2019

LVM Embassy in Āraiši to Tell about the Various Options of Using Wood

Inviting everyone interested to learn about historical evidence and benefits of wood as a durable and renewable material, a LVM pop-up seasonal embassy will be opened on 14 September in the new information centre of JSC “Latvia’s State Forests” (LVM) in Āraiši Archaeological Park, where visitors will have an opportunity to discover the various options of using wood.

The almost 17-metre-long pine trunk will tell about the use of wood in construction and household applications. Did you know that different parts of a pine tree trunk are intended for different purposes and products? For example, the thickest part of the trunk will be used for making wooden structures, windows, doors and other furniture, while the top part will be used for firewood and cellulose.

In the LVM Embassy in Āraiši both the young and the old will find entertaining and educational activities. For example, it will be possible to find out practically how many people can fit into a cubic metre of wood. An interactive game will reveal how fast forest grows and how much wood it takes to climb to the Moon. Visitors will also have an opportunity to see trunks of the most popular tree species in Latvia and explore the possibilities of using them.

“The new visitor centre invites discoverers of the history of wood construction to explore the wide use of wood in an understandable and practical way, to learn about the development of the Latvian forest industry, and to see the achievements of modern science in wood construction. The LVM Embassy has the honour of welcoming guests to the new, wooden visitor centre in Āraiši to tell about forest as a renewable natural resource that not only provides jobs in the regions of Latvia, but also meets economic needs and offers a real solution to climate change. By planting a forest, tending it and then using wood products on a daily basis, anyone can reduce the amount of climate-related emissions to the atmosphere,” tells Tomass Kotovičs, Head of LVM Communication Unit.

Next to the trees that have been cut recently there will also be trees that are over 1000 years old. These are the trees found and preserved in the excavations of Āraiši Lake Castle, which testify to the ancient structures of the lake castle. One of the most valuable of these trees is the towbar, which has been used in the wall structures of the majority of the lake castle buildings. The logs used in the research processes for dendrochronological sampling will also be displayed.

LVM and Amata Municipality have signed a memorandum of cooperation in the development of the historical exposition of Āraiši Archaeological Park, which will raise public awareness of wood as a renewable and locally sourced material and of the history of usage of wood in Latvia and Northeast Europe. Within the framework of this cooperation, Āraiši Lake Castle exhibition has already been restored and educational projects for children and youth will be developed in the future.

In May 2019, an LVM information stand was opened in Āraiši Archaeological Park – a cubic metre of wood that stores tons of carbon dioxide that the tree has collected from the atmosphere as it grows.

Āraiši Lake Castle is the only reconstruction of the 9th-10th century fortified residence in Europe. The park is distinguished by its unique archaeological finds, location of the reconstruction in its original environment and well-preserved cultural and historical landscape characteristic of Vidzeme, which positively contrasts with today's fast living environment.