around 4.9 thousand hectares will be left to regenerate naturally.

To accomplish the planned volumes of forest sowing and planting, 147.05 kg of pine seeds, 16.3 million pine seedlings, 8.1 million spruce seedlings, 3.1 million birch seedlings and 0.63 million black alder seedlings will be needed this year.

“No less important work is replenishment of the restored forest areas in places where some of the trees planted in previous years did not grow successfully or were probably damaged by animals. Replenishment of trees is carried out in the empty spaces between trees, so that the number of trees growing in the new plantation corresponds to the minimum required number of trees. This year, it is planned to add 1.76 ha of the restored forest area,” says Juris Katrevičs, Expert in LVM Forestry Works.

The places where the new trees should be planted are located at different distances from the driveway. There are places where the work area borders the road or a road passes through it. But there are also working areas that are located several hundred metres away from the road; in such cases, the planting material must be carried by hand or alternative options must be sought. Some of the workers use the available technical solutions and bring the planting material to the work area with motorized equipment – a quad bike. Such a solution makes the planter's daily life easier and only one person is employed in the delivery of seedlings.

Labour productivity is variable – it depends on the species of trees to be planted, the type of soil preparation and the type of growing conditions; however, on average one person plants 0.5 hectares in 8 working hours.