02.10.2008 - The State Forest Management Centre to organise a family day in West-Viru County 05.10
“The aim of the family day of RMK is to promote nature-awareness in people via an active family holiday, and to introduce possibilities for hiking in nature and for sustainable forest recreation,” said Marge Rammo, Head of the Nature Preservation Department of RMK. “There is a lot to do for everybody: you can practice sports and go hiking, invent or make something or just walk around or watch films,” Marge Rammo added. Lunch is provided for all who have paid the participation fee.
The activities of the event are divided into 3 groups. Sporting activities including cycling, hiking, Nordic walking and orienteering can be practiced. Nature education activities include the passing of an instructed heritage and cone programme, and video training on the wisdom of the forest. In workshops, spoons can be made, discs sawn from logs and herbal teas learned about. A playground is open for the children, and forest and nature films can be viewed. RMK souvenirs and hiking equipment will be sold.
Advance registration for the event takes place via the RMK website at www.rmk.ee/en. The participation fee for a family or group of friends is EEK 200, for an individual person, EEK 50. A group of friends includes up to 5 people. Every family or group will be given a stamp card for the activities, on which stamps will be collected and several awards drawn during the day.
Free buses will depart to the family day from the parking lot of the Baltic Station in Tallinn at 9.30 (return trip begins at 16.00) and from the parking lot behind the bus station in Rakvere at 10.00 (return trip at 16.00). To reserve a spot, register at metsasober
rmk.ee or call +372 654 8400. Free buses will move between Ojaäärse and Oandu during the day of the event. Similar family events have been organised previously by RMK, under the name of Hiiesti hiking days in the years 1999-2002. The purpose of the hiking days was to introduce a recreation area established in the state forest and ways for hiking in nature. Hiiesti hiking days have been held at Kiidjärve, Kauksi and Nõva; in 2002, the event was held in three different places at the same time. The hiking days were attended by a couple of thousand nature lovers every year.
RMK has established 720 km of hiking trails, 42 camping sites and 499 campfire sites in the state forest. It is possible to stop at 24 forest houses or forest huts. RMK offers nature education activities at 11 nature centres and the Sagadi Forest Centre. As of 1 July 2008, the Elistvere Animal Park is managed by RMK. In 2007, the state forest was visited 820 000 times for the purposes of forest recreation.
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 almost 40% of Estonia’s forests.
Additional information:
Marge Rammo
Head of the Nature Preservation Department of Enterprise Estonia
Telephone +372 676 7530, +372 513 7035
E-mail marge.rammo
rmk.ee www.rmk.ee/en
