Regarding the FSC standard for Latvia
On 20 December, news was received that the FSC has finally approved the forest management standard for Latvia. We await the final version of the document and its translation into Latvian.
We will provide further information in due course!
Regarding hunting
At the General Meeting of the Forest Certification Council of Latvia on 21 December, the editor-in-chief of the magazine “Medības”, Linda Dombrovska, reminded attendees of the opportunity to support hunting:
### You can sign and support the future of hunting in Europe here: https://signforhunting.com/
Regarding Latvia's position on the Nature Restoration Law
Regarding issues in our sector
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a 39 million euro loan to the “Latvijas Finieris” group, according to the EIB.
The loan will help the “Latvijas Finieris” group invest in the sustainable modernisation and expansion of its production facilities, boosting the company’s growth and strengthening its market competitiveness.
Valdis is a law graduate from the Police Academy, but after becoming a forest owner himself, he turned his focus seriously to forest management. He has spent more than 10 years working at “Latvijas valsts meži” and is currently head of the Real Estate Department.
and
First, you must read the Re:Baltica article, then the comments on zemeunvalsts.lv.
“Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM) is launching experience-sharing activities among major forest managers, with the focus of this cooperation being nature conservation, both in terms of planning and in solutions for the improvement and restoration of habitats for specific protected species and habitats of European Union importance.
Forestry in Latvia is sustainable because, in areas where timber harvesting has taken place, stands are subsequently purposefully regenerated, and the annual volume of timber growth exceeds the volume of timber felled by humans and that which has naturally decayed.
As of 1 January 2023, the state fee rates for services provided by the State Forest Service will change, which will also affect the payments hunters make for permits and documents issued by the service.
Regarding policy
At today’s Cabinet meeting, an order was reviewed and approved regarding the reorganisation of the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM), as well as the establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy. Amendments to the VARAM statutes and the statutes for the Ministry of Climate and Energy have also been prepared and approved.
Behold, the result!
If you remember the cartoon about Karlsson, in which Miss Bock mentioned that you cannot watch television all day because... Behold, the result!
...the research centre SKDS conducted a survey of the Latvian population, the data from which shows that nearly 20% of the population believe that a wild animal cub can be raised as a pet, just like a dog or a cat.
Regarding interesting news
Concluding the 110th anniversary of nature conservation in Latvia, the Nature Conservation Agency has produced five short films about nature, which will premiere on 29 December at 18.00 in the creative quarter ZEIT (Gaujas iela 4, Līgatne). The screenings will be supplemented by stories from current or former nature guardians about their experiences, ranging from curious incidents to more serious matters regarding the preservation of natural values.
The “Green Certificate” was awarded to both “Ezerniekiem” and “Spārei” back in 2011, and, following nearly ninety criteria set by an expert commission, it is successfully renewed and extended every three years.
The binding regulations of the Cēsis Municipality Council “Regarding licensed fishing for salmonids in the Gauja and Brasla rivers” have come into effect, determining the procedure for organising licensed fishing in the section of the Gauja river located within the territory of Cēsis Municipality.
At the end of the year, a modern SUP, surf, and kitesurf board workshop and production facility was opened in Klapkalnciems. The project was developed in cooperation with the Rural Support Service and with co-funding from European funds, with an investment of more than 100,000 euros. The owner of the facility and project implementer, Larss Āboliņš, has himself been involved in water sports since the age of 16 – first with windsurfing, and later with kitesurfing.