Vadakste Biodiversity Forest

Vadakste biodiversity forest is the largest part of the farm and the main income source. Historically, there was a broad-leaved forest with oak, ash, linden, alder, elm, and alderwood.. Today, we work to restore the initial forest with broadleaved species by spot and shelterwood planting.. 

Our forest is a demonstration site for continuous cover forestry. We run it together with  WWF Latvia (World Wide Fund for Nature) and the State Agriculture Extension Service in the project LatViaNature

Forestry goals: 

  • adapt forest management to natural processes in the forest
  • implement forest management where economic, nature and social interests have equal value
  • restore the initial forests (broad-leaved and alderwood) with integration of the forest Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV) species to adapt to climate changes and reduce weather and pest risks

GALLERIES

Native tree species
Native shrub/bush species
Introduced tree species
Herbs and grass
Microhabitats
Birds
Biological issues


Today, forest types and trees:

  • semi-man-made spruce (Picea abies) monoculture suffering from bark beetle, and in transition to a broadleaf forest by planting and direct seeding
  • grey alder (Alnus incana) pioneer forest on abandoned agricultural land with dense bird cherry (Padus padus) undergrowth,
  • mixed pioneer forest with aspen (Populus tremula) silver and downy birch (Betula pendula, B. pubescens), with sporadic spruce undergrowth on former woodland pastures.
  • dozen of mighty oaks (Quercus robur) and a good crab apple (Malus sylvestris) population in the property
  • Some maples ( Acer platanoides )  lindens (Tilia cordata), alders (Alnus glutinosa) and pines (Pinus sylvestris).
  • Good established undergrowth with: bird cherry (Padus padus) ,hazel ( Corylus avellana ), grey willow (Salix cinerea), alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus).
  • Common ash  (Fraxinus excelsior) suffers from ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) and slowly disappears, but lot of young and some mighty ashes are still there.

Afforestation 
afforested agricultural land (2013-2014) with mixed birch/spruce planted and self-seeded. Mimicking succession birch-spruce. In 2025, the second pre-commercial thinning.  

Forest history:

  • Former forest farm 1780-1949, with high biodiversity with meadows, woodland pastures, and broadleaf forests, oak, ash, linden
  • Under occupation, land was abandoned, and a lot of the forest was cut down
  • 1945-1950... national resistance center
  • from 1994...resume private economic and forest management activity
  • 2019 started the open drainage system and road network renovation project. 
  • 2021 bees are back in the forest
  • In 2022 the forest became a World Wildlife Fund Latvia and State Agriculture Extension Service demonstration site in the project LatViaNature in continuous cover forestry.
  • 2022 started planting various species of  trees under an alder canopy, intending to find the best site-adapted  potential natural vegetation (sweet cherries, lindens, maples,  oaks, walnuts, chestnuts, larches, forest pears, crab apples, and others) in the forest and fenced area
  • 2023 started the man-made microhabitat implementation in the forest

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