Interactive exhibition at the Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences of LBTU opens its doors to visitors

Stiga RM, one of the leading wood processing companies in Latvia, in cooperation with Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU), is setting up a unique exhibition on forest management and the use of wood at the Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences of LBTU at Akadēmijas iela 11, Jelgava. The opening ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze and by Jurijs Strods, Deputy to Chairman Management of Economic programmes.

The exhibition is designed using interactive and digital solutions to provide visitors with an interesting way to learn how to get from seedlings to high value-added products produced in Latvia, revealing forest management cycles, the diversity of Latvia’s forests and the opportunities and uses of wood. The exhibition is open to both students of the faculty and everyone interested.

“Forests are an inalienable asset of our country and society that we have cared for from generation to generation. This exhibition will serve as an important dialogue with the public, helping to raise awareness of the forest and timber sector, dispel prejudices that have arisen over time and strengthen our Latvian consciousness of the forest as an asset. Undoubtedly, these are difficult times for the sector, but in the long term, investment in education is the basis for sustainable development so that companies working in this field are increasingly competitive on world markets, producing products with high added value, thus contributing to the Latvian economy and the well-being of the population as a whole,” says Armands Krauze, Minister of Agriculture.

“The wood sector is multifaceted and full of opportunities, and to bring about sustainable change we need to be prepared to invest in innovation, education and science. With the rapid development of technology and rising ambitions, there is an increasing need for knowledgeable professionals. In cooperation with LBTU, we can not only showcase the sector from a different perspective, getting more people interested in the forest and wood sector, but also inspire future professionals who see themselves working in the sector. We are very pleased with this successful cooperation, and I hope that the exhibition will attract many visitors!” says Andris Ramoliņš, owner of Stiga RM.

“To produce young professionals who are competitive in the labour market, higher education must ensure a symbiosis of three components – theory, science and practice. It is good to see that forestry companies understand that these three components of the study process cannot be separated and that the practical component can be ensured by giving students the opportunity to acquire practical skills, not only through internships in companies but also through the study process. The exhibition on the use of wood will give an opportunity to get to know both the specifics of the industry’s production and the huge range of products that Latvian companies produce from wood, both interactively and practically. The creation of this exhibition is an excellent example of successful cooperation between industry and education, and the added value of this exhibition is that it is not only accessible to students but also to the public,” says Linards Sisenis, Dean of the Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences.

The opening of the exhibition was purposefully organised within the scope of the annual event “Forest enters Jelgava”, which annually attracts both local residents and visitors to the city. This year, Stiga RM was also among the supporters of the event, organising creative workshops for children and demonstrating forest machinery.

As part of the cooperation, Stiga RM has also committed to providing internships for future forestry professionals to learn about the daily life of forestry and woodworking professionals and gain practical experience working with forestry machinery as well as with highly technological woodworking and metalworking equipment at Stiga RM factories. 

About Stiga RM:

Stiga RM is a family company from Tukums, founded in 1994 with the goal of protecting Latvia’s prosperity through responsible forest management. The company manages the full cycle of forest management on its almost 11,000 hectares of land, the majority of which is covered by forests, using the principles of sustainable forest management. Stiga RM’s factory in Kuldīga produces birch plywood from high-quality Latvian birch wood. The world’s most advanced production facility of Wood Wool Cement Board (WWCB) is currently under construction in Tukums. The company also offers roundwood transportation services, providing the largest fleet of log trucks in the Baltic and Scandinavian countries.