Last year, 44,600 ha of clear-cut areas were reforested in Latvia, which is 3,500 ha more than the year before, and equivalent to the areas harvested in clear-cuts during the year.
This is according to State Forest Service data on forest regeneration in 2019. In total, more forest land was regenerated in Latvia last year than at any time in the last 10 years. The biggest difference: private forest owners mostly regenerate their forests naturally, whereas in state forests, half is regenerated artificially – by planting or sowing, and the other half – naturally. Several foresters surveyed by "Dienas Bizness" consider these figures self-evident. There are several reasons that have encouraged forest owners to regenerate their forests: the increasing amount of real estate tax (which must be paid if not regenerated within a certain time), the understanding that forest land, like agricultural land, is a means of production that must be used as efficiently as possible (if nothing is produced, there is no income), and the fact that previously harvested forest lands have passed into the hands of owners who are capable of managing them.
Five species
Information from the State Forest Service shows that in 2019, 17.0 thousand ha of forest was regenerated by sowing and planting (38% of the total regenerated forest area); in state forests, 9.7 thousand ha (62%) was regenerated by sowing or planting, while in other owners' forests – 7.3 thousand ha, which is 25% of the total forest area regenerated in 2019 in other owners' forests. The requirements of forest regeneration regulations and the decisions taken by forest owners or legal possessors regarding the choice of tree species to be regenerated ensure forest regeneration with five main, commercially viable tree species – birch, pine, spruce, aspen, and grey alder. In 2019, 16.8 thousand ha or 37% of the total regenerated area in Latvia was regenerated with conifers (spruce – 21%, pine – 16%), while 27.8 thousand ha or 63% of the total regenerated area was regenerated with deciduous trees. The main tree species used for forest regeneration in state forests and other owners' forests differ. In state forests, 58% of the area was regenerated with conifers (including 24% spruce, 34% pine) and 42% with deciduous trees (including 26% birch, 11% aspen). In other owners' forests, 27% of the area was regenerated with conifers (including 20% spruce and 7% pine), while in the remaining areas, stands regenerated with birch dominate (30%), with a significant proportion also consisting of aspen (19%) and grey alder (20%), the State Forest Service states. Since 2015 (within the framework of the 2014-2020 planning period), state and EU funding has been available under the support measure "Investments in expanding forest areas and improving forest viability" for the replacement of unproductive forest stands, grey alder and willow stands, and for forest regeneration after natural disasters. In 2019, forest owners used the support for the replacement of 629 ha of unproductive forest stands, grey alder and willow stands, and for the regeneration of 79 ha of forest after natural disasters.
"This is the green – circular – economy that is talked about so much in the European Union, because the forest planted last year will produce oxygen and sequester CO2 for several decades, while the mature stands will become a resource – raw material for wood processing product and furniture manufacturers who will sell their products on the market," comments Māris Liopa, Chairman of the Board of the Forest Owners and Managers Confederation of Latvia and a forest owner himself. He points out that such a model also secures jobs in Latvia, especially in the regions, and generates tax revenue for the state budget. "In Latvia, the forestry sector is one of the most significant sectors of the national economy, and I hope that the decisions taken at the government level will promote the development of this sector rather than its stagnation or contraction," emphasises M. Liopa.
Private owners are planting more and more
"First of all, it is worth noting the qualitative 'leap' in private forests, as there is a significant increase in the areas regenerated by planting. 25% of private forest areas have been regenerated this way, which is almost five times more than in 2010. This gives us reason to hope for an increase in the quality, productivity, climate resilience, and CO2 sequestration of private forests in the future," comments Aiga Grasmane, Executive Director of the Forest Owners' Association of Latvia, on the situation. She emphasises the great importance of EU funding intended for forestry activities in the 2014-2020 period, for which the seven-year cycle concludes this year. "EU support for the replacement of unproductive and grey alder stands has stimulated the replacement and regeneration of these stands with valuable tree species. These projects have had a set deadline for forest regeneration since the approval of the project, and in large part, their implementation has already been completed. The EU-funded consultancy project administered by the Rural Support Service, where forest owners have been advised on forest management and carrying out economic activities, has also played a role," analyses A. Grasmane. Another important aspect is the operation of forest owner cooperatives, which assist their members with the purchase of seedlings and regeneration work. "Likewise, the forest land market is still active, which means that more forest properties are ending up in the hands of professional forest management companies that are interested in creating a productive forest stand on every hectare, and consequently, harvested areas are regenerated faster," explains A. Grasmane.
What is harvested, is regenerated
Even though forests felled by private owners are being regenerated with birch, grey alder, and aspen, the owners surveyed do not see a problem in this situation. "Before assessing this issue, one should look at what was growing in the clear-cut previously," suggests M. Liopa. Namely, whether it is bad or good that private forest owners are regenerating clear-cuts with deciduous trees should be evaluated by taking into account what was growing on the specific forest land before. If there were aspens and it was regenerated with aspens, the owner cannot be blamed! "The most common tree species in private forests are birch, aspen, and grey alder, so the regeneration data on tree species is logical and corresponds to reality," explains M. Liopa. History is recalled, where, as time changes, so do perceptions of which tree species is or is not valuable. Namely, at one time, birch was considered a kind of weed, but for many years now, it has been considered a very valuable and economically profitable tree species. At the moment, it is impossible to predict accurately whether (and how) the attitude towards aspens and grey alders will change after some time. In state forests, on the other hand, pine, birch, and spruce dominate the species composition. There is another psychological factor: if one plants fast-growing tree species – aspens, grey alders, and birches – the "fruits of one's labour can be enjoyed" by the planter themselves, but with conifer stands, in the best case, by children or grandchildren. Several private forest owners surveyed by "DB" consider this fact logical, as natural reforestation of clear-cuts (allowing it to overgrow with subsequent maintenance) is economically more advantageous and cheaper than artificial regeneration – one has to buy seedlings, plant them, and protect the planted seedlings from pests and wild animals. However, there is a differing approach among private forest owners as well; namely, small forest owners choose natural rather than artificial area regeneration, while large forest owners, just like the manager of state forests, are increasingly inclined towards regenerating the forest by planting trees. M. Liopa notes that planting young stands is only the first step towards a future harvest, but for the new seedlings to grow successfully and not be stifled by grass or bushes, maintenance will be required.
