2018

Wind Gusts Damage State Forests

The strong wind that last week raged in Latvia has damaged forests in Kalupe (Daugavpils Municipality) managed by JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM).

According to the preliminary assessment made by the company's specialists, the total amount of damaged stands accounts for 5000 m3. Today, in order to prevent the risk of proliferation of a forest pest called the European spruce bark beetles, the need for sanitary felling is assessed and where appropriated - already started. As is well known, the European spruce bark beetle reproduces in damaged wood, thus timely removal of the damaged trees from the forests will limit the spread of this forest pest.

Latvian scientists predict that the impact of global warming is expected to increase the frequency of storms. In order to minimise the probability and extent of wind damage, it is advisable to promote the formation of individual stability of trees (wind resistance), by timely thinning forest stands, strictly observing the principles of felling planning, and implementing a management regime that focuses on felling by target diameter. Read more about the study “Adapting Forestry to Climate Change” here.

Since its foundation in 1999, Joint Stock Company “Latvia’s State Forests” implementing sustainable forest management has paid one billion euros to state and local government budgets. LVM's economic activities are carried out by maintaining and recovering forests, taking care of nature conservation, recreation opportunities and increasing timber volumes, as well as investing in expanding the forest land and developing forest infrastructure - renovation of drainage systems and forest road construction. The volume of timber in the forests managed by LVM increases by 12 million cubic metres annually.