Trying your hand at a range of forestry jobs and watching machinery demonstrations, learning about the forest sector's modern technologies, discovering the many uses of timber and enjoying a broad entertainment programme – all of this can be experienced at the forest sector's biggest event, “Latvijas Meža dienas”, which will take place on 23 and 24 May at the Latvijas valsts meži nature park in Tērvete.
Over the course of two days, schoolchildren and families will be able to get to know Latvian forestry at more than 100 forest discovery stops. This year the large-scale event will bring visitors together under the theme “Mana Latvija. Mana atbildība” (“My Latvia. My responsibility”), prompting reflection on each person's own responsibility for promoting the country's security and prosperity, and offering a chance to learn more about the forest sector's efforts to strengthen national independence.
Normunds Namnieks, coordinator of the “Latvijas Meža dienas” event, explains:
“The theme of this year's event was chosen in response to world events. The forest sector's goal – a well-tended and secure Latvia – is achieved by balancing economic, environmental and public expectations. The forest sector is one of the main cornerstones of Latvia's economy: it provides stable jobs for thousands of people, increases the economic contribution to gross domestic product and exports, cares for environmental values, and makes it possible to gather the forest's bounty free of charge and to relax at well-appointed recreation sites at any time of year.”
The severe storms of the past two years have broken and felled thousands of trees in the Latvijas valsts meži nature park in Tērvete. Visitors to the event will have the chance not only to meet professionals from the sector, but also to take part in restoring the storm-damaged forest by planting a new tree. Together with schoolchildren and families, more than 10,000 new trees – oaks and pines – are due to be planted.
A wide-ranging programme
On the first day of the event, 23 May, schoolchildren and class groups are especially welcome – throughout the day, pupils and their teachers will be able to follow the forest growing cycle in an engaging way, from seed to wooden house, and to find out about study and career opportunities in the forest sector. During the day, the winners of the school competitions organised by LVM and “Zaļā josta” will be presented with their awards on the event stage, and hip-hop musician Fiņķis will perform.
On Saturday, 24 May, meanwhile, families are especially welcome all day long to join experienced foresters in getting to know and appreciate a renewable natural resource – timber – and to enjoy a broad programme of cultural events: the “Brīnumskapis” concert programme with children's favourite Kaķītis Laķītis and friends, and a performance by the children's and youth contemporary dance studio “Panda. Dance Factory”. Later, the band “Carnival Youth” will take to the main stage. At the various stands, visitors can find out how forests are planted and tended, and everyone will be able to “try their hand” at forestry work – for example, stepping into the role of an operator of forest machinery such as a harvester or a forwarder, as well as watching road-building and forest management machinery in action. Admission to the event is free. All the information is available on the website www.latvijasmezadienas.lv
The event's theme: “Mana Latvija. Mana atbildība.” (“My Latvia. My responsibility.”)
In keeping with this year's theme for “Latvijas Meža dienas” – “Mana Latvija. Mana atbildība” – which calls for building a thriving, prosperous, happy and secure Latvia, particular attention will be paid to the question of security and to the role of the forest in the military sphere.
The forest has long been an important resource in national military defence as well. Trenches have been dug in the forest and bunkers built in hard-to-reach places; in Latvia the forest offered shelter and advantages during the occupation, and today it also serves as a classroom for soldiers.
Ričards Batarags, senior expert in civil-military cooperation at the NBS Joint Headquarters:
“It is important not only to prepare defence measures, but to act in practical terms already – for example, in building the border strip. By combining the work of our military engineers with strategic forest management measures, we can strengthen our defences, making it harder for an external invader to cross and move around within our country's territory. The main thing is not to give up. The more we do, the greater the result will be.”