The red oak temporarily situated near the entrance of Riga International Coach Station has been moved and replanted at its permanent location on Ģenerāļa Radziņa Embankment. The relocation work was carried out by the joint venture RBBL, which includes AS LNK Industries and the company LABIE KOKI, as part of the integration of the Rail Baltica project into the infrastructure of central Riga.
“The relocation of the oak was a technically complex operation that lasted for nine hours. The tree weighs approximately 40 tonnes. Initially, the oak with its roots was placed on a trailer, moved 150 metres along Maskavas Street, and then planted at its new location. To facilitate the tree’s relocation, the overhead tram lines were temporarily dismantled. One of the major challenges was the necessity to relocate the tree together with its green foliage. To ensure the oak tree adapts to its new location, it will require special attention for the next three years,” explained Edgars Neilands, director of LABIE KOKI and a tree expert.
“In order for relocation of the oak to proceed smoothly during the nighttime period that was planned, the construction teams, in collaboration with several responsible city services, began preparatory work on 5 June. A corridor was cleared for the tree’s movement by relocating overhead tram lines, lowering or removing obstructing supports, and lowering certain underground utility lines. It was a collaborative effort involving multiple services and companies, assessing all possible disruptive factors and risks along the oak’s relocation path,” stated Armands Vēveris, project manager of the joint venture RBBL.
The red oak tree at Riga Coach Station is of dendrological value and is relatively rare in Latvia. It was planted in 1964 during construction of the coach station. The oak tree enhances the landscape of Riga’s historic centre and holds significant emotional and historical value in the context of the coach station. Due to the construction of Rail Baltica, the tree was relocated to a temporary location in January 2020. During this time, the Riga Coach Station team took care of the tree, ensuring it was regularly watered.
Construction works for the integration of the European-scale railway infrastructure project Rail Baltica into the infrastructure of central Riga were initiated in February. In order to ensure safe and convenient traffic around the Central Station, by the end of the year intersections will be reconstructed, and modern pedestrian, cycling and public transport infrastructure will be built.
The construction work follows the “design and build” principle and is being carried out by the joint venture RBBL, which consists of three companies: SIA Binders, AS LNK Industries, and SIA Nordes Būve.
