A VMD record for a single compartment carries more than 25 cryptic short-coded fields. Without a key, the document is unreadable. This guide walks through a real example — cadastre 62720050379 in Padures parish — and shows how those codes turn into a euro figure.
VMD field reference: how this guide is organised
A VMD record for a single forest compartment carries more than 25 fields, most of them compact numbers with no label: `S10=1`, `A10=152`, `G10=16`, `H10=27`, `D10=41`, `BV10=0`, `ZKAT=10`. This reference groups each field by purpose — identification, legal category, species composition, stand dimensions, damage, obligations, restrictions. Every section stands on its own. You don't need to read from the top to look something up.
What a VMD record is and how to obtain one
The State Forest Service (Valsts meža dienests, VMD) maintains Meža valsts reģistrs — the public register of every forest in Latvia. Each compartment (nogabals) has a unique entry in the register with a full set of attributes: species, age, dimensions, damage, activity history and regulatory obligations.
There are four ways to obtain a record. The most common is through the personal account at vmd.gov.lv via eParaksts or Smart-ID; free of charge, PDF download. The second is a certified copy from a regional VMD branch, which buyers typically require for a cirsma (felling rights) contract. The third is the public search on the VMD website by cadastre number, which without login shows only a limited subset of fields. The fourth is the quarterly open-data dump on data.gov.lv in SHP/DBF format covering all private and state-owned compartments — this is the source MezaData runs on.
Most owners only encounter a record at the moment of a transaction or sanitary felling request. Pulling your own record once a year is worth doing as a routine control.
Structural fields: ID, kadastrs, kvart, nogabals
These are the keys that identify a compartment and link it to other registers. `id` is the internal identifier in the register, unique within a block and stable across releases. `kadastrs` (Kadastra apzīmējums) is the cadastre number of the land parcel the compartment belongs to; a single cadastre can hold hundreds of compartments, and the connection to the Land Book (Zemesgrāmata) runs through this number. `kvart` (kvartāls) is a VMD administrative unit inside a forestry district with geographic boundaries, typically a 1 km × 1 km rectangle in a standardised grid. `nogabals` is the compartment number within a block, unique to each natural zone with a homogeneous stand.
Full addressing of any plot follows the pattern `region/adm1/adm2/kvart/nogabals` — for example, `kurzemes/Kuldīgas novads/Padures pagasts/272/15`.
ZKAT: zone category
The `zkat` field defines what the compartment actually is. It is the first check before any valuation: if a cadastre covers 100 ha but only 60% sits in ZKAT=10, the merchantable area is 60 ha, not 100. The remaining 40 ha — categories 14, 21, 31 — rewrite the revenue model entirely.
| Code | Description | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Mežaudze | Active forest stand, normal commercial zone. The main category for cirsma and other transactions. 62% of all private compartments. |
| 12 | Atmiruša mežaudze | Stand killed by insects, disease or wind. Usually requires sanitary felling. |
| 14 | Izcirtums | Freshly cleared area. After cirsma, the compartment moves into this category. 4% of private compartments. |
| 21–23 | Pārējās meža platības | Glades, gaps, in-forest roads. |
| 31, 32, 34 | Non-forest zone | Dirt roads, drainage, infrastructure. |
| 41–42 | Reserve / special | Military, research. |
Species composition: S10, S11, S12
A forest stand is rarely a single species. VMD distinguishes four tree layers — primary through quaternary — recording species, age and dimensions for each. The `s10` field is the species of the dominant (first) layer, the stand's main tree. `s11` is the secondary species in the same first layer: for example, 70% pine and 30% spruce. `s12` through `s14` cover the third and fourth layers, most often understory (bird cherry, rowan, juniper). For volume and assortment calculations, only the first two codes matter in practice.
VMD species codes:
| Code | Latin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pinus sylvestris | Pine (Priede) |
| 3 | Picea abies | Spruce (Egle) |
| 4 | Betula pendula / B. pubescens | Birch (Bērzs) |
| 6 | Populus tremula | Aspen (Apse) |
| 8 | Alnus glutinosa | Black alder (Melnalksnis) |
| 9 | Alnus incana | Grey alder (Baltalksnis) |
| 10 | Quercus robur | Oak (Ozols) |
| 11 | Fraxinus excelsior | Ash (Osis) |
| 12 | Tilia cordata | Lime (Liepa) |
| 16 | Salix species | Willow (Vītols) |
| 21 | Acer platanoides | Maple (Kļava) |
| 24 | Carpinus betulus | Hornbeam (Skābardis) |
A record showing `s10=1, s11=3` means the stand is dominated by pine with a meaningful spruce admixture in the first layer.
A10: age of the dominant stand
`a10` records the first-layer age in years, measured against Silava growth tables on a sample stem during inventory. If `a10` is at or above the regulatory rotation age, the stand is classified as mature and final felling is permitted under plan. Below that threshold only thinnings and sanitary felling are allowed.
Reference rotation ages under Latvian law (Meža likums — MK noteikumi Nr. 935 holds a different table, the felling diameter):
Ages follow the Forest Law; the same values are wired into the MezaData calculator. Note the species codes: `s10=6` is black alder and `s10=8` is aspen, not the other way round.
- Pine (`s10=1`): 101 years (site index I–III), 121 years (IV and below).
- Spruce (`s10=3`): 81 years.
- Birch (`s10=4`): 71 years (site index I–III), 51 years (IV and below).
- Black alder (`s10=6`): 71 years.
- Aspen (`s10=8`): 41 years.
- Grey alder (`s10=9`): no statutory main-felling age.
- Oak (`s10=10`): 101 years (site index I), 121 years (II and lower).
G10, H10, D10: stand dimensions
These three fields together set both the standing volume and the assortment mix. `g10` is the total basal area of stems per hectare (m²/ha), typically in the 10–35 range. `h10` is the mean height of dominant stems in metres, typically 15–35. `d10` is the mean stem diameter at 1.3 m in centimetres, typically 10–50.
The most consequential of the three is `d10`, because it determines which assortment the wood goes into. MezaData uses two assortment boundaries: D10 ≥ 30 cm and D10 < 20 cm. At D10 ≥ 30 cm, the bulk of pine flows into premium sawlog (€90–105/m³ at the mill gate; less on the stump, since harvesting and haulage come out of it). At D10 < 20 cm, almost everything goes to pulpwood and firewood (€30–40/m³ at the gate). MezaData's own valuation prices timber on the stump rather than at the gate, so our figure will always sit below the market prices quoted here. The gap between those two states for the same stand can easily produce a threefold difference in price.
Computing standing volume: V = G × H × F
Volume of wood per hectare in cubic metres is computed as:
V (m³/ha) = G10 × H10 × F
where F is the form factor: pine, spruce, oak and larch carry F = 0.45; birch, alders and aspen carry F = 0.42; mixed stands carry F = 0.40.
Example: pine with G10=22 and H10=29 yields V = 22 × 29 × 0.45 = 287 m³/ha. That is the gross standing stock on the stump. To arrive at merchantable volume, three loss groups come off: transport losses (top trims, breakage during felling) at 5–8%; sorting losses (low-quality wood, knots) at 10–15%; and a minimum-diameter cut-off (anything under 6 cm is non-commercial, depending on species). On average the net merchantable share works out to 80–85% of gross stock. For the example above that gives 287 × 0.82 ≈ 235 m³/ha of merchantable timber.
BV10: damage
The `bv10` field (bojājumu veids) is the damage code for the primary layer. A value of `0` means "no damage". Anything else is a flag worth investigating, because every code feeds into the assortment mix — damaged logs drop into pulpwood at a discount.
| Group | Codes | Damage type |
|---|---|---|
| 1xx | 100, 110, 120 | Windthrow, snow break, ice load |
| 2xx | 200, 210 | Fire |
| 3xx | 300, 310, 320 | Animal damage (beavers, moose, mice) |
| 4xx | 400, 410 | Abiotic (frost, drought) |
| 5xx | 500, 510, 511, 514, 515 | Insects (including spruce bark beetle — typically 514, 515) |
| 6xx | 600, 620, 621, 624, 625, 631 | Fungal disease, rot |
| 7xx | 700 | Anthropogenic (damage from management activity) |
| 8xx | 800 | Undetermined |
| 9xx | 900 | Other |
Concretely: `bv10=621` is heart rot, typical for mature spruce; `bv10=515` is bark beetle on spruce; `bv10=100` is windthrow.
JAATJAUNO and ATJ_GADS: regeneration obligations
After main felling or natural mortality, the compartment moves into category `zkat=14` (izcirtums), and Article 21 of Meža likums obliges the owner to regenerate it. The deadline comes from Cabinet Regulation No. 308, point 4: five calendar years after the year of felling, or ten years on wet site types. The register tracks that obligation through three fields.
`jaatjauno` is a flag (1/0) for whether regeneration is required. `atj_gads` is the year by which regeneration must be completed; a value of 0 means no obligation exists. `plant_audz` is a flag (1/0) for whether the stand was planted artificially, as opposed to natural regeneration.
Failing to meet a regeneration obligation triggers a fine under Article 51(10) of Meža likums, up to 100 fine units (€500) for an individual and up to €1,000 for a legal entity, plus forced regeneration at the owner's cost. When buying a cadastre, both fields should be checked at once: if `jaatjauno=1` and `atj_gads` is already in the past, the new owner is inheriting an overdue liability.
P_CIRP and P_DARBG: management activity history
These fields record what has been done to the stand and when. `p_cirp` is the year of the last planned felling; `p_cirp=2018` means the last felling was eight years ago. `p_darbg` (pēdējās darbības gads) is the year of any last activity on the compartment: in our sample, 821,326 compartments have `p_darbg=0` (no activity recorded), while 114,407 had their last activity recorded in 2025. `p_darbv` is the activity type, covering main felling, thinning, sanitary felling, planting and road work.
Together these three fields act as a stand-fatigue proxy. If a cadastre shows `p_darbg=2018` and the same record carries a mature spruce stand with `bv10=515` (bark beetle), the stand has most likely already degraded. A fresh on-site walk is required before any deal under those conditions.
ZKAT vs MT: forest type is not a legal category
The `mt` field (meža tips) is often confused with `zkat`, but the two describe different things. `zkat` is the legal category — whether the zone is an active stand, a clear-cut or infrastructure. `mt` is the Silava soil-and-climate typology, indicating which species will be most productive on a given site.
Regeneration plans after felling have to follow `mt` rather than the owner's preferred species. On a wet `mt` site a pine planting will not survive, no matter how attractive next-rotation economics look on a spreadsheet.
- 1–4 — dry forests on sandy soils (priežu mežs);
- 5–8 — fresh loamy forests (egles, bērza mežs);
- 9–14 — wet and bog (purvāji);
- 15–20 — floodplain and waterlogged.
SAIMN_D_IE: management restrictions
The `saimn_d_ie` field is not a simple flag but a code from the VMD APROB classifier that signals how strong the management restriction is: 1 — all forestry activity banned; 2 — final and tending felling banned; 3 — final felling banned; 4 — clear-cut banned; 5 — seasonal ban; 6 — no restrictions. The reason behind a restriction varies: nature protection zones (specially protected territories, Natura 2000), water-protection buffer strips, biotopes and micro-reserves (oak groves, beaver settlements, bird nesting sites), or buffer zones around archaeological monuments.
A value of 6 means there is no restriction — that is the majority of compartments. If the code is 1 to 5, the record should detail the specific restriction. When buying a compartment with an active restriction, expect a price discount: the stricter the ban (the lower the code), the larger the discount off the base value.
A real example: cadastre 62720050379, Padures parish
In our VMD dataset, cadastre 62720050379 contains 98 main compartments. Take one of the oldest — a 152-year-old pine in the first layer.
| Field | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| `region` | kurzemes | Kurzeme |
| `adm1` | Kuldīgas novads | Kuldīga novads |
| `adm2` | Padures pagasts | Padure parish |
| `zkat` | 10 | Active forest stand |
| `s10` | 1 | Pine |
| `a10` | 152 | 152 years (well above the 100-year regulatory threshold — mature pine with a premium for stem thickness) |
| `g10` | 16 | 16 m²/ha basal area |
| `h10` | 27 | 27 m mean height |
| `d10` | 41 | 41 cm mean diameter (premium sawlog territory) |
| `nog_plat` | 0.82 | 0.82 ha compartment area |
| `bv10` | 0 | No damage |
| `jaatjauno` | 0 | No regeneration obligation |
| `gtf` | 2021 | Last inventory — 2021 |
| `p_cirp` | 22 | Activity code |
| `mt` | 9 | Forest type |
Volume follows directly from the formula: V = 16 × 27 × 0.45 = 194 m³/ha. Total compartment volume is 194 × 0.82 = 159 m³. At D10=41 cm, premium assortment typically accounts for around 75% (€95–105/m³), standard for 20%, and pulpwood for 5%; weighted together that lands at about €85/m³. Gross stumpage revenue from this single compartment is 159 × €85 = €13,500.
That is one compartment out of 98. Across the full 171.5 ha cadastre, revenue scales into seven figures. The number our calculator returns is €1,047,967 on the "mid" scenario.
FAQ
How often is the VMD record refreshed for my compartment?
The state register is updated quarterly, but each compartment is re-inventoried on average only every 8–10 years. Between field rounds, actual conditions and the registered state can drift, especially after windthrows, pest outbreaks or unrecorded private felling. If a record shows `gtf=2018`, the real age and condition in 2026 are eight years out of step with the document.
What if the record contains an error?
A correction can be requested at a regional VMD branch with supporting documents — a fresh independent forest taxation report, photographs. The procedure takes 30–60 days. Until the correction is accepted, the existing register data remain the official source.
I don't see `gtf` in my record — what is that field?
`gtf` (gada taksācijas fonds) is the year of the last forest taxation (inventory) for the compartment. It sometimes appears under another name — `takse_gads`, `inventarizacijas_gads`. If the field is missing, fall back on `p_darbg` or the document's issue date.
What does an "inventory" actually involve on the ground?
A VMD inventory officer walks the compartment, selects 8–12 sample trees, measures their diameter and height, and reads age from a stem core. Mean values for G, H, D and A across the whole compartment are derived from those samples. It is a statistical sample, not a full enumeration — so the real stand differs from the recorded one by ±10–15%.
Why are G10/H10/D10 in my record whole numbers with no decimals?
The printed VMD record rounds to whole numbers for readability. The geospatial open-data dumps may carry decimal values. The rounding error on volume is around 2–3% — not material for valuation.
Sources
- VMD (Valsts meža dienests) — register field specification 2024 (vmd.gov.lv).
- Meža likums, the main-felling age table — statutory rotation ages (likumi.lv).
- Silava (Latvian Forest Research Institute "Silava", Latvijas Valsts mežzinātnes institūts "Silava") — site index tables, forest type typology.
- Meža likums, Article 21 (regeneration obligation) and Article 51(10) (fine) (likumi.lv).
- Cabinet Regulation No. 308 "Meža atjaunošanas, meža ieaudzēšanas un plantāciju meža noteikumi", point 4 — regeneration deadline (likumi.lv).
- VMD Meža valsts reģistrs, release 2026 Q2 (our sample: 3,054,862 compartments; cadastre 62720050379 — real example).
Disclaimer
This article is a reference guide to interpreting VMD record fields and does not replace an official VMD consultation on a specific document. Before any transaction, always verify the record against the actual condition of the parcel through an independent forest taxation. All numbers cited from the register are a snapshot at the 2026 Q2 release date; your data at the moment of reading may differ.