On current and upcoming events
### It is possible to sign a petition “No to new protected nature areas without the provision of fair compensation!”
### Looking for a tree with a story!
### Baloži peat museum railway tours for the 2023 season
### A study on horticulture and its environmental impact by scientists from ten countries (including colleagues from Daugavpils University); we invite you to support it by participating in the survey:
### Opportunity to participate in the “European Enterprise Promotion Awards 2023” competition launched by the European Commission. Projects for the competition can be submitted until 22 June this year
https://www.em.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/aicinam-pieteikties-2023-gada-konkursam-eiropas-uznemejdarbibas-veicinasanas-balva-0
https://www.em.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/aicinam-pieteikties-2023-gada-konkursam-eiropas-uznemejdarbibas-veicinasanas-balva-0
### On 27 June, anyone interested is invited to visit the scientific institutions of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU)
https://www.llu.lv/lv/raksts/2023-06-05/lbtu-notiks-informativa-diena-zinatnieku-kongresa-zinatne-latvijai-laika
https://www.llu.lv/lv/raksts/2023-06-05/lbtu-notiks-informativa-diena-zinatnieku-kongresa-zinatne-latvijai-laika
### Hunter festival “Minhauzens 2023” in Mētriena. 4 and 5 August, when all hunters' paths will lead to the Mētriena open-air stage.
On industry news
Expanding its operations in the production of high value-added products, one of Latvia’s leading timber companies, “Stiga RM”, has begun construction of a new acoustic wood panel factory in Tukums Municipality.
Laying of the time capsule in the foundations of the future “Stiga RM” production building.
As dry weather conditions persist, fire risk in forests is increasing significantly; therefore, the State Forest Service urges complete avoidance of fire use in the forest.
On economic news
https://www.delfi.lv/komercparraides/roberts-zile-kurs-pelnis-no-latvijas-veja-parkiem.d?id=55645882
Current events in cartoons
The European Union’s goal—to achieve a 45% share of renewable energy sources in the total mix by 2030—is ambitious. It means creating new technologies and infrastructure, as well as relatively rapid political decision-making. The documents adopted at the European level—the European Green Deal, the Fit for 55 package, as well as the taxonomy, i.e., the categorization of which private investments are considered green—have all provided a stimulus for the transition to renewable energy sources, but at the same time, it is also a sign of an economic bubble, which is further influenced by the geopolitical tectonic transformation of energy resources in the context of the war triggered by Russia.
When setting European Union (EU) goals, the regional, economic, and environmental differences of each member state must be taken into account, stated Minister for Agriculture Didzis Šmits at the informal meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Stockholm, which concluded on Tuesday.
On whether the five reform points named by the Prime Minister, the implementation of which is faltering, have anything to do with the ambitious promises of an economic breakthrough.
https://www.zm.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/zemkopibas-ministrija-mekle-risinajumus-sausuma-radito-seku-mazinasanai
The inter-institutional coordination group for disaster management agreed that the Ministry of Agriculture will invite municipalities to set up designated public water extraction points so that farmers can obtain the necessary water for garden irrigation and livestock watering.
Ventspils received the main prize in the “Most Business-Friendly City 2023” category, leaving Jelgava in second place and Jūrmala in third. Meanwhile, the “Most Business-Friendly Municipality 2023” award went to Madona Municipality, with silver going to Smiltene Municipality and bronze to Jēkabpils Municipality.
Every plant enthusiast who owns a small garden has also felt the whims of spring and had sleepless nights. But that is nature, and that is also why agriculture is very unpredictable. Furthermore, plant pests and diseases are actively at work, which especially depress and threaten weakened plants. But each person can counter these threats with their own knowledge, practice, and skills.
In discussions about amendments to the Law on the Circulation of Alcoholic Beverages, the Ministry of Health quite often refers to Lithuania’s successful experience. After talking with Lithuanian colleagues, it is not entirely clear what exactly has improved in Lithuania. Alcohol consumption in Lithuania in 2021 was 12.1 litres, not counting purchases by neighbours in Latvia and Poland. In turn, in Latvia, this figure, according to calculations available from the Latvian Alcohol Industry Association (LANA), was 11.5 litres, excluding purchases by tourists.
On environmental issues
At its meeting on 13 June, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a new price list for paid public services of the Nature Conservation Agency. The changes affect visits to the Līgatne Nature Trails, the organization of events in premises owned by the agency, environmental education, and other services.
The Nature Conservation Agency’s price list had not been reviewed for 10 years. Considering that continuous improvements are taking place in the provision of environmental education services, and service costs have increased, it was necessary to raise fees for certain positions.
In accordance with the European Climate Law, the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change, established in 2021, has called on the bloc to reduce emissions by 90-95% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels.
A unique fragment of narrow-gauge railway was found by Salvis Alvaters, senior planner for the LVM Eastern Vidzeme region, while surveying stands damaged by the European spruce bark beetle. The rail fragment had once been uprooted along with the tree's root system.
Taurine cattle living in the wild—not domesticated by humans but necessary for nature—are considered livestock in the eyes of the law in Latvia and elsewhere in Europe. There are established requirements for keeping livestock: animals must be identified, registered, and have blood tests taken annually. As these requirements cannot be met, solutions are being sought at the European level.
In Latvia, the golden eagle is found very rarely; their numbers do not exceed 10 pairs. In parts of the species' distribution range in the mountains, they nest on ledges in rock faces, yet here these birds build nests in old trees found in large raised bog massifs. The birds are very sensitive to disturbance during the nesting season, especially at the beginning of nesting—from March to May.
On education issues
Last year, a rebranding took place at the LBTU, which included changes to the university’s name, strategy, and graphic identity. These have influenced overall recognition and various reputation indicators. As shown by the results of a reputation study, the university’s recognition has remained consistently very high over seven years.
Often, when thinking about higher education in the Baltic states, we imagine a handful of higher education institutions. For everyone, this list will be slightly different, but it might include the University of Latvia (LU), Riga Technical University (RTU), Vilnius University (VU), and, of course, the University of Tartu (TU), which has gained a strong image as the leading university in the region in global rankings.
On 15 June, in the library of the Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava, an open session of the Forest Science Promotion Council was held, during which Laura Ķēniņa, a scientific assistant in the forest breeding and woody plant adaptation research direction at the LSFRI Silava, defended her doctoral thesis “Carbon storage in old forest stands in hemiboreal forests on dry mineral soils”, which was developed from 2017–2022 at the Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava. The scientific supervisor of the work was leading researcher at LSFRI Silava, Dr. silv. Āris Jansons.
On successful works
This week, the forecourt of the Dailes Theatre will experience its long-awaited opening. It has been restored and improved, and with this, there is a new, modern, and comfortable public space in the city centre that plays elegantly with the theatre and provides an opportunity for pleasant relaxation for everyone.
The historical Hāmanis Manor in Āgenskalns has been restored. The building complex will henceforth house co-working spaces and a kindergarten. The new owners of the manor spent a total of four years on restoration work to return the partially burnt building to its historical appearance. Although the owners of the manor are satisfied with what has been achieved, they admit that there was no shortage of challenges in the building's restoration.
The railway track from Ērgļi to Riga is relatively straight, mostly with a hard gravel surface, but in places it is used for logging work, so it can be uneven. The former railway section is marked along its entire length using railway sleepers, but along the way, it is possible to learn about the history of this railway track on information stands near former stations. Although trains ran here as early as the beginning of the 20th century, for example, the Kangari station (Ropaži Municipality) was only built in 1937.
Currently, the ground floor of the station is open to visitors by prior appointment and also hosts cultural events. Other stations are gradually being revived—Taurupe and Suntaži, the latter of which was purchased two years ago at an auction by the Ķemzāns family from Mārupe. The station building and its annexes have already received a new roof and facades. The owners have the idea of setting up a SPA hotel here. Landscaping work in the surrounding area is also taking place, and there will be an area where bicycles can be conveniently parked.
On the unacceptable
The Competition Council identified seven procurements regarding which a prohibited agreement took place, with a total contract sum of 24,762,000 euros.
Four procurements were related to the reconstruction, surface renewal, rebuilding, or pavement reconstruction of state main roads. Two procurements were related to the rebuilding or pavement reconstruction of state regional roads, and one procurement was related to the surface renewal of a local road.
As previously publicly announced, according to the evidence obtained in the pre-trial process and indicated in the indictment, the members of the organized group purchased 974 kilograms of hashish outside of Latvia and hid it in a cargo of construction materials so that the hashish would not be detected by customs control when bringing the cargo into the European Union.
On various (colourful) events
But the coin also has a flip side, which leads to quite sad reflections on what the culture of public behaviour is in general and the understanding of what is right or wrong and what is good or bad. There are many well-known unwritten laws or norms of behaviour that practically every member of society follows...
Quite recently, a monograph by Doctor of History Guntis Zemītis was published with a title that is (unfortunately) very understandable today—“Security aspects in Latvian history”. Anyone who has already read the book or will read it will evaluate for themselves what is useful, yet it seemed subjectively interesting to me that topics relevant to the second decade of the 21st century are actually not new. And that, in turn, once again raises the question of whether we learn anything from history. And if not, why.
The long-inhabited place has left no traces in folklore or in the oral stories of the neighbourhood. Its beginning and end will probably remain a secret.
In the renaming of toponyms of the communist totalitarian regime and Russification, the Public Memory Centre has managed to achieve the change of only 22 street names in two years. These make up about 15% of the 145 toponyms to be renamed, the list of which the centre submitted to the President last year. If such a slow pace continues, it will be possible to get rid of the consequences of occupation and Russification in toponyms in 2030. Latvia is becoming dual. Alūksne, Ādaži, South Kurzeme, Krāslava, Līvāni, Ogre, Rēzekne, Saldus, and Valka municipalities ensured that there are no longer any toponyms of the communist totalitarian regime or Russification in these municipalities. There is active debate about renaming in Aizkraukle and Preiļi municipalities.
...I truly believe: no matter how harsh the environment of social platforms may be, it does not really restrict freedom of speech in Latvia. To put it very concisely—no one is forcibly pressuring anyone to participate in these platforms and enjoy the verbal attacks of dear fellow citizens. After all, there is an option to block the most aggressive characters. If anyone believes that the intolerance so often encountered on the web truly limits his or her ability to express themselves, then I can remind you that in totalitarian systems, including the USSR, an unwanted opinion could end in a real prison sentence or ending up in a psychiatric hospital.
https://www.diena.lv/raksts/diena-citi/karikaturista-skats/ugunsbistamiba-mezos-loti-augsta-14300716