Bird Feeder Workshop Volunteer Event

With the traditional message “Take care, but do no harm!”, the environmental education program “EkVidO” of SIA “Rīgas meži” is launching volunteer workshops to make bird feeders together with various social groups. The workshops are intended as educational and practical activities. During the event, participants will have the opportunity to learn about proper winter feeding of birds, as well as to make safe and nature-friendly feeders with their own hands.

The aim of the initiative is to encourage society to think about responsible bird feeding and to show how to make feeders that are suitable and safe for birds. This year, the volunteer workshops will take place in cooperation with educational institutions, social centers, and other social groups.

The first event will take place on Tuesday, October 20, at 12:00 at the “EkVidO” environmental education center of “Rīgas meži”, in cooperation with the Youth House “Apīte” of the Riga Children, Youth and Family Social Support Center.

During the event, a specialist from “Rīgas meži” will explain what food is most suitable for birds and which feeders are the safest. Together with the participants, feeders will be made and later placed in various areas managed by “Rīgas meži” - forests, gardens, and parks.

About the bird feeder volunteer workshop at the “EkVidO” environmental education center of “Rīgas meži”

• •Date and time: Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 12:00 to 13:00.
• •Venue: “Rīgas meži” Environmental Education Center “EkVidO” in Tīnūži Parish, Ogre Municipality: ej.uz/zv2u
• •Other interested persons are also invited to take part in the event, but please note that the number of bird feeder blanks is limited.

Plan for the bird feeder volunteer workshops (subject to change):

• •October 22, 11:00-12:00 - bird feeder workshop in cooperation with the Day Care Center for Children with Functional Disorders of the Social Service of Ogre Municipality; venue - the “EkVidO” environmental education center of “Rīgas meži” in Tīnūži Parish, Ogre Municipality;
• •December 3, 12:00-13:00 - bird feeder workshop at Riga Zoo, at the “Zinarium” Environmental Education Center. Zoo visitors are invited to take part, but please note that the number of bird feeder blanks is limited.

More precise information and the event schedule will be available on the “Rīgas meži” website in the “News” section: rigasmezi.lv/jaunumi and/or on the “Rīgas meži” Facebook profile: facebook.com/RigasMezi

For publicity purposes, the events will be photographed and/or filmed. The visual materials obtained may be used for publicity purposes. Media representatives are invited to attend the event.

How to feed birds properly in winter

As the cold season approaches, residents want to take care of birds by placing bird feeders in nature or near their homes. But the feeders provided by people are not always safe and friendly for birds.

A properly prepared bird feeder provides easy access to food, while also protecting it from snow and moisture. The feeder’s design should be stable, with no moving parts, so that birds do not fear approaching it. It is also important to make refilling easy, as well as to adjust the size of the openings to limit access by larger birds. A bird feeder with a floor edge (threshold) and a roof prevents food from falling out and getting covered by snow.

If you want to care for birds in winter, it is important to do so properly so as not to harm the birds’ health and safety. In winter, birds need food with a high energy content to provide enough strength and warmth during the cold season. It is important to avoid salted food, as salt can harm birds’ digestive systems. Recommended food ingredients include fats and lard, which are especially suitable for tits, great spotted woodpeckers, and starlings. Unsalted sunflower seeds are a good choice. Peanuts are also popular with many birds, including tits and nuthatches. Birds can also be offered other seeds and grains, barley groats, millet, as well as dried and fresh fruit, such as apples and pears, which are enjoyed by starlings and other birds.

The “EkVidO” environmental education program of “Rīgas meži” encourages residents to take care of the bird feeders they have put out themselves, by regularly replenishing their contents and, if necessary, cleaning and restoring the structure itself.

About SIA “Rīgas meži”

“Rīgas meži” is a municipal company founded in 2008 and the fourth largest forest land manager in Latvia. The company manages approximately 63,000 hectares of forests, 453 hectares of Riga parks and green spaces, as well as 367 hectares of the “Mežaparks” culture and recreation park.

“Rīgas meži” is tasked with ensuring the sustainable management and development of these areas, preserving and increasing biodiversity, and promoting public access to natural areas.

On August 1, 2026, SIA “Rīgas Nacionālais zooloģiskais dārzs” was merged with the company in a reorganization process.

The company’s structure includes the Jugla, Katrīna, Rīga, and Tīreļi forestry units, as well as the “Norupe” tree nursery. “Rīgas meži” also carries out public environmental education by developing the environmental education center and program “EkVidO” - “EKOLOGY. ENVIRONMENT. AIR”.

The facilities and territories managed by the company are located in Riga and Jūrmala, as well as in Ādaži, Ķekava, Limbaži, Mārupe, Ogre, Olaine, Ropaži, Salaspils, and Sigulda municipalities.

“Rīgas meži” follows good corporate governance principles in its operations.