FULL-DAY TOURS

Lunch, snacks and water are provided for each participant.

The organisers reserve the right to make any changes necessary to the schedules.

TOUR 1: MEENIKUNNO BOG AND THE GIANTS OF OOTSIPALU VALLEY

This day trip takes participants to the Meenikunno Landscape Protection Area, one of South Estonia’s most scenic bog and forest landscapes. The programme includes a 5.8 km circular hike through Meenikunno Bog, combining a 2.4 km boardwalk across the open bog with a 3.4 km forest trail. Along the route, participants will learn about bog and forest ecosystems, nature conservation, visitor infrastructure, and the role of State Forest Management Centre (RMK) in creating opportunities for people to enjoy and learn from nature.

The hike is followed by lunch in the forest, offering a chance to experience Estonia’s outdoor culture in a peaceful natural setting. The programme will also introduce practical aspects of planning, building and maintaining visitor facilities, as well as the educational value of nature trails and recreation areas.

On the way back, the tour will stop in Ootsipalu Valley to visit one of Estonia’s most remarkable natural sights — the Ootsipalu Scots pine, recognised as the world’s tallest Scots pine. The tree is 46.6 metres high and more than 200 years old. Nearby also grows Estonia’s tallest Norway spruce, making the area a unique destination for anyone interested in forests, tree growth and natural heritage.

Duration: approximately 6 hours
Departure and return: Tartu
Drive time from Tartu: 1 hour
Walking distance: 5.8 km
Please bring: comfortable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing. Rubber boots may be required if it has been raining.

Schedule
09:00 Departure from Tartu
10:00–14:00 Meenikunno Bog programme and forest lunch
14:00 Visit to the Ootsipalu Valley giants
15:00 Departure from Ootsipalu Valley for the return drive to Tartu

TOUR 2: JÄRVSELJA TRAINING AND EXPERIMENTAL FOREST CENTRE

We will visit the Järvselja Training and Experimental Forest Centre which is an essential area for conducting scientific research. Bus transportation, meals and a tour on-site are included. It just celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2021 together with 100 years of higher forestry education in Estonian in 2020. Nowadays it encompasses 10,553 ha of land, with 6,626 ha of forests and 3,147 of marshland. The Institute of Forestry and Engineering of the Estonian University of Life Sciences has an annual tradition of planting trees in spring and hunting in autumn in that district. The main activity of the Centre is the preservation of the forest area and the biological diversity of forests, the sustainable management of forests with planning for uniform, continuous and long-term use. It is the base forest for the organisation of forestry research and experimental activities and the establishment of experimental areas, including biomass research. 2,723 ha of forests are under protection (41% of the total forest land), including nearly 2,000 ha (30% of the forest land) under strict protection. Järvselja Primeval Forest is the first and therefore the oldest forest protection area in Estonia (it was placed under protection in 1924). Järvselja Primeval Forest nature study trail introduces the forest surrounding the centre of forestry and research. The trail is diverse and passes through a number of different types of forests.

Duration: approximately 6 hours
Departure and return: Tartu
Drive time from Tartu: 45 minutes
Walking distance: TBC
Please bring: comfortable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing

Schedule: TBC

TOUR 3: COMBIWOOD GROUP: TOFTAN 2 and VINCOM

We will visit the TOFTAN-2 company to showcase the cutting edge technology for mechanical processing of wood. We will visit a sawmill that can cut trees with 6 cm in diameter. Throughout the years the sawmill, initially producing 35,000 cbm in 1995, has developed to the one of the biggest sawmills in Estonia and the Baltics. In 2023, a total of 243,000 m3 of sawn timber was produced, of which 141,000 m3 was produced by Toftan 1, the classic sawmill, and 102,000 m3 by Toftan 2, a small dimensional logs sawmill (sawing of logs suitable for pulpwood). They value sustainable forestry and have FSC® (FSC-C019663), PEFC and HT certificates. They have their own forest property which is one of the biggest South-Estonian private forest owners.

We will visit Vincom next: they are an Estonian wood processing company, established in 2013. Their main production focuses on manufacturing pine glulam components for the window, door, and moulding industries. Their glulam components are produced in Viljandi and Võru counties, surrounded by pure Estonian forests. Their factory consists of three production buildings and a smart, modern machinery park. Vincom specialises in the production of finger-jointed and glued components. As raw material, they primarily use FSC® (FSC-C109673) certified pine sourced from Estonia.

Duration: approximately 6 hours
Departure and return: Tartu
Drive time from Tartu: 51 minutes
Walking distance: TBC
Please bring: comfortable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing

Schedule: TBC

TOUR 4: ARCWOOD/PEETRI PUIT and BARRUS

ARCWOOD is a manufacturer of CLT, glulam, and finger-jointed structural timber. A family-owned company, ARCWOOD began production in 2002 and has grown into one of the leading mass timber producers in the Baltics. In 2014, the company became the first in the Baltics to start CLT production. With 24 years of experience, ARCWOOD combines modern manufacturing with in-house engineering expertise to deliver engineered timber solutions for a wide range of construction projects. The company's export markets extend across Europe and beyond.

BARRUS: Founded in 1993 (located in Verijärve, Võru County), one of Europe's leading producers of finger-jointed and laminated pine components. Core focus on window- and door-industry components; main market the Nordics (and North America since 2022). One of Europe's largest single-site pine component factories; 300+ employees, capacity ~110,000 m³ (2023).

Schedule: TBC

TOUR 5: ESTHUS and KODUMAJA

Esthus, the timber-house factory, was founded in 2009 (their plant is in Vedu village near Tartu). It is the only factory in Scandinavia and the Baltics producing houses with MHM - Massiv-Holz-Mauer® (cross-nailed solid wood) technology; also timber-frame elements. Every house is built to the client's design. Certified to ISO 9001, ETA, PEFC and FSC.

Kodumaja: It is a group of companies founded in Tartu in 1994/1995 that designs and builds prefabricated timber-frame modules (3D modules). It is the largest Estonian housing developer in the Nordics - having built nearly 9,400 apartments, mainly in Norway and Sweden. It has over 500 employees and is known for its multi-storey timber apartment buildings and record-setting tall timber structures.

Duration: approximately 6 hours
Departure and return: Tartu
Drive time from Tartu: 20 minutes
Walking distance: TBC
Please bring: comfortable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing

Schedule: TBC

TOUR 6: FIBENOL and STORA ENSO EESTI

Fibenol is a biomaterials company born in 2016 as a spin-off from Graanul Invest. The company converts low-value hardwood and plywood-industry residues into high-purity biomaterials (Sunburst™ technology). Products: lignin (Lignova), cellulosic sugars (C5/C6) and microcrystalline cellulose. They have a demo plant in Imavere (~50 employees), their first commercial-scale biorefinery is planned in Latvia.

Stora Enso Eesti: The Estonian entity of the international Stora Enso group, consolidating its timber-sourcing and production units (over 500 employees). The Imavere wood-processing site is the group's largest unit and the biggest sawmill in the Baltics - combining a sawmill, beam plant and pellet plant. Annual capacity ~350,000 m³ sawn timber, 160,000 m³ processed timber and 100,000 m³ pellets.

Duration: approximately 6 hours
Departure and return: Tartu
Drive time from Tartu: 55 minutes
Walking distance: TBC
Please bring: comfortable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing

Schedule: TBC

TOUR 7: TIKSOJA PUIDUGRUPP and LASITA MAJA

Tiksoja Puidugrupp is an Estonian furniture manufacturer founded in 1997 (Tähtvere, Tartu County; ~125 employees). The company produces solid-pinewood bedroom furniture for adults and children - bedframes, bunk beds, drawers, nightstands and shelves. It aims to become a circular business, offering affordable and eco-friendly products.

Lasita Maja: Lasita Maja LTD was established in Tartu in 1998. Since then, they have constantly grown and become one of the leading log cabin manufacturers in Europe. Since 2019 Lasita Maja LTD is owned by Outdoor Llife Group. They produce over 40,000 buildings per year. Three different factories enable them to make very different log cabin designs in 19 / 21 / 28 / 34 / 40 / 44/ 70 or 92 mm wall thicknesses, varying from sheds, summerhouses, saunas, pavilions, garages and children playhouses up to special bespoke buildings. There are over 500 different designs in their standard range.In 2007, LRQA issued the quality management certificate ISO 9001. The FSC®- C004251 certificate is proof of their environment friendly production policy, their eco-friendly timber management policy and their responsibility for the future. They support ecological and responsible forest management, which is why they also offer our customers garden houses made from raw materials certified by FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification), if so requested.

Duration: approximately 6 hours
Departure and return: Tartu
Drive time from Tartu: 12 minutes
Walking distance: TBC
Please bring: comfortable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing

Schedule: TBC

TOUR 8: LEMEKS GRUPP: PALMAKO and ESTPLY

The Lemeks Group was founded in 1993, it is Estonia's largest domestically owned forestry and timber-industry group (~34 subsidiaries and affiliates, over 1,000 employees). It is active in timber harvesting, wood processing and agriculture. Group members include Palmako (garden products, glulam, pellets), Nordwood (sawmills), Pinest and Estonian Plywood, also known as ESTPLY (plywood).

Palmako: Palmako is one of the leading manifacturers and exporters of wooden garden cabins, glulam and machine-rounded timber products in Europe. Their product range includes wooden garden houses, machine-rounded timber, glued laminated products and premium wood pellets. It has branches in Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. 93% or production is exported worldwide. It processes over 170,000 m3 of sawn tiber a year and uses the best machinery for production.

ESTPLY: We will visit the ESTPLY company that makes plywood. It has one of the newest plywood factories in the Baltics and Scandinavia. Among other things, the Lemeks Group is also one of the largest forestry companies, which enables the ESTPLY plywood factory to procure a sufficient amount of domestic raw materials all year round. Lemeks Group is a wholly Estonian company whose mission is to maximise the value of domestic timber right here in Estonia.They mainly sell birch plywood produced in the ESTPLY factory to Europe's largest industrial customers and distributors. ESTPLY plywood is used to make light trailers, trailers for heavy trucks, formwork for concrete work, furniture, packaging, etc. ESTPLY contributes to a greener future and to achieve this they:
√ valorise local wood as a renewable raw material
√ help reduce the need for fossil materials
√ use production residues for heat production and rainwater in the plywood production process
√ sort waste by type
√ base their activities on four core values: efficiency, flexibility, care and security of supply

Duration: approximately 6 hours
Departure and return: Tartu
Drive time from Tartu: 47 minutes
Walking distance: TBC
Please bring: comfortable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing

Schedule: TBC

TOUR 9: THERMORY

Founded in 1997 (formerly Brenstol), it is the world's largest producer of thermally modified wood by sales revenue. The company treats wood with heat and steam without chemicals, making it more durable and weather-resistant. Products: decking, cladding and flooring boards, wall panelling, and sauna materials and ready-made saunas. It exports to over 50 countries (~90% of output).

Duration: approximately 6 hours
Departure and return: Tartu
Drive time from Tartu: 15 minutes
Walking distance: TBC
Please bring: comfortable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing

Schedule: TBC

TOUR 10: NORDWOOD and RAIT

NORDWOOD is a joint trademark of four wood industry companies – Viiratsi Saeveski, Viru-Nigula Saeveski, Aegviidu Puit, and THUKA NORDWOOD. They produce sawn timber from locally sourced Nordic pine and spruce logs. Our sawn timber is used both in Estonia and on export markets – in construction, as well as raw material for the furniture, packaging, and wood industries. Under the NORDWOOD brand, approximately 285,000 m³ of sawn timber is produced annually.

The parent companies of the sawmills are RAIT and LEMEKS who are based on Estonian capital and who have successfully operated as wood industry groups for more than 30 years. They employ approximately 1,000 employees. The companies are oriented to export and operate in different markets in Europe, Asia, Australia. The most well-known trademarks of the wood industry groups are Raitwood, Parkwood, Palmako, Imprest, Pinest, AP Mets, Lemeks, Nordwood and Thuka.

RAIT: Raitwood is an Estonian wood products company founded in 1991, specialising in the manufacture of planed and finished softwood timber from Nordic spruce and pine. The company produces a broad range of profiled wood materials — including exterior and interior cladding, flooring, decking, sauna timber, and structural construction timber — as well as thermally modified and pre-painted products. With a state-of-the-art automated planing and finishing line developed in collaboration with specialists from Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, Raitwood processes over 150,000 m³ of profiled wood annually. Its products are exported to more than 40 countries across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Australia, and Africa. Operating production facilities and a head office near Tartu (Reola) and customer service terminals in Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, and Jõhvi, Raitwood is widely regarded as one of the leading companies in its field globally.

Schedule: TBC

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