Ziedonis’ tree liberation group marks 50 years of heritage work

Latvian poet Imants Ziedonis founded the Great Tree Liberation Group 50 years ago, beginning a two-decade effort to care for the country’s cultural and historical places, LSM reported.

The group’s first work party took place on October 16 and 17 at Ungurmuiža manor. Twelve people cleared thickets from the manor park’s historic great oaks. The group, also known as the Dageri, later made about 200 expeditions.

Documentary filmmaker Zigurds Vidiņš, one of the original 12, told Latvian Radio that the first trip also included planting oaks in honour of Latvian chemist Paul Walden and forester Staņislavs Saliņš. Saliņš worked at the Forestry Ministry at the time, and his presence helped explain the purpose of the work, Vidiņš said. Other members of the first group included Andris Buikis, Māra Zālīte and Jānis Baltvilks. Anna Žīgure and Guntis Eniņš joined later.

Saliņš’s research into Latvia’s great trees inspired Ziedonis. His 1974 book, “Latvia’s Great and Rare Trees,” gave Ziedonis the impetus for the group’s work. Expeditions also covered abandoned manor centres, hillforts, and the homes and graves of notable people. The group cleaned these places and installed memorial markers. It made an average of 10 trips a month.