2019

JSC "Latvia's State Forests" Signs a Cooperation Agreement with LLC "ZAAO"

On Wednesday, 9 January, Roberts Strīpnieks, President of JSC "Latvia's State Forests" (LVM), and Aivars Sirmais, Chairman of Board of LLC "ZAAO", met to sign a mutual cooperation agreement. By signing this agreement, both parties are committed to raising public awareness and changing behaviour on environmental protection and sustainable use of renewable resources through joint implementation of environmental education programmes.

“We are happy to see new, strong companions and partners in this tremendous job of educating society. The green country as a concept and value is not born in forests, marshes, lakes, waste landfills, but in people's heads, so we have invested in working with children and teachers to "infect" people with the idea of the green country as a value. Today, we also have a fantastic team of LLC "ZAAO" with URDA nature and technology park and other great projects, and we can only be happy that with joint effort the work will be done even better," says Roberts Strīpnieks, President of LVM, upon signing the memorandum.

"In waste management, one of our first tasks was to make forests cleaner, and several institutions have confirmed that forests have indeed become less polluted over time. I think that by continuing to educate the young generation, forests will soon be completely clean from waste," says Aivars Sirmais, Chairman of Board of LLC "ZAAO".

To inform children and young people about current environmental issues in an attractive and engaging way, it is planned to create trails in the forest near the URDA technology park, where sustainable forest management principles will be demonstrated. The entire route will include facilities explaining forestry principles, including the role of forest regeneration and tending.

It is also planned to develop a qualification improvement programme for teachers and to establish a life-long learning programme for forest owners, municipal employees, non-governmental organizations and others.