RIGA FORESTS continues Spring bird cage cleanups. This Thursday, as part of the “Day of Shadows”, the cleanup will take place in Esplanade – Riga

Thursday, April 4, 2024 at At 10.00 a.m., the fifth spring bird cage cleanup of the company’s environmental education program “EkVidO” or “ECOLOGY. ENVIRONMENT. AIR” will be held in the Esplanade Park managed by SIA “Rīgas meži”. It is organized in cooperation with Riga 1st elementary school – development center. And at the same time, the cleanup will also be part of the wider “Shadow Days” events of “Riga Forests”.

During the cleaning, both new houses will be made and information will be provided about the proper care of the cages.

About the cleaning of bird cages in Esplanade Park

• Time: Thursday, April 4, 2024, at 10.00

• Place: The Esplanade Park managed by the Rīdzene district, next to the children’s playground, behind the Latvian National Art Museum: https://ej.uz/tkpy

• Photography and/or filming is planned during the event for publicity purposes. The obtained visual materials can thus be used for publicity purposes.

During this cleaning, the nailed bird cages will be placed in the Upes district of “Rīgas mežu” Jugla forestry, Ogre district, near the “EkVidO” environmental education center of “Rīgas mežu”. Forest sanitation works were carried out there last year to control the dangerous spruce eight-toothed bark beetle (‘Ips typographus’). And this will be a great opportunity to take care of the little cavity-nesting birds and prepare new wooden houses for them.

About spring bird cage cleaning

During the clearings, experts from the environmental education program “EkVidO” of “Rīgas Mežu” tell and show what should be taken into account when making, installing and maintaining birdhouses, so that fliers can enter them, feel safe and comfortable, as well as take care of their offspring.

For the third year in a row, the company “Rīgas meži” has been actively involving residents in clean-ups. This year, children from orphanages and children with special needs, as well as representatives of neighborhood associations, are participating in the cleaning.

Spring birdcage cleaning activities are both educational and practical. The cages prepared by the members of the taluks for the small burrowing birds will be placed in different areas of “Rīgas meži”, attracting and promoting the diversity of birds in these places.

In total, this year there are seven clearings in different areas of “Riga forests”, four of which have already taken place, during which approximately 150 cages have been made, and three more clearings will take place by mid-April.

The first event took place on March 3, in the Anniņmuiža forest managed by Riga Forestry, in cooperation with the Anniņmuiža neighborhood and creative initiative association “Riga Annenhof”.

The second event took place on March 10, in the Grīziņkalns park managed by the Rīdzene precinct in the “Gardens and parks” part of the “Rīga forests” in cooperation with the Grīziņkalns neighborhood association.

The third event took place on March 24, in the Pļavnieku forest managed by Riga forestry in cooperation with the Pļavnieku neighborhood association.

The fourth spring birdcage cleaning took place at the “Rīgas Meži” environmental education center “EkVidO”. The event was attended by members of the Ogresgal Elementary School’s Eco Council and Environmental Group.

This year’s calendar of upcoming cleanups:

• on Thursday, April 4, at 10.00-12.00 – at the Esplanade, in cooperation with Riga 1st Primary School – development center;

• on Friday, April 5, at 16.00-18.00 – in Kronvalda Park, in cooperation with the association “Taureņa efekts” – a charity organization for the support of Latvian orphanages;

• on Wednesday, April 17, at 9.00-11.00 – in Shmerlia forest, in cooperation with Riga 5th elementary school – development center.

About bird cages

In spring, many people want to put up a bird cage near their house or in their garden. Cages, like any home, require regular cleaning. Birds cannot build a new nest in an unclean cage, and pests can multiply in the house. Cleaning bird cages ensures their sustainability – with regular cleaning and maintenance, bird houses last at least five years.

In order to provide nesting places for birds and prevent the breeding of pests, “Rīgas meži” annually cleans and repairs existing cages in the company’s managed territories, as well as manufactures and installs new ones. In addition, the cages are made from trees grown in the company’s forests, and the blanks are made by “Rīgas mežu” specialists.

“Rīgas Meži” environmental education program “EkVidO” invites residents to take care of their own bird cages, clean and repair them regularly!

About SIA “Rīgas meži”

SIA “Rīgas meži” is a municipal company founded in 2008. It takes care of 62,000 ha of forests, 446 ha of Riga’s parks and greenery, as well as the 367 ha cultural and recreational park “Mežaparks” and the sustainable development, biological diversity and accessibility of these areas for the public.

The company has forests in Jugla, Katrīna, Rīga and Tīreli, as well as a tree nursery “Norupe” and a sawmill “Norupe”. The company has an environmental education center and the program “EkVidO” or “ECOLOGY. ENVIRONMENT. BRIGHT”.

The company’s facilities and territories are located in the cities of Riga and Jūrmala, as well as in the territories of Đadaži, Ķekava, Limbaži, Mārupe, Ogre, Olaine, Ropaži, Salaspils and Sigulda counties.

The company follows the principles of good corporate governance. “Rīgas meži” has obtained international certificates that confirm environmentally friendly, economically sound, socially responsible and sustainable forest management.

In 2021, “Rīgas mežiem” has been registered in the Enterprise Register as a commercial company important for national security. Also, in 2021, the company joined the “Zero tolerance for corruption” initiative of “Society for Openness – Delna” and “CSR Latvia”.

In 2023, “Rīgas meži” participated in the Sustainability Index for the second time in the company’s history – ranked in the Gold category, and also received the “Sustainability Champion” award for the fastest growth in the Sustainability Index.

In order to promote climate neutrality and protect nature, the “Riga Forest Fund” foundation was established in 2023. In the same year, the company joined the “Mission Zero” initiative, the purpose of which is to take care of the employees of “Rīga Mežu”, their health and safety, and also signed the Diversity Charter of Latvia.

“Forests of Riga”