A total of 11,500 Christmas trees were brought home from the state forest 09.01
Despite the lack of a white Christmas, Estonians brought home 11,500 Christmas trees from the state forest during the holidays, which is about 15% more than last year.
People begin bringing home trees from the state forest at the beginning of December, although the most popular spruce fetching time is usually the weekend before Christmas. This year, most of the spruces bought were 1-2 metres in height and cost EUR 8. Mobile payments were used for more than 80% of the spruces.
Each year, RMK provides Christmas trees for free to substitute homes across Estonia. This year, RMK employees brought about 100 spruces to substitute homes. According to Alar Süda, RMK forester in Ida-Viru County, RMK brought 10 Christmas trees to the substitute homes in this area. “Christmas is a time for paying attention to one another, at RMK there is a long-standing tradition of bring spruces to children’s homes and a beautiful gift to those who have undeservedly missed out on their family’s attention”, said the forester.
Taking a spruce from the state forest is based on trust; however, visitors to the forest are checked on by the Environmental Inspectorate and employees of RMK. According to Leili Tuul, PR Advisor for the Environmental Inspectorate, the inspectors of the Environmental Inspectorate did not detect any violations when performing their inspection visits in the forest in December, while spruce sellers at points of sale had the required paperwork.
Finding the correct site and paying for the tree has
been made simple with the help of the map on RMK’s homepage and RMK’s mobile
app. The mobile app locates the state forest, makes it possible to establish
one’s position, and to pay for the Christmas tree.
RMK has been providing the option of bringing home one’s own Christmas tree
from the state forest since 2008. Last year, 9800 spruces were brought home
from the state forest. Christmas trees may be cut down only where they stand no
chance of growing to maturity: along the edges of roads and ditches, under
overhead power lines and under old forest.
RMK is the keeper, protector and manager of the forest and other natural biotic communities belonging to the Estonian state. RMK earns a profit for the state through forest management, growing reforestation material, and organising forest and nature conservation works. In addition, RMK provides opportunities for nature walking in recreational and protected areas and shapes nature awareness. RMK consists of the Sagadi Forest Centre, the Elistvere Animal Park, AS Eesti Metsataim and the Põlula Fish Farm.
Further information:
Mari-Liis Kitter
Head of the RMK Communications Department
Phone 514 5954
E-mail: mari-liis.kitter@rmk.ee
