28 • 02 • 2019
24.5 Million Young Trees were Planted in LVM Forests Last Year
In 2018, JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) planting 24.5 million young trees or more than 12 trees per inhabitant of Latvia. Various forest tending activities are carried out to provide favourable conditions for the growth of high quality and healthy forest.
In the territory managed by LVM, young stands have been cultivated in an area of 29 081 hectares, while agro-technical tending or caulescent plant and undershrub removal around the target species has been carried out in 25 165 hectares; the giant hogweed restriction was implemented in 302 hectares of forest. The scope of damage caused by the even-toed ungulates to young forest stands increases every year; therefore, LVM takes a number of young tree protection measures. Last year, the protection of young tree buds in the restored areas was done in 14 208 hectares, while the protection of pine-tree trunks was carried out in almost 2 000 hectares.
Pine-tree protection against damage caused by the even-toed ungulates
“Compared to 2017, last year will be remembered for its long drought period, which to some extent contributed to the tasks set for forestry. At the moment, we are working on limiting wildlife damage in the young forest stands and carry out the planned forest thinning, but once the spring sets in, we will start the forest regeneration and tending works scheduled for this year,” says Edmunds Linde, Head of LVM Silviculture Planning.
Since the foundation of LVM, 20 years have passed; during this period, sustainable forest management has been implemented in 1.63 million hectares of state forest land, of which 1.41 million hectares are forest. 0.32 million hectares or 20% of the total land area are managed as nature conservation areas. LVM's economic activities are carried out by constantly 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.
