2016

Whirlwind damages lvm forests in austrumvidzeme region

On 3 July, whirlwind accompanied by strong wind, rain and hail damaged JSC “Latvia’s State Forests” (LVM) forests in Austrumvidzeme region. The biggest storm damage was found in forests on the left bank of the River Gauja from Lipši in Valka district to Mālmuiža in Gulbene district where trees were broken, toppled and twisted in different directions in a total area of 4.6 thousand hectares.

Damaged trees were found in forests of all ages - both commercial forests and protected forests. Their amount reaches up to 70 thousand m3. The initial operational information about the amount of damaged trees was first collected about the situation along the roads – here the twisted trees were removed first. LVM employees first had to remove trees to enter the forest. Power lines and other infrastructure facilities were cleared.

Currently, sanitary felling is prepared in storm-affected areas. Urgent forest works are in order to collect the timber as soon as possible without losing its quality and to stop the forest pest proliferation.