We seem to publish a lot of stories about trees, and very often they are about deforestation or the decline of species, so for once it is nice to be able to publish a slightly more positive one. During the last year, the Latvian Nature Conservation Agency has registered almost a thousand new Dižkoki (great trees), which were found by environmental inspectors of reported to them by the public. Dižkoki are Latvia’s largest trees are are protected by law from being cut down or damaged. The total number of officially registered great trees in the country is now a little more than 11,500, including the 954 that were granted the status in 2020. These great trees are recognised as important independent ecosystems, and provide a habitat for many rare and endangered groups of mammals, birds, insects, fungi and other organisms. "Great trees are an integral value of Latvia's nature. As the greatest representatives of their species, they are a valuable object of scientific research and an important part of the landscape. Great trees serve as a home for various rare and protected species. Many of them are witnesses to historical events. , but also of cultural and historical value, " says Andrejs Svilāns, Dendrologist and Director General of the Nature Conservation Agency. Great trees were first classified and counted by arborist Staņislavs Saliņš in the 1960s. He came up with the term dižkoks and in 1974 released a book documenting 626 great trees across Latvia. Several well-known Latvians like poet Imants Ziedonis followed in his footsteps, creating the group "Liberators of the Great Trees" in 1976. Over the course of the next twenty years they made 198 expeditions, managing to reach every corner of Latvia’s national territory. Even now, almost half a century later, it’s likely that only around a third of the great trees in the country have been registered. There could be more than 30,000 great trees spread across the nation and the Nature Conservation Agency encourages everyone to help by measuring, mapping and reporting Latvia's great trees. A tree can gain the the status of being ‘great’ by reaching a measurement requirement of either girth or height. For example, a White Willow tree would need to reach a circumference of 4.5 metres, while a Common Juniper tree would qualify by reaching a minimum height of 4.5 metres with a circumference of 0.8 metres or more. The largest of the trees registered last year, in the Rezekne District was a Poplar with a circumference of 10.1 metres. Once a tree is recognised, the agency will attach an information sign to the tree explaining it’s status and that it is under protection. It’s worth noting, however, that trees which meet the specified criteria but have not yet been affixed with an information sign are also protected. In order to prevent the creation of unsuitable conditions for the growth and preservation of the great trees, the area under the canopy and a 10-metre-wide area around it is designated as a specially protected area. The felling of the protected tree is allowed only in cases when it has become dangerous and there are no other ways to prevent the danger. If it can be saved by taking measures like pruning branches or creating supports then this has to be done instead of felling the tree and cutting requires the explicit written permission of the NCA.

Latvia gave protected status to almost 1000 'great trees' in 2020

Arvīds

This is great. We need to be sure that these old trees are protected. In Latvia and everywhere else.

Piri

John

The thing I find a bit strange about this story is that in 50 years they have only 'found' around a third of these trees.

Latvia isn't that massive and it isn't exactly filled with impassable jungles where people never go. So, where are these huge trees hiding?

Piri

John 'tree hunting' day in Latvia! After all Latvia will get vaccination the all population at the same time in different areas will meet and will go to the major tree hunting action! It will be simple as the internet is everywhere! People will need to mark the right tree on the mobile app so won't be any problem later to find!

John

Piri Just make the vaccination stations in the middle of the forests and people can find the trees on their way.

Arvīds

Piri 'tree hunting' day in Latvia!

Maybe it could really be something like this. If all of the people went out and covered every area of forests during one weekend with some kind of app that tracks the area they cover and they can mark the big trees, then it could find them almost all

Julie Brooks-Girskiene

and this is why we need a 'laughing' reaction emoji - @admins, just saying!

John

Julie Brooks-Girskiene 😆

Julie Brooks-Girskiene

John Very nice

So Veli

Arvīds That would be amazing, do it! Can you make apps?

Arvīds

So Veli That would be amazing, do it! Can you make apps?

No, I can't do anything like that. But @Treebeard can.

Treebeard

Arvīds

@Treebeard isn't so certain about that.

Arvīds

Treebeard

@Arvīds is certain that @Treebeard can

Treebeard

Arvids clearly has no idea what Treebeard does. It would be a nice idea and does not sound difficult.

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