Under the slogan “Discover the Nature of Science!”, Researchers’ Night 2026 took place across Latvia on Friday, 25 September, inviting everyone to explore science in an engaging and hands-on way. The Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava” once again took part in the Researchers’ Night programme, offering visitors a wide range of activities. Nearly 300 people participated in the event at “Silava”, where they had the opportunity not only to learn more about the work of scientists but also to experiment, investigate and make discoveries themselves.
- Students Develop Ideas for the Future of Peatlands
The programme at “Silava” began in the early afternoon with an Idea Sprint for secondary school students from Eco-Schools, entitled “Create an Idea for the Future of Peatlands!”. The event was organised as part of the PeatTransform research project, led by LSFRI “Silava” and implemented by seven institutions.
The final round of the Idea Sprint featured teams from the Eco-Council of Jelgava Technical School, the Eco-School of Ogre State Gymnasium, students from Šķibe Primary School, and Aizkraukle Regional Secondary School. Unfortunately, the team from Daugavpils Saskaņa Primary School was unable to attend the final due to the distance involved.
Before presenting their ideas, the students took a short tour of the Climate House at LSFRI “Silava”, where they learned about climate regulation options and soil research, as well as how gas measurements are carried out both in nature and in the laboratory.
- From the Forest’s Genetic Heritage to Soil Biodiversity
Throughout the evening, visitors to LSFRI “Silava” were able to explore the diverse programme and its many themes, taking part in a variety of interactive educational activities.
Visitors could take a look inside the seed bank and learn how the genetic heritage of Latvia’s forests is preserved. They could also discover how wood is used in the construction of smoke saunas and in traditional sauna rituals.
At the various discovery stations, visitors learned more about berries, plants and other forest products; the microscopic world of pine trees, including pests and their microbiomes; the North American bolete, soil biodiversity and its importance for nature and human life; and wolves and bears. Visitors also had the opportunity to try out a forestry machinery model and explore different technologies.
Creative activities for both children and adults were also part of the programme. One of the most popular activities was making a personal forest-inspired sauna scrub, which attracted more than 100 participants. Meanwhile, children took part in Forest Bingo and created their own fairy-tale characters using autumn leaves.
Researchers’ Night offers an opportunity each year to explore science beyond the traditional classroom setting – through hands-on activities, engaging experiences and conversations with researchers themselves. This year, too, the activities at “Silava” enabled visitors of all ages to discover the diversity of forest science and see how research helps us better understand Latvia’s natural environment and forest ecosystems.
During the event, the results of the following research projects carried out by LSFRI “Silava” were presented, including postdoctoral research projects:
Mycobiome of insect pests of Scots pine Phaenops cyanea and Pissodes spp. (No. 1.1.1.9/LZP/1/24/047),
Elaboration of tools for assessment of biodiversity and carbon turnover in long-term fast-growing woody crop (Populus spp., Salix psp., Alnus incana) plantations under different land use and climate scenarios (No. 1.1.1.9/LZP/1/24/050),
Sensor system for automated detection and monitoring of soil rutting caused by forest machinery (No. 1.1.1.9/LZP/2/25/329),
Ensuring the ecological functions of the harvested grey wolf population in managed forests (No. 1.1.1.9/LZP/1/24/041),
as well as:
Brown bear monitoring 2023–2025.
Information was also presented on the project Development of Research and Innovation Capacity at LSFRI “Silava” (2025–2029).