One of Latvia's leading woodworking companies, "Stiga RM", in cooperation with the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU), has created an exhibition on forest management and wood use that is unique in Latvia, at the LBTU Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences in Jelgava, Akadēmijas iela 11. The ceremonial opening event was also attended by Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze and Deputy Mayor of Jelgava State City Jurijs Strods.

The exhibition has been designed using interactive and digital solutions, so that visitors can discover in an engaging way how a seedling becomes a high-quality, high value-added product made in Latvia, revealing forest management cycles, the diversity of Latvia's forests, and the possibilities and applications of wood. The exhibition is open not only to the faculty's students, but to anyone with an interest.

"The forest is an inseparable value for us as a country and a society, one we have cared for from generation to generation. This exhibition will serve as an important dialogue with the public, helping to build understanding of the forest and wood sector, dispel prejudices that have arisen over time, and strengthen our Latvian awareness of the forest as a value. It is undeniably a difficult time for the sector, but in the long term, investment in education is the foundation for sustainable development, so that the companies working in this field become ever more competitive on world markets, producing high value-added products and thereby advancing Latvia's economy and the well-being of its people as a whole," says Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze.

"The woodworking sector is many-sided and full of opportunity, and to bring about sustainable change within it, we must be ready to invest in innovation, education and science. With the rapid development of technology and growing ambitions, the need for knowledgeable specialists keeps increasing. By working together with LBTU, we can not only show this sector from a different perspective, sparking the interest of a wider public in the forest and wood sector, but also inspire future specialists who see themselves working in this industry. We are pleased with the successful start to this cooperation, and I hope the exhibition will not be short of visitors!" says Andris Ramoliņš, owner of "Stiga RM".

"To prepare young specialists who are competitive in the labour market, higher education must ensure a symbiosis of three components in the study process, and those components are theory, science and practice. It is gratifying that forest sector companies understand that these three components cannot be separated in the study process, and that the practical component can be provided by giving students the chance to acquire practical skills not only through placements at companies, but also within their studies. The wood use exhibition will make it possible, both interactively and practically, to become acquainted not only with the specifics of production in the sector, but also with the vast range of products that Latvian companies make from wood. The creation of this exhibition is an outstanding example of successful cooperation between industry and education, and its added value is that it is accessible not only to students, but to the public as well," says Linards Sisenis, Dean of the Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences.

Fittingly, the exhibition was opened during the annual event "Mežs ienāk Jelgavā", which each year draws both local residents and visitors to the city. This year "Stiga RM" was among the event's supporters, organising creative workshops for children as well as demonstrations of forestry machinery.

As part of the cooperation, "Stiga RM" has also committed to providing placement opportunities for future forest sector specialists, so that they can get to know the daily work of forest and woodworking specialists and gain practical experience both with forestry machinery and with the high-technology woodworking and metalworking equipment at the "Stiga RM" factories.