Worth knowing! Important events
“Flower Paths” campaign from 1 February to 30 October
9 and 10 March Līgatne Nature Trails anniversary. Open tours
23 March The Faculty of Economics and Social Development at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies invites graduates of economics, management, and social sciences to meet in Jelgava and celebrate the faculty's 55th anniversary together.
18-19 April Daugavpils University's 66th International Scientific Conference
20 April 6th Vimba Festival in Bauska
Latvian Forest Days – 24 and 25 May
On forestry sector protests (summary)
https://www.zemeunvalsts.lv/sadzirdeja-jeb-meza-nozares-protests-5-marta
https://www.retv.lv/raksts/saja-trauksmainaja-laika-ir-japiebremze-mezsaimnieki-pieprasa-sapratigu-zala-kursa-ieviesanu
On official matters
https://www.zm.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/zemkopibas-ministrs-armands-krauze-latvijas-politiku-uzdevums-ir-izveidot-godigu-kompensaciju-sistemu-meza-ipasniekiem-un-lauksaimniekiem
On official matters
https://www.zm.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/zemkopibas-ministrs-armands-krauze-latvijas-politiku-uzdevums-ir-izveidot-godigu-kompensaciju-sistemu-meza-ipasniekiem-un-lauksaimniekiem
Ministry of Agriculture responses to forestry sector demands.
As a country bordering Russia, Latvia is striving to sever economic ties with the aggressor state as quickly as possible, and this Latvian initiative to ban the import of agricultural and animal feed products from Russia and Belarus, as well as from other third countries if the products originate from Russia or Belarus, is an additional element of the overall EU sanctions policy.
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/07.03.2024-valsts-vides-dienesta-vaditaja-amatam-virza-varam-darbinieku-keninu.a545781/
On sector issues
https://www.db.lv/zinas/ptac-un-mebelu-razotaju-asociacija-latvija-parakstijusas-sadarbibas-ligumu-515451
Planned measures within the framework of cooperation include information activities for consumer and business audiences, organising training for producers, organising market surveillance projects, information exchange in areas requiring increased supervision (such as e-commerce), and the development of guidelines for businesses, among others.
Andris Ķēniņš, Deputy State Secretary for Environmental Protection at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, has won the competition for the position of Director General of the State Environmental Service.
It is expected that manufacturing development this year will continue to be affected by the consequences of the war in Ukraine, resulting in continued disruption to raw material supply chains. Companies will also be affected by raw material prices, including those for energy resources.
On sector issues
https://www.db.lv/zinas/ptac-un-mebelu-razotaju-asociacija-latvija-parakstijusas-sadarbibas-ligumu-515451
Planned measures within the framework of cooperation include information activities for consumer and business audiences, organising training for producers, organising market surveillance projects, information exchange in areas requiring increased supervision (such as e-commerce), and the development of guidelines for businesses, among others.
Inflation-curbing measures, through raising interest rates, and the complex and unpredictable geopolitical situation have reduced furniture export revenues; manufacturers operating in Latvia are awaiting a market revival in the second half of 2024.
The “Latvijas Finieris” and “Woodstock” consortium welcomes the European Commission's decision to apply a customs duty to Russian birch plywood imports, as there is evidence that the duty is being circumvented by shipping birch plywood through Kazakhstan and Turkey.
Birch bark extracts have long been recognised as particularly suitable for improving health and skincare. They contain biologically active triterpenes: betulin, betulinic acid, and lupeol, which are known for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-ageing properties.
To ensure quality information exchange and strengthen cooperation with peat extraction partners, “LVM Zemes dzīles” organised a training seminar at the end of February, attended by representatives from the State Fire and Rescue Service and the State Environmental Service, as well as peat extractors in bogs leased by LVM.
From my experience during my time as minister, I can say that whatever the national-level understanding may be of what should or should not be done from what is written in Brussels, it does not cancel out those thousand pages.
The voluntary carbon market is a system designed for the trading of carbon credits, i.e., for reducing, preventing, or removing greenhouse gas emissions. It is still in its early stages but is growing and changing rapidly at the same time.
Emphasising the use of nature-friendly machinery in forestry work, SIA “Rīgas meži” will carry out logging using small-scale machinery for the first time as part of a pilot project in the Jugla forestry district. The work will take place in a pine stand near Ulbroka and is scheduled to begin this week.
On the sector and culture
Everyone interested is invited to see the historic Vijciems cone kiln in operation – drying of this year's collected cones will begin on 11 March. Furthermore, from this year, visits to the Vijciems cone kiln and the museum's permanent exhibition are available to pupils as part of the state-funded “Latvian School Bag” programme.
Growing up with his great-grandfather's lullaby “The clock is already striking nine”, which his grandmother would sing before bed without even explaining who the author was, playing the piano has always been second nature to Matīss Žilinskis.
On beavers
The eternal discussion about beavers... Right now, as spring approaches, it is one of the most beautiful forms of hunting, when, as the days grow longer and the weather warmer, spring sounds and scents emerge. But!
On environmental issues
The State Environmental Service has found that in two locations in Riga – Bukulti, at 19d Jaunciema gatve, and Jugla, at 11 Pakalnieša Street – several packages of mineral fertilisers and other packaging containing unknown chemical substances and their residues have been dumped.
On this and that
Briškens admitted that Grigulis is not to blame for the 10-year-old problems in the company and that by resigning, he is effectively taking responsibility.
https://www.delfi.lv/898102/versijas/56384696/sanita-upleja-jegermane-es-atkapjos-principu-del
https://www.delfi.lv/898102/versijas/56384696/sanita-upleja-jegermane-es-atkapjos-principu-del
At the same time, it would not be honest on my part to pretend that this is the only reason why I have made the decision to step down from my post. It is no secret, and I have previously stated publicly, that I have a different opinion, both within SEPLP and from the public media boards, regarding the proportionality of the Russian language presence in public media and the solutions provided for in the National Security Concept.
With the global population increasing, there is gradually becoming a shortage of land suitable for agriculture to produce animal-based protein. Due to sustainability and health concerns, many consumers prefer plant-based food products, and demand for alternative proteins is growing.
At the 28 February council meeting, Jelgava Municipality councillors decided to submit proposals for amendments to the Administrative Territories and Settlements Law. The proposals involve not merging the Jelgava Municipality with the administrative territory of the Jelgava State City, as well as separating the territory of the former Ozolnieki Municipality from the Jelgava Municipality.
Much is said about the necessity of forests and trees for ecosystem health, but so far in Latvia we very rarely mention the fundamental connection between nature, people, and culture. Therefore, this time I would like to look at the relationship between humans and nature precisely from the perspective of philosophy, especially phenomenology.
Current events in cartoons