Mežsaimnieks

Mežsaimnieks (formally Meža īpašnieku kooperatīvs "Mežsaimnieks", or Forest Owners' Cooperative "Mežsaimnieks") is a Latvian cooperative owned by private forest owners. It was established in 2011 by 15 forest owners in the western part of Latvia and describes itself as the oldest and largest forest owners' cooperative in the country. Its purpose is to give small and medium private forest owners the same market opportunities as large forest estates by pooling their resources for forest management and timber sales. The cooperative operates throughout Latvia from regional offices in Kuldīga, Valmiera and Rēzekne. As of August 2025 it reported 1,182 member forest owners, and the total forest area owned by its members was reported at 21,223 hectares as of April 2024. Its services cover the full forestry cycle: soil preparation, seedling procurement, planting, pre-commercial thinning, plant protection with repellents, preparation of European Union projects, forest consultations, felling preparation, logging organization and timber selling. Each region has its own forester and logging master responsible for work quality and keeping members informed. Timber trading is central to the cooperative's model. By selling roundwood together, members aim to obtain prices and conditions equivalent to those of large enterprises. Reported roundwood sales grew from 19,726 cubic meters in 2015 to a peak of 141,126 cubic meters in 2019, and stood at 113,316 cubic meters in 2024. The value of roundwood sales rose from EUR 0.9 million in 2015 to EUR 10.2 million in 2024. The cooperative also reports having planted 1.13 million trees in 2020. Mežsaimnieks is a private, member-owned cooperative rather than a listed company. It engages with public institutions on forestry policy; for example, it has discussed the development of forest owner cooperation with the Latvian Ministry of Agriculture's Forest Department. Its stated positioning is that of a fair partner for forest owners, combining long-term forest management with better prices through cooperation.

Mežsaimnieks was established in 2011 by 15 forest owners in the western part of Latvia, making it the oldest forest owners' cooperative in the country. It was created to address a structural disadvantage faced by small private forest owners: individually they lacked the volumes and bargaining power of large forest estates when selling timber and buying forestry services. By cooperating, members could achieve equivalent prices and conditions to large enterprises. The cooperative grew steadily through the 2010s. Its timber trading volumes illustrate this expansion: roundwood sales rose from 19,726 cubic meters in 2015 to 32,286 cubic meters in 2016, 62,491 cubic meters in 2017, 106,680 cubic meters in 2018 and 141,126 cubic meters in 2019. The value of roundwood sales grew from EUR 0.9 million in 2015 to EUR 6.7 million in 2019. Over this period the cooperative expanded from its western Latvian origins to operate throughout the country, opening regional offices in Kuldīga, Valmiera and Rēzekne. In 2020 the cooperative reported planting 1.13 million trees. Timber sales volumes fluctuated in the early 2020s — 99,120 cubic meters in 2020, 113,626 in 2021 and 111,901 in 2022 — while sales value continued to rise, reaching EUR 8.1 million in 2021 and EUR 10.2 million in 2022. Volumes recovered to 140,386 cubic meters in 2023 and stood at 113,316 cubic meters in 2024, with sales value of EUR 10.2 million in both 2023 and 2024. Membership also expanded. By August 2025 the cooperative reported 1,182 member forest owners, and the total forest area owned by its members was reported at 21,223 hectares as of April 2024. The cooperative has continued to provide free forest consultations within the framework of a European Union project, available both to members and to other forest owners. It has also engaged with public institutions on forestry policy, including discussions with the Latvian Ministry of Agriculture's Forest Department on the development of forest owner cooperation and the role of cooperatives in sustainable forest management.

• 2025

  Membership reaches 1,182 forest owners as of August 22, 2025.

• 2024

  Roundwood sales total 113,316 cubic meters, valued at EUR 10.2 million; member forest area reported at 21,223 hectares as of April 15, 2024.

• 2022

  Value of roundwood sales reaches EUR 10.2 million.

• 2020

  Cooperative reports planting 1.13 million trees.

• 2019

  Roundwood sales peak at 141,126 cubic meters, valued at EUR 6.7 million.

• 2015

  Roundwood sales reach 19,726 cubic meters, valued at EUR 0.9 million.

• 2011

  Established by 15 forest owners in the western part of Latvia.

A fair partner for forest owners, giving small private owners the market power of large forest estates through cooperation.

• Forest consultations

  Free consultations for members and other forest owners under a European Union project.

• Logging services

  Felling preparation, logging organization and timber selling.

• Timber trading

  Joint sale of roundwood to secure prices and conditions equivalent to large enterprises.

• Silviculture

  Soil preparation, seedling procurement, planting, pre-commercial thinning and plant protection with repellents.

• EU project preparation

  Preparation of European Union projects for members.

1. 1Meža īpašnieku kooperatīvs Mežsaimnieksmezsaimnieks.lv
2. 2About us in English - Meža īpašnieku kooperatīvs Mežsaimnieksmezsaimnieks.lv
3. 3Mežsaimnieks - Wikidatawikidata.org