This weekend – on 23 and 24 May – the Baltic region's largest forest education festival, "Latvijas Meža dienas", will be held in the "Kurbada zeme" themed section of the Latvijas valsts meži nature park in Tērvete. From 10 a.m. the park will welcome visitors young and old to relax in the forest, take part in educational activities, and get to know the forest management cycle and the issues surrounding the forest sector at more than 100 information stops. A wide-ranging cultural programme featuring well-known musicians is also in store. Admission to the event is free.
This year the large-scale event will bring people together under the motto “My Latvia. My responsibility”, encouraging everyone to reflect on their own responsibility for strengthening the country's security and prosperity, and to learn more about the forest sector's efforts to reinforce national independence. For the first time in the event's history, every visitor will also have the chance to take part in planting a forest – together, stands felled by storms in the Latvijas valsts meži nature park in Tērvete will be restored by planting more than 10,000 new trees!
23 May is devoted to schoolchildren, when class groups come to the festival to learn about the forest growing cycle and to explore study and career opportunities in the forest sector.
On 24 May, meanwhile, families are especially welcome throughout the day to join experienced foresters in getting to know and appreciating a renewable natural resource – wood – 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 young people's contemporary dance studio “Panda. Dance Facory”. Later, the band “Carnival Youth” will perform on the main stage.
At the various stands visitors will be able to 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 a forest machinery operator on a harvester or a forwarder, as well as watching road-building and forest tending machinery in action.
During the day it will also be possible to watch Europe's young foresters at their craft: as part of the “ESCFS 2025” professional skills competition, young people from 16 European countries will demonstrate their skills in forest regeneration and tending.
In keeping with this year's "Latvijas Meža dienas" motto “My Latvia. My responsibility”, 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 forests and bunkers built in hard-to-reach places; in Latvia the forest offered shelter and advantage during the occupation, and today it also serves as a classroom for soldiers.