Until midnight on 28 February, there is an opportunity to vote for the European Tree of the Year by supporting our Sēja Oak: https://www.treeoftheyear.org/lv/vote
On current and upcoming events
### You can still sign for the future of hunting in Europe: https://signforhunting.com/
### On 1 March, an information event will be held on the online platform TEAMS regarding the 2021–2027 INTERREG EUROPE interregional cooperation programme and its second project call
### Daugavpils University's Annual Awards in science and the awards ceremony on 14 March
### Latvian Forest Days in Tērvete. 26 and 27 May: https://www.lvm.lv/jaunumi/6761-meza-nozime-cina-ar-klimata-parmainam-si-gada-tema-latvijas-meza-dienas
### Student society Šalkone's 100th anniversary celebration on 16 June
On industry-related issues
Tensions in Latvian agriculture continue to rise. Compounding the complications associated with the import of cheaper Ukrainian eggs is a drop in milk procurement prices. Simultaneously, high inflation is eroding the purchasing power of the population, making the issue of mark-ups in Latvian retail increasingly topical. Regarding what the current situation is and what options exist for resolving these complications.
I believe that continuing to carry out my duties as an independent board member at JSC “Latvijas valsts meži” is no longer possible. I cannot accept the persistent attempts by various questionable business figures, political organisations, and unreasonably respected pseudo-experts to discredit the reputation of both the company and its employees (myself and my fellow board members included) in various and often unlawful ways.
https://neatkariga.nra.lv/komentari/maris-krautmanis-3/406580-grafa-kantoris-ized-no-amata-profesionalu-cilveku
One might think: “So what? It is hardly a surprise that a board member at a state-owned enterprise decides to leave their post.” However, the matter is much more serious than it might seem at first glance. We are talking about quite ugly political pressure, aggressive lobbying, and perhaps even corrupt methods used by political parties or business groups to squeeze certain benefits out of the state for themselves.
Average forest property prices in Latvia continue to rise, yet a large proportion of owners are not becoming wildly wealthy from transactions. According to data from the monthly “Rural Property Market Index” compiled by the real estate agency “Latio”, in the first months of this year, half of the owners sold their property below market price.
Wooden furniture with a total value of 238.034 million euros was exported from Latvia in 2022, including 68.212 million euros to Denmark, which accounts for 28.7% (compared to 28.3% the year prior) of total wooden furniture exports and is an 8.2% increase compared to 2021.
The current market situation is affected by inflation, costs for electricity, fuel, and other energy sources, the war in Ukraine, and lower market demand.
Kronus experts explain that due to the unexpectedly warm winter, wood fuel prices continue to decrease. Meanwhile, while prices for finished goods remain under pressure from weak demand, timber prices have hit rock bottom and are starting to rise again for at least some assortments.
ZAZA TIMBER carried out the manufacturing of glued timber structures and the construction of bridge wooden structures. Part of the work took place in Latvia – we transported the 29.5 m long bridge sides to Sweden already assembled.
On 17 February, the annual general meeting of the members of the Latvian Association of Independent Timber Producers (LNMA) took place.
On the important matters at Daugavpils University
“Diminishing the capacity and ability of Daugavpils University to serve as the city’s command centre, effectively shutting down the largest regional university on Latvia's border – that is a matter of national security,” believes Daugavpils University Vice-Rector Arvīds Barševskis. The Ministry of Education and Science – without explanation, without a concept, but with the unconditional approach of an armoured vehicle – decided that Daugavpils University (DU) must be merged with the University of Latvia (LU).
Pleasure in our colleagues
https://www.llu.lv/lv/raksts/2023-02-23/lbtu-studejoso-pasparvalde-sumina-gada-balvas-2022-laureatus
In the “Dean of the Year” category, the award went to the Dean of the Faculty of Forest Sciences, Linards Sisenis, who provides support to the faculty’s students and cares for the faculty’s improvement works, taking into account the students’ needs and desires for both the study process and their free time. He attends organised events, showing that what happens in the faculty is significant to both him and the faculty as a whole. A dean who knows how to say a big “Thank you!” for everything accomplished.
To express appreciation to the best employees for their contribution to forest regeneration and tending, the JSC “Latvijas valsts meži” Forestry unit has established the tradition of presenting the “Forestry Excellence Award”. The LVM Zemgale region forestry team received the award for excellence in forest regeneration, while the Vidusdaugava region forestry team was recognised for excellent results in young stand tending.
On environmental issues and hunting
https://www.varam.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/valsts-vides-dienests-aicina-pieteikties-sabiedrisko-vides-inspektoru-atestacijai
The State Environmental Service (VVD) is organising an attestation for public environmental inspector (SVI) candidates on 10 March 2023 at 11.00...
Hunting is often incorrectly portrayed as one of the greatest negative pressures on nature, with such assumptions being made without grounded data. FACE has carefully evaluated reports from EU member states on threats to nature between 2013 and 2018 to determine the extent of the negative impact of hunting on bird and large predator species.
As the number of bears in Latvia increases, the public should be educated on how to adapt and live alongside these animals, believes hunter Linda Dombrovska. The Nature Conservation Agency is currently also discussing the acceptable number of bears in Latvia, and thought should be given to supporting beekeepers, for whom bears are causing headaches.
The municipality explains that there are several hundred beavers in the capital and their population has grown rapidly due to favourable conditions, such as a lack of natural predators.
Information available to specialists indicates that beavers are everywhere there is water. Beavers live in both small rivers such as Dreiliņupīte, Šmerļupīte, Mārupīte, Langa, Piķurga, Bišumuiža ditch, Maile ditch, and elsewhere. The animals also reside in part of the drainage systems that are further away from populated areas, for example, along Jaunciema gatve and in Trīsciems.
The magazine *Medības*, meanwhile, informs that the beaver is ubiquitous, and maintaining beaver colonies in the city can be expensive. It must also be pointed out that beaver activity threatens the ancient trees along the canal. The attempt to feed them with cut willow branches has almost become an anecdote.
The State Police continue to investigate the illegal felling of the Mārupe Great Oak last October. Meanwhile, local residents are concerned about the developer's attempts to restart the halted construction in the vicinity of the felled oak.
Various interesting things
In the European Union, since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, crisis management has largely been a matter for national budgets. State aid schemes for their companies and industries were approved by the European Commission quite easily. And those countries that had larger budget or borrowing capacities, more courage, or more audacity to use them, did so and continue to do so.
Matīss Mickus has worked as a sports teacher for 10 years, but in his spare time, he creates art from wood. And not just any wood, but that which others consider to be fit only for the furnace. He is able to make a desk lamp out of the most ordinary block of wood, but Matīss’s true art lies in his crazy experiments – he is not afraid to try things that others would not touch.
Time for a smile