2015

Peace Tree: A Beautiful Beginning for a New Garden

On the 40^th anniversary of the Janis Simsons’ School of Art in Madona (SE Latvia), JSC "Latvian State Forests" supports the school's environmental improvement efforts. Instead of an metal fence, the school will be surrounded by young seedlings from Kalsnava Arboretum, informing the students and passersby about the variety of flora. The project was launched on the International Day of Peace, September 21, with a ceremonial planting of a Peace Tree, and the schedule of chores for this fall will be finalized at the beginning of October.

As part of International Day of Peace, more than 5,000 schools all over the world agreed on a joint activity – a symbolic planting of trees. Gathering at Janis Simsons’ Art School on this day were representatives of JSC "Latvian State Forests", faculty, and landscape architects, to plant the subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa Compacta), which will serve as a decorative addition, but during Christmas – as a Christmas tree.

"The territory's plantation project was designed, using offers from Kalsnava Arboretum of JSC "Latvian State Forests" as basis for the plant variety, for which the school is grateful," says Principle Kristine Sulce.

The project includes about 400 plants – evergreen trees, decorative shrubs, wintergreens – more than 200 hail from Kalsnava Arboretum.

JSC "Latvian State Forests" cultivates high-grade forest seedlings grown in Latvia. The company owns nine tree nurseries that produce and sell forest seeds and seedlings, as well as decorative seedlings. These tree nurseries offer 50 million forest seedlings and more than 600 various decorative plant variations annually.