Foresters of the State Forest Enterprise (VMU) remind that preparation for a trip to the forest should begin at home, according to a VMU press release.
The most important thing – homework
According to VMU Forestry Department senior specialist Viktoras Karašauskis, anyone can get lost in the forest, regardless of age or experience. However, the risk of getting lost is greatly reduced by prior preparation and the ability to observe the surroundings.
He says that before going to the forest, it is worth telling your relatives which forest area you will go to, where you will leave your car, and when you plan to return. Such information can be very important if a person does not return at the agreed time.
The forester urges to take care of the phone as well – its battery should be fully charged. It is necessary to set the location display function on the phone. It is useful to download offline maps (“Google Maps” or “Maps.me”) in advance, as mobile or internet signals may be weak in deeper forest areas.
“It is recommended to go to the forest dressed in brighter clothes. People dressed like this are easier to spot both by forest visitors and search teams. Camouflage-colored clothes should be avoided. If lost, it is important to stay dry and not get cold. If clothes are wet, the situation becomes much more dangerous,” says V. Karašauskis.
According to him, the backpack of someone preparing to pick mushrooms or berries should contain water, snacks, regularly used medicines, as well as a flashlight, a fire source, and an external phone battery.
How to orient yourself in the forest
In the forest, according to V. Karašauskis, it is important not to rely solely on the phone. One of the most reliable landmarks in state forests is the quarter posts.
“Forests are divided into quarters, which are crossed by clearings and quarter lines. Posts with numbers can be found near them. The numbers of adjacent quarters increase from west to east and from north to south, so their arrangement can be used to determine the cardinal directions,” explains V. Karašauskis.
According to him, quarter lines in forests are usually no longer than a kilometer, so by walking straight you can reach a line where there will be a quarter post. Moving further along the quarter line, it is usually possible to find a path, a larger road, or a settlement.
The direction of settlements can be helped by the sounds of cars or trains, so if lost, it is recommended to listen carefully to the surroundings.
According to the forester, if you do not have a compass with you and due to poor internet in the forest it is not possible to download mobile compass apps, nature itself helps to determine the cardinal directions.
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“The bark on the northern side of trees is usually rougher, and on the southern side of birches – whiter and cleaner. Also, pine trunks on the northern side darken more after rain, and moss and lichens more often grow on trees, stones, wooden or tiled roofs. Ant hills can also help with orientation: ants usually build them on the southern side of trees, stumps, or bushes, and their northern slope is steeper. It is also worth knowing that in spring snow melts faster on the southern slopes of hills, which also green earlier,” shares the forester with advice.
According to him, orientation can also be helped by the “Geoportal.lt” and REGIA systems, where forest quarter lines and clearings can be seen and which work without mobile connection.
The most important thing – stay calm
If, however, you cannot find your way back, the most important thing, according to the forester, is not to panic and not to go in any direction hoping to randomly recognize a place. It is best to call relatives or the general emergency number 112.
It is important for rescuers to describe as accurately as possible the place where you were last – that is why it is so important to remember where you parked your car and in which direction you went. Also, according to the forester, you should try to preserve your phone battery as long as possible.
When a search is underway, it is recommended for the lost person to be in open areas – this way it will be easier to spot them both on the ground and from a helicopter with an infrared detector.
If you have to sleep in the forest, the speaker recommends not lying directly on the ground – make at least some insulation from cold and moisture from branches.
V. Karašauskis points out that Lithuanian forests are not inherently dangerous places.
“You can already encounter the occasional bear or other wild animals in Lithuanian forests, but they usually avoid people, so our forests are basically safe. I do not recall a case where a wild animal attacked a person in the forest. The greatest threat when lost arises not from animals, but from fatigue, bad weather, or inappropriate clothing,” he adds.
A safe walk in the forest starts with responsible planning. Inform your relatives where you are going, take the necessary items, observe the surroundings, and do not overestimate your knowledge of the familiar area. Such preparation helps to enjoy the forest calmly and confidently and return from it with a full basket of goodies.
