In 2024, AS "Latvijas valsts meži" (LVM) has upgraded 153 of the more than 300 free tourism and recreation sites – benches and tables have been replaced, shelters, steps, boardwalks and much more have been restored, ensuring that Latvia's residents have varied opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. The restoration work completed represents the largest volume of recreation site maintenance work carried out in a single year in the company's history.
Most of this year's work involved replacing tables and benches, but larger projects were also undertaken – the restoration or construction of nature trails, boardwalks, steps, shelters and toilets. At several of the recreation sites popular with visitors, viewing platforms, steps and safety railings were restored, as well as bog boardwalks. LVM makes the equipment at its tourism sites – tables, benches, shelters, boardwalks and steps, for example – mainly from wood, which wears out over time, so regular maintenance and restoration work is needed in many places. Several recreation sites were improved during the repair work to make them accessible to people with reduced mobility: at the "Valgalciems" and "Jaunciems" recreation sites, for instance, accessible wooden boardwalks 65 and 50 metres long respectively were built down to the beach, while an accessible toilet for people with reduced mobility was installed at the Skrīveri Dendrological Park.
"For recreational infrastructure built from wood, the quality of the timber used and the appropriate impregnation treatment class are very important, as they significantly extend its service life. The dimensions of the timber used also matter, so that every element of infrastructure built can withstand the load it is designed for," explains Kaspars Kristiņš, Head of Infrastructure Site Maintenance.
The 15 tourism sites that saw the most investment in 2024:
- "Čertoka ezers" – a new 375 m gravel footpath and 180 m of wooden boardwalk around the lake, steps down the slope, two viewing platforms (41.6 m² and 20 m²), a toilet block, safety barriers (81.5 m), a gravel area (171 m²) and a 147 m gravel path.
- "Ragakāpas dabas taka" – 776 m of nature trail restored, of which 601 m with a gravel surface and 175 m of wooden boardwalk.
- "Purezera taka" – a 345 m wooden boardwalk across the bog restored.
- "Pūrciema baltā kāpa" – 306 m of wooden boardwalk and 95 m of steps built.
- "Pie Plisūna ezera" – 140 m of wooden boardwalk and a viewing platform built.
- "Plieņciema kāpas taka" – 196 m of wooden boardwalk restored, a changing cabin and two benches installed.
- "Slutišķu krauja" – 79 m of steps, a table with benches and 40 m of safety railings built.
- "Gārsenes dabas takas" – 50 m of steps, 30 m of safety railings, a toilet, 39 benches and three tables built.
- "Valgalciems" – a new 65 m wooden boardwalk down to the beach, accessible to people with reduced mobility.
- "Jaunciems" – a new 50 m boardwalk down to the beach accessible to people with reduced mobility, a table with benches and a campfire site.
- "Skrīveru dendroloģiskais parks" – a toilet accessible to people with reduced mobility, 11 benches and 100 m of fencing installed.
- "Zaķu pļava" – 32 m of steps and a 53 m² platform built.
- "Līgatnes upes krasts" – 48 m of wooden boardwalk, 52 m of safety railing and 9 m of steps restored.
- "Ķeguma piepilsētas meži" – a 20 m wooden boardwalk, 20 m of safety railings and 28 m of boardwalk across a ditch restored.
- "Krišjāņu Staburags" – 12 m of steps with a platform and 28 m of safety railings built.
New infrastructure improvements are also planned to begin in the first half of 2025 at sites popular with visitors: on the Dunikas bog trail, for example, a kilometre-long stretch of wooden boardwalk is to be restored, while on the Oleru trail a 157-metre section of wooden boardwalk will be replaced and two viewing platforms six metres high will be built in the bog. A viewing platform will also be built on the Niedrāju–Pilkas bog trail.