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The Biggest Annual Forest Industry Event to Take Place Very Soon

Only one week is left until this year's largest forest industry event - the Latvian Forest Days that is to take place in Tērvete. On 24 and 25 May at 10 a.m., both the young and the old are welcome to visit the park to relax in the forest, enjoy a good company, take part in educating and attractive activities, as well as get to know the forest management cycle and understand the issues related to the forest industry. There will be a plenty of surprises and discoveries!

“The idea of the event comes from Scandinavia, where forest industry professionals meet and speak to the public at the Elmia Wood exhibition. Families with children, young people and seniors go to the exhibition as a special celebration no matter what the weather is - they have adapted to it. Participants of the exhibition are happy to tell about their company and products to both professionals and the general public. The Latvian Forest Days is an event where forest industry representatives, potential co-operation partners and fellow workers can meet”, says Normunds Namnieks, Project Manager at LVM Recreation and Hunting.

Economic forest atmosphere in Kurbads Land

The Latvian Forest Days will take place for the second year in the newest part of LVM Nature Park in Tērvete - in Kurbads Land. “So far, many recreation and event venues have been set up in protected areas that are essentially adult and overgrown forest stands, which may lead to a stereotype that the best recreation is possible in untouched forests. The Latvian Forest Days overthrow this assumption, inviting both the young and the old to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of economic forest. The environment in the event serves as an informative tool for everyone, it is like a miniature model of Latvian forest management practice. The area selected for this event and the permanent exposition differ from the well-known LVM Nature Park in Tērvete, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. Those who will return to Kurbads Land after several years will be able to appreciate the changes and see how fast the forest is growing today. In this part of the park, logging, as well as reforestation and tending will be carried out,” says Normunds Namnieks.

In the future, it is planned to create different thematic fences in the forest of Kurbads Land, so that not only during the Latvian Forest Days, but also on any other day, anyone interested could get acquainted with the aspects of forest management and see differences between tended and untouched forest.

Schoolchildren and Family Day

On Friday, 24 May, more than 200 classes of Latvian schools will gather at the venue of the event - Latvia's State Forest Nature Park in Kurbads Land. During the day, the winners of Latvia's State Forests (LVM) Forest Day Sticker Competition - Emīlija Prihodjko, a 6th grade student of Talsi Primary School, and Eduards Jaujenieks, a 4th grade of Aknīste Secondary School, will be presented the award; we will also determine the winners of LVM Forest Game, and the winners of the competition “For Clean Latvia!”, which is organised by the association “Zaļā josta”.

On Saturday, 25 May, Kurbads Land will be especially happy to welcome families with children. On this day, at the wooden bridge - laboratory in Tērvete, which takes visitors from Kurbads Land and car parks to LVM Nature Park in Tērvete, the exposition of the project  “Viedais koks” (Smart Tree) will be opened. The black façade will split into four parts and will reveal four modern wooden constructions that you can order in Latvia and use in the construction of your wooden house.

On the Family Day, the new Tērvete bicycle track will be officially opened. The forest trail “Stirnu buks” Susuru race will also take place on this day; it is also worth mentioning that there will be a hunting dog parade and demonstrations of forest work throughout the territory of the event.

As this year's novelty, the event will also feature equipment for the needs of owners of small forests, such as wood splitters, mobile band saws, as well as a number of forestry cooperatives and off-road vehicle dealers.

Get to know the profession in action

“The event is very valuable and important; it allows a wide range of stakeholders to get to know different professions in action in co-operation with the industry, thus showing the great demand for highly qualified specialists in the economy today. Ogre Technical School will present its education offer to students after primary and secondary education, as well as to adults. A range of educational programmes is offered not only in Ogre, but also in Vecbebri and Ranka. Students will demonstrate their technical skills in working with a chainsaw, forwarder, catering and hospitality, computer and electronics, design and art. There will be creative workshops involving visitors in different activities. The best way to get to know the profession is by doing,” says Ilze Brante, Director of Ogre Technical School.

The Latvian Forest Days is organised by JSC “Latvia's State Forests” in cooperation with Tērvete Municipality local government, the Latvian Forest Owners' Association, the Latvian Wood Industry Federation and the society “Zaļās mājas”. In 2018, the Latvian Forest Days took place for the first time at LVM Nature Park in Tērvete, bringing together around 12 000 participants. Entrance to the event is free.