2019

“Let's Go to the Forest” Movement Inspires and Encourages Everyone to Spend Their Free Time in Nature

Forests cover more than a half of the territory of Latvia and are freely accessible to everyone, therefore, within the framework of its 20th anniversary, JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) has started the movement “Let's Go to the Forest”. The aim of the movement is to encourage people in Latvia to take advantage of the wide availability of forests and to invite them to spend their free time healthily and actively outdoors.

Spending time in forest is good for physical and mental health, as proven by countless studies and medical recommendations. The positive impact of the forest on human health is also emphasised by family doctor Ilze Aizsilniece, President of the Latvian Medical Association and Ambassador of the “Let's Go to the Forest” Movement: “Going to the forest is a peculiar and very simple form of meditation that helps the human nervous system - our neurotransmitters start to synthesize in a completely different way. Our cells also need fresh air and oxygen. Moreover, being in forest is a chance to spend time with yourself, which is vital in today's stressful environment.”

Dace Caica, a psychotherapy specialist, also agrees with the President of the Latvian Medical Association: “Forest is a wonderful place to relax. For us, dynamic Latvians, who always have a hundred and one things to do and thoughts to think, have the opportunity to put it all aside when entering the forest. We can be proud to live in a country where forests are so accessible to everyone.”

Forest is Latvia's most important resource, which, thanks to sustainable forest management, is accessible to every resident of Latvia for all kinds of recreational opportunities. Moreover, even at a more global level, Latvia is among the freest countries in Europe in terms of forest recreation. Even the majority of private forests are freely accessible to everyone,” says Tomass Kotovičs, Head of LVM Communications Division, adding: “with this movement we want to remind people in every region of Latvia that a pleasant and healthy rest in fresh air in specially created parks is just around the corner and offers a range of different opportunities for recreation in any season are inexhaustible.”

Family doctor Ainis Dzalbs, TV presenter Armands Simsons and “Latvijas Radio 5 – Pieci.lv” personality Karmena Stepanova have also got involved in the “Let's Go to the Forest” movement.

If you have captured the beauty of nature in a photo, share it on social networks by adding a hashtag in #forest so that a relaxing moment in the woods, picking mushrooms, berries or just taking a peaceful walk would inspire others to enjoy the opportunity to relax in a clean forest. Inspiration for walks and new adventures can be found on an interactive map www.mammadabakarte.lv, which presents more than 360 recreation sites throughout Latvia managed by LVM.

Since its foundation in 1999, Joint Stock Company “Latvia’s State Forests” implementing sustainable forest management has paid 1.05 billion euros to state and local government budgets. The economic activity is carried out by maintaining and restoring forests, ensuring environmental protection, recreation and growth of wood. During these twenty years, young stands in an area of 536 thousand hectares have been tended and 227 thousand hectares of forest land have been restored in the forests managed by LVM. LVM invests in the development of forests, including the construction of forest roads and renovation of drainage systems. Each year the volume of wood grows by 12 million cubic metres in the forests managed by LVM.