13-19 April - Zeme un valsts
11th LMSP International Conference in 10 days, 29 October. Learn more ›

Weekly review

10-16 October
3-9 October
26 September – 2 October
19–25 September
12-18 September
5-11 September
29 August – 4 September
22-28 August
15–21 August
8–14 August
1–7 August
25–31 July
18–24 July
11-17 July
4–10 July
27 June – 3 July
20–26 June
13–19 June
6–12 June
30 May – 5 June

Poll

In recent weeks, both in the Saeima and the Cabinet of Ministers, the thesis has been heard once again: “We must act this way, otherwise there will be penalties, infringement procedures, etc.” Often, such a pseudo-argument completely excludes reasonable disputes, discussions, or alternatives, forcing those responsible to make decisions hastily and not always in the interests of Latvia. Why is that?
Old habits are hardening - someone somewhere knows better, let us rely on them
Lack of sufficient capacity or laziness to defend a different point of view
A generation of cabinet officials has been created who are accustomed to accepting rather than delving into matters
This is a serious problem for Latvia for which no solution is being sought. It will probably be all right somehow...

A lighter note

“Why are the trees here so big?”

VIDEO

Will Finland's sand battery revolutionise energy storage?
Collector coin “Chestnut”
Trees on agricultural land – perennial plantations, short-rotation coppice or agroforestry?!

13-19 April

Zemeunvalsts.lv | 19.04.2024

A note by way of introduction, concerning the cover image for this week's review. While we appreciate the press representative's irony, everything experienced so far suggests the opposite — namely, that he is confirming (and doing so in all seriousness) the well-founded suspicions about the aim and intent of the message put out yesterday.

Hardly the first time!

Worth knowing! On upcoming events

The "Ziedu ceļos" campaign runs from 1 February to 30 Octobermammadaba.lv

From 11 April to 2 June, the environmental campaign "Dod riepām otru dzīvi" (Give tyres a second life)
zemeunvalsts.lv

On 20 April, the 6th Vimba Festival in Bauska
zemeunvalsts.lv · sestajos vimbu svetkos bauska aktualizes udens piesarnojuma…

Voting for the Natura 2000 Award is open until 25 April, including for a Latvian project
varam.gov.lv · latvianature ieklust eiropas komisijas prestiza apbalvojuma…

On 26 April, "The Forest Comes to Jelgava"
zemeunvalsts.lv · jelgava un latvijas meza nozare gimenes bernus un jauniesus…

On 26 and 30 April, the seminar "Sustainability in the Peat Industry", parts I and II

The 20th Latvian Plant Parade on 4 and 5 May in Sigulda
zemeunvalsts.lv · 20 latvijas stadu parade sogad notiks 4 un 5 maija

Until 12 May, candidates may be nominated for the European Commission's "EU Organic Awards" competition for organic producers who have developed outstanding, innovative, sustainable and inspiring projects that create real added value for organic production and consumption.
zm.gov.lv · zm aicina latvijas lauksaimniekus un partikas razotajus lidz…

Latvian Forest Days – 24 and 25 May
lvm.lv · 7345 latvijas meza dienas aicina pieteikties sadarbibas part…

Following the Constitutional Court's ruling

zm.gov.lv · zemkopibas ministrijas skaidrojums meza ipasniekiem un koksn…
The State Forest Service will carefully assess each case individually. There are no plans to revoke the certificates as of a single specific date. Each case will be assessed separately, a decision will be taken on each felling certificate to be revoked, and the forest owner will be notified of it. Information on revoked certificates will also be available in the public register of issued certificates on the State Forest Service website.

vmd.gov.lv · valsts meza dienests veiks parbaudes 5874 mezaudzes 0
The State Forest Service has begun implementing the Constitutional Court's judgment, which requires the revocation of those tree-felling certificates for cutting areas in which the mean diameter values have been declared invalid. According to the State Forest Register, checks are to be carried out in 5,874 forest stands. They are due to be completed by 15 May 2024.

Official announcements

zm.gov.lv · pieskir 34 miljonus eiro atbalstu lauksaimniecibas attistiba…
Support of 23.5 million euros is earmarked for the partial repayment of loan interest for primary agricultural producers, agricultural and forestry cooperative societies, businesses engaged in processing agricultural products, and those engaged in fisheries, aquaculture or the processing of such products.

As of 11 April this year, licensed angling is no longer being organised on Lake Lielauce, which is managed by AS "Latvijas valsts meži". The lake will henceforth be freely available for angling like any other body of water with public status.
 
varam.gov.lv · digitalizets process piesarnotu un potenciali piesarnotu vie…
Data on contaminated and potentially contaminated sites in Latvia has until now been kept in paper form in several archives and storage facilities; digitising this data is a significant step that will make information about these sites conveniently and quickly available to everyone online.
 
Industry matters on the radio. Were we expecting anything else?

lsm.lv · 18.04.2024 kapec valsts mezu izmantosana toni nosaka koku ci…
Tension continues to grow between environmental campaigners and the forestry business over one of Latvia's natural riches – its forests – with the industry seeking to hold up a decision by politicians.

Industry matters (as usual in the sector)
One of the priorities of the European Green Deal and the EU Biodiversity Strategy is to promote the restoration of biodiversity, including in forests. The strategy highlights sustainable forest management as one of the important nature-based tools in tackling climate change.
 
zm.gov.lv · meza dienu vilnis par latviju
A strong, well-tended forest underpins the vitality and prosperity of society, both in Latvia's rural regions and in the capital. A public that is knowledgeable about and engaged in what happens in the forest, in turn, fosters the balanced development and growth of this important sector of the national economy. To improve public understanding of forest matters, a series of educational public events will once again be held in Latvia this year, as is traditional.

zemeunvalsts.lv · 2023 gads rigas mezos turpinajums stabilai un ilgtspejigai i…
In 2023, SIA "Rīgas meži" successfully delivered on its budget and met the financial targets set by its owner, Riga City Council, ensuring the company's financial stability and sustainable development – so states the company's annual report, approved at the shareholders' meeting on 15 April.
 
These days many of the foresters working for the State Forest Service are well advanced in years. Many young specialists, meanwhile, are being lured away to the private sector, confirmed Inita Avotiņa, head of the Forest Service's Human Resources Department.

zemeunvalsts.lv · vai pastav viduscels starp zalo kursu un meza ipasnieku pras…
An unfair compensation system, the risk of job losses and bureaucratic regulatory requirements – these are just some of the problems that have prompted widespread protests in Latvia's forest sector and dissatisfaction with the existing arrangements. While decision-makers are still searching for a happy medium between the European Union's Green Deal and the demands of forest owners, the private sector has already found a proportionate solution that provides for both nature protection and the opportunity to make a profit, while allowing the true value of forests to be recognised.

jauns.lv · 602186 kas notiek ar smerla mezu skaidro apsaimniekotajs
Given public interest in the tending of Šmerlis Forest, Rīgas meži has provided an update on the work completed and planned across an area of roughly 70 hectares.

On the economy and money

In 2023, Latvia's investment climate as rated by investors reached its lowest ever value – 1.9 points out of 5, a drop of 0.4 points compared with the 2022 measurements, according to a study carried out by the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga and the Foreign Investors' Council in Latvia.
 
Latvia could become the first European Union country to end economic cooperation with Russia and Belarus...
 
With the smart energy sector developing rapidly, the French onshore wind turbine foundation design company "CTE Wind International" is starting operations in Latvia.
 
Given the steadily growing global demand for pea protein, the area sown with peas in Latvia has doubled over the past five years. Whereas 13,900 hectares were sown in 2019, last year the figure was already 37,600 hectares.
 
diena.lv · kur rodas nauda 14315658
The initiative group Kuram tas rūp? has decided to get back to basics – to ask some very simple questions and try to find answers to them, because when these simple things are forgotten, values get turned on their head and what matters is left behind what does not.
 
On our sorry roads
The funding planned for the coming years will make it impossible to achieve improvements to the national road network...

On environmental matters

varam.gov.lv · latvija ir apmeram 1 miljons tonnu azbestu saturosa sifera
Although the manufacture, marketing and use of asbestos-containing materials has been banned in the European Union (EU) for several decades, and asbestos-containing waste is classified as hazardous waste, such materials are still widely found in Latvian households.
 
The European Union is increasingly seeking to embed in practice the community's fundamental waste management principles – first and foremost not generating waste, then reusing or recycling it.
 
The project provides for scientific research along the Salaca from Staicele to its mouth at the sea, the drawing up of a nature protection plan, the restoration of fast-flowing stretches and a range of other measures.

lsm.lv · 16.04.2024 petnieks jebkura suga kurai vajadzigi lieli mezu…
Six owl species nest regularly in Latvia. The most common is the tawny owl, followed by the long-eared owl, while Ural owls, pygmy owls, Tengmalm's owls and eagle owls are considerably rarer sights.
 
On 27 April, Jelgava will host its first ever underwater clean-up – divers, working with the association "Par zaļo enerģiju" and the student council of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, will organise a clean-up of the bed of the Driksa. More than 20 divers have already confirmed their participation in the underwater clean-up, but divers and helpers on the bank can still sign up.

On various buildings and streets
 
 
What is to be done with the state-owned historic Mežotne Palace in Bauska district, which has stood unused for three years now and is running at a loss, while auctions of the lease rights have concluded without result? An initiative group gathered at the palace to find a way out of the situation. The Ministry of Culture dispelled fears that the palace might be sold – a working group has already been set up to resolve the situation. Meanwhile, Rundāle Palace Museum expressed its readiness to take on the care of the palace, though it would need an additional 300,000 euros a year to do so.

jauns.lv · 601620 lielais jautajums ko iesakt ar stura maju
Many take the view that this property must not be sold, as the building is highly significant in our history and a museum ought to be set up there. Hence the Big Question: "What is to be done with the Corner House?"

jvmm.lv · egas ielas stasts
Jelgava's streets have been renamed many times over the course of history. There is one street whose name was of unclear origin for a long time – the small Egas Street, which contains only private houses and not a single public building.

The news in cartoons

lasi.lv · zime gatis sluka pieteikumu rinda uz satversmes tiesu

lasi.lv · zime romans vitkovskis pats galvenais neparspilet

lsm.lv · 13.04.2024 karikaturista skats atbildigo meklejumi.a550193

diena.lv · lena piegade pret alkoholismu 14316009

diena.lv · putnu verotaji kremli 14316211

diena.lv · degvielas uzpildes stacijas turpinas tirgot alkoholu 1431627…

lasi.lv · zime romans vitkovskis pats galvenais neparspilet
 
 

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