RMK planted a record 18.4 million trees this year 28.10
RMK planted 18.4 million trees in the state forest this year, which is more than in any prior year. Forest renewal works were most extensive in Ida-Viru County, where more than 2.5 million new trees were planted.
“Most of the trees were planted in spring, but this is already the second year in which we are planting in autumn as well,” said Rainer Laigu, Chief Specialist of Forest Management at RMK. As nearly a million spruces planted last fall have rooted well, we were encouraged to plant the forest this autumn as well.
According to Rainer Laigu, all of RMK’s foresters are extremely busy in the spring – a single forester is, on average, responsible for the planting of more than half a million trees. “In Ida-Viru County, the volumes are much larger due to large forest masses and the forestation of quarries,” Rainer Laigu continues. “The planting organiser with the biggest workload is Ahti Saaver, whose working area in Ida-Viru county saw nearly 1.3 million trees planted this year. In her working area, Tiia Stroo has also organised the planting of nearly 1.2 million plants in Ida-Viru County”.
As for the different species of trees, pine was the most common this year with a total of 9.8 million trees, followed by spruce with 7.6 million and birch with 1 million, accompanied by some black alders and oaks. The largest number of trees, a total of 2.5 million, were planted in the Ida-Viru forest district. Mora than a million trees were also planted in the forest districts of Lääne-Viru County, Alutaguse, Rapla County, Harju County, Põlva County, Viljandi County and Pärnu County.
More than 6 million of the trees planted this year were potted plants grown at AS Eesti Metsataim - the joint enterprise of RMK and Finnish state forest management - in Pärnu County. The rest of the plants necessary for the renewal of the state forest are grown in seven RMK nurseries across Estonia.
The volume of renewal cutting of state forest in the following years will be approx. 8500 ha per year. RMK develops new forest by planting, seeding or leaving it to the natural renewal process.
RMK is a profit-making state agency established under the Forestry Act, aimed at the sustainable and efficient management of state forests. RMK grows reforestation material, organises forest works, executes practical nature protection works and is engaged in forest and timber sales. Additionally, RMK establishes opportunities for nature walking and forest holidays in recreation areas, in Estonia’s five national parks and almost 40 other protected areas, and shapes nature awareness. RMK manages 38% of Estonia’s forests.
Further information:
Rainer Laigu
Chief Specialist of
Forest Management at RMK
Telephone 510 1411
e-mail rainer.laigu@rmk.ee
