20.04.2009 - The felling-free and forest planting season began in the state forest  20.04

For the seventh year in a row, the spring-summer felling-free season began in the state forest during the nesting period of birds and will last until 15 June. The reforestation season also began, in the course of which the State Forest Management Centre (RMK) will plant more than 10 million new trees in the state forest.

During the felling-free season, employees of RMK organise forest planting, maintenance of young growth, cleaning of rides and perform maintenance works on the protection areas of power lines. For the execution of these works, RMK has signed contracts with 350 natural persons and 175 companies and self-employed persons. More than 300 employees of RMK will also participate in reforestation.

“People are very interested in forestry works this year and this will allow RMK to execute all reforestation works planned, regardless of the financially hard times,” said Tavo Uuetalu, Member of Management Board of RMK.

“According to good tradition, this year’s forest planting will also be attended by several schools, companies and the soldiers serving in the Kuperjanov Battalion, for example, in addition to professional planters,” Tavo Uuetalu said. “In addition, we will organise a grand forest planting day in the state forest in the middle of May, for which we expect up to 1200 interested people to sign up on our website. Registration begins at the end of April.”

This year, 3740 hectares of new forest will be planted in the state forest. More specifically, 10.1 million seedlings will be placed in the soil: 5.7 million spruce, 3.5 million pine and 0.5 million birch. For the reforestation of exhausted quarries, about 400 000 pine and birch trees will be planted this year. This year, forest will be planted on 490 hectares and natural reforestation facilitated on 150 hectares.

During the felling-free season, RMK will suspend felling activities in the state forest. Exceptions are made only for the sanitary cutting of damaged forests in order to prevent the spread of diseases, and for the deforestation of forest land, the application of which will change after the cutting.

Upon the implementation of the felling-free season, the principles of sustainable forestry and the RMK spring-summer cutting strategy are proceeded from. This will direct the activities of RMK so that the protection of birds, animals and forest soils would be secured more than so far, and the spreading of fungus disease would be decreased.

RMK is a profit-making state agency established under the Forestry Act, aimed at sustainable and efficient management of the state forest. In addition to this, RMK creates possibilities for forest holidays and shapes nature awareness. RMK manages 38% of Estonia’s forests.

Additional information:
Tavo Uuetalu
Member of Management Board of RMK
Telephone: +372 676 7069, +372 504 5069
E-mail: tavo.uuetalu@rmk.ee
www.rmk.ee/en