Implementing the investment project of JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM) that aims to increase the forest seedling production capacity, the construction works of the new tree nursery Mežvidi have been started in Jaunkalsnava, Latvia. Initially, it is planned to grow 12.5 million container seedlings per year in the nursery, increasing its capacity to 15 million top quality seedlings per year in the future. The first seedlings are to be sown next March.
It is planned to grow pine and spruce container seedlings in the nursery. This type of seedlings is in high demand in forestry – they are convenient to plant by hand using special planting barrels; moreover, they are also suitable for mechanized planting, which will play an increasingly important role in reforestation.
“The need for a new nursery has been around for years, as the demand for quality forest tree seedlings has grown significantly both in Latvia and in the export markets. In the past, only 23.5 million container seedlings were used to restore state forests, whereas last year we needed 27 million seedlings. And this year, this amount was used for the spring works only! This is because the reforested areas increase in state forests thanks to the availability of good materials,” said Guntis Grandāns, Director LVM Sēklas un stādi.
The current capacity of LVM nurseries is about 55 million seedlings per year, but with the establishment of Mežvidi nursery it will increase to at least 68 million seedlings annually.
As a result of a tender, five 12 x 100 m plastic film greenhouses will be built by SIA Termolat, while ten seedling landfills and internal roads of the nursery will be constructed by SIA Ošukalns Celtniecība. The construction works are to be completed by the end of June 2021.
