At the 11th International Conference of the Forest Certification Council of Latvia, special attention will be paid to the dialogue between scientists and entrepreneurs to jointly define proportionate principles for natural resource use and effectively manage environmental and economic risks in the current European context.
TIME: 29 October 2026
IN-PERSON: Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Jelgava, Akadēmijas iela 11, LV-3001
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: 9.00–16.15, arrival and registration from 8.00
ONLINE: zemeunvalsts.lv, db.lv, konferences.db.lv
WORKING LANGUAGE: Latvian and English (translation will be provided for in-person participation)
PARTICIPATION: free of charge, with prior registration
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME CONTENT:
- Fundamental principles of sustainable natural resource use and the national economy.
- Environmental protection and resource use. Principles of proportionality and parity, risks in the current situation.
- Balancing environmental, economic, and social interests in the Baltic Sea region countries and Europe.
- Interests of land-use sectors and society. The importance of cooperation opportunities and their development in the context of differing viewpoints.
PANEL DISCUSSION TOPIC: Anatomy of Resources: How to balance nature, business, and society?
CONFERENCE MOTTO: Fide, sed cui vide – Trust, but watch whom you trust.
Programme
08.00 – 09.00 Registration and morning coffee
09.00 – 09.20 Opening of the conference
- Dr. silv. Linards Sisenis, Vice-Rector for Finance at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies
- Assoc. prof., Ph.D. Baiba Jansone, Dean of the Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences, LBTU
- Māris Liopa, Chairman of the Forest Certification Council of Latvia
SESSION 1 | Fundamental principles of sustainable natural resource use and the national economy
Dr. silv. Āris Jansons, Director of the Forest Department at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia
Challenges of state forest management and the path to solutions
Dr. silv. Dagnis Dubrovskis, Sustainability Director at AS “Latvijas valsts meži”
SESSION 2 | Environmental protection and resource use. Principles of proportionality and parity,
risks in the current situation
Guntis Gūtmanis, Chairman of the Cooperation Council of Agricultural Organisations of Latvia
Jānis Švirksts, Board Member of SIA “Step Up Certification”, certification expert of the Forest Certification Council of Latvia
Dr. silv. Aldis Butlers, Researcher at LVMI “Silava”
Dr. phil., geol. Normunds Stivriņš, Professor at the Faculty of Exact Sciences and Technologies, University of Latvia
SESSION 3 | Balancing environmental, economic, and social interests in the Baltic Sea region countries and Europe
Dr. David Ellison, Senior Researcher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå
Dr. Piotr S. Mederski, professor at the University of Warmia and Mazury (University of Warmia and Mazury) in Olsztyn (Poland)
SESSION 4 | Interests of land-use sectors and society. The importance of cooperation opportunities and their development in the context of differing viewpoints
Sabīna Alta, Development Director of SIA “Laflora”, Chair of the Board of the Seedling and Peat Innovation Fund
Arnis Muižnieks, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Forest Owners' Association, member of the Council of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies
Sigita Alksne, board member of the “Latvijas Koks” association
Moderator: Māris Ķirsons, journalist at the magazine “Dienas Bizness”
Participants: representatives of sectors and science
The conference is held with the financial support of the Forest Development Fund