2016

Spring Forest Days: an opportunity to explore and take care of forest

This spring, JSC „Latvia’s State Forests” (LVM) has held 219 Forest Days events, bringing together almost 8500 people, mostly school students and kindergarten children, as well as representatives of local governments and business partners willing to become acquainted with the company. Participants of the Forest Days took part in forest clean-up and restoration works, in setting up of nest boxes, and in educational forest excursions.

 “Latvia is among those rare countries in the world where forest and forest fruit are freely available to every friend of nature. If historically Forest Days welcomed school children to help to plant the future forest, then today planting of forests is left to professionals, and children are invited to explore the forest, to find out what’s happening, what we can find there, and how we should act to enjoy recreation in nature. The forest teaches us in every detail, we just have to listen to it,” says Kaspars Riže, LVM Senior Forest Expert.

Forest is the best place to see what the company is doing, that’s why every year participants of the Forest Days have a chance to see, explore, feel and act. The most popular forestries among visitors have been those with the largest number of events and those located near Riga – in Zemgale (Southern Latvia) and Rietumvidzeme (Northern Latvia).

Comparatively many events were held in Ziemeļlatgale (Eastern Latvia) where visitors mostly took part in forest clean-ups, which taught them how important it is not to litter in the forest.  During the Forest Days, Driksna Nature Park and Smerceres Forest were cleaned up. Traditionally a joint work of collecting waste was organised in Ančupāni Forest Park, attracting both schoolchildren and local people.

In Austrumvidzeme (Northern Latvia) participants were introduced to the forest management, tending of young stands, and planting of forests. Many activities and competitions welcomed visitors to use their newly gained knowledge and test their eyesight measuring skills.  Thanks to the slightly late spring, in addition to educational excursions, in Austrumvidzeme forestry participants had an opportunity to clean, make and set up nest boxes. Clean-up works were also organised in Silava Arboretum, Lustiņdruva Nature Path, and in other locally important places.

Even though birds in the Vidusdaugava Forestry were not disturbed by cleaning their homes, participants of the Forest Days spent their time by talking about the forest. Schoolchildren went on educational walks and excursions in Skrīveri Arboretum and cleaned the forest trails that lead to the popular Lake Kalnmuiža.

In 2016, while learning how to plant a forest, participants of the Forest Days renewed 93.3ha of the forest, placed more than 1000 nest boxes and cleaned up nature, collecting 130. 9 m3 of litter.

Experiences are different but benefits unite. Let’s have a look into  some of the spring Forest Days findings:

Lazdona Elementary School: two trailers of trash were collected while cleaning up the forest and roadside

4th -8th graders of Lazdona Elementary School took part in the forest cleaning. The weather was pleasant, and the warm sunshine urged everyone to work enthusiastically.

Under the guidance of the teachers and LVM employees, roadsides of Lazdona Castle Mound, “ledzēni” farm and Lake Vadzols were cleaned. One by one blue trash bags found their way on the roadside, filled with PET bottles, paper, dishes, and boxes. Two trucks of waste were collected, including a sofa, a bathtub full of trash, cans of jam, and even various payment receipts.

Reflecting on the work done, participants concluded that, unfortunately, littering hasn’t decreased. “Last year in this place we collected around 4 m3 of waste, this year – twice as much, around 8m3. Why is that so? Is it really easier to throw away useless things in the forest rather than in containers? We wanted so bad that the slogan of these Forest Days “Forest is growing, and so are we” would prove its point and the amount of trash would decrease,” says a teacher from Lazdona Elementary School.

Laurenči Primary School learns about the forest while being in it

Laurenči Primary School takes an active part in the events organised by Mammadaba (Mother Nature). Next year the school will become an ambassador of Mammadaba.

This spring, 4th and 5th graders and teachers of Laurenči Primary School together with LVM workers went to the Vēri Forest District in Sigulda Municipality, Allaži Rural Territory.  In one hour they planted around two thousand pine tree plants in an area of 0.7 ha. One day they will grow into big and strong trees! Schoolchildren were absolutely delighted about the job done, especially because along the practical work of planting trees they had a chance to learn about processes taking place in forests.