Maintenance and restoration begin in Oru Park 05.03

In Toila Oru Park, nature protection works have begun and will see the crowns of limes attended to, the arborvitae hedge clipped and trees felled if they have become dangerous.
The works began on 2nd March and are being carried out in two stages: first until the end of March this year and then from September until the end of March next year. The interval between the two stages is so that no maintenance will be carried out during the nesting period, so as to leave the bats and birds living within the park in peace.

The path lined with common lines and the rows of limes in the formal section of the park include a total of 187 trees. These are in a poor condition, with most trees’ crowns requiring maintenance – removal of dead branches or broken limbs. The condition of the trees along the tree-lined path has deteriorated for several reasons: increased stress from the use of the park, growth in lateral shade and damage from snow and storms.

In the arboretum section of the path lined with common lines, the arborvitae hedge requires clipping, since the arborvitae trees are intruding into the crowns of the common limes, adversely affecting the condition of the trees. The hedge will be cut back, and any regenerating deciduous trees growing inside the hedge or the lower branches of adjacent trees interfering with the regeneration of the hedge will be removed.

One major job under the maintenance plan is the removal of dangerous trees in the various sections of the park to ensure safety for people and an aesthetic appeal for the park. In total, 247 dead or significantly damaged trees will be felled; all the big trees along the path lined with limes will be preserved. In the section of the park subject to intense use, tree stumps will be milled, since the extraction of stumps is prohibited in the park.

Oru Park lies within the Oru Landscape Protection Area, and any activities undertaken in the protection area are based on the maintenance plan for Oru Park, commissioned by the Estonian Environmental Board and developed by Artes Terrae OÜ. The works are being carried out by Aiastiil OÜ and funded by the European Union Cohesion Fund. The maintenance and restoration works will cost 22 000 euros and are being organised by the State Forest Management Centre (RMK) in collaboration with the Viru Region of the Estonian Environmental Board.

During the maintenance works, Aiastiil OÜ has to ensure the required passable state of the access roads and paths used, repair the paths and roads if needed and, when the works end, restore the roads and paths used to their condition as before the works.

Further information:
Harti Paimets, Head of Nature Protection Works at RMK
Tel: 503 6358
E-mail harti.paimets@rmk.ee