The Ministry of Climate and Energy has submitted the Climate Law draft for public consultation. The document has been developed to consolidate all matters related to climate change that will affect every person, either now or in the near future. The comprehensive draft law, which consists of more than 15,000 words, is set out over fifty pages, and the public has been given the opportunity to comment on it this week and next. Professionals already identify a number of problems within it, among which public involvement in climate issues – not just now, but within the law itself – is significant.

 

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### 9 September Harvest Festival at Ottesmuiža, Alūksne Municipality

 

### 9 September Plant Fair in Salaspils

 

### Until 11 September it is possible to nominate candidates for the Forest Sector’s annual “Golden Cone” award

 

### 15 September at “Ragakāpa” nature park, an opening event – clean-up day for limiting the invasive serviceberry

 

### 16 September Fish Market in Užava
ventasbalss.lv · 49050 uzava notiks tradicionalais zivju tirgus

 

From 2 September, the restrictions on forestry activities that were set in connection with the mass spread of the European spruce bark beetle have been lifted. Beetle attacks on spruce trees are still possible if there is a warm late summer or if a tree was previously blown down in a storm, but in general, the active season for these pests has concluded. At the same time, the State Forest Service points out that forest owners must continue protection measures for spruce stands throughout Latvia.

 

This year, logging volumes have fallen significantly in both private and state forests. The reason is the price, especially for private owners, and the state of emergency introduced in the spring due to the spread of bark beetles, Kristaps Klauss, Vice President of the Latvian Forest Industry Federation, said in an interview with the LETA agency, pointing out that since the declaration of the state of emergency, logging in private forests has halved. Explaining the decline in timber export volumes, Klauss acknowledged that prices are lower, we are producing less due to unfavourable conditions in export markets, and we are no longer processing raw materials from aggressor states.

 

Promoting the development of sustainable construction and architecture, the “Building Design and Construction Council” association, in cooperation with the State Construction Control Bureau, is holding the “Sustainability in Architecture, Construction, Design” competition for the ninth year. For the second year, the competition is evaluating projects and objects on the scale of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. The JSC “Latvijas valsts meži” Zemgale region client centre building in Jelgava received 2nd place this year in the category “Most Sustainable Public Building” in the Baltics.

 

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This concerns 79 cubic metres of pine sawlogs, 92 cubic metres of spruce sawlogs, 95 cubic metres of pine sleeper logs, and 35 cubic metres of spruce sleeper logs. The location of the log pile is the municipal real estate “Kapsēta” in Druviena parish. The municipal council chairman, Andis Caunītis, explained that a sufficiently large area in the municipal forest had been blown down in a storm, which was not planned to be managed or harvested.

 

More than 12 years ago, in 2011, together with partners, an idea arose to add value to Latvia’s main export commodity – timber. In 2015, we began production of CLT, or Cross Laminated Timber, panels in Jelgava. Currently, I manage the largest group of companies for manufacturing, designing, and constructing solid wood or CLT building structures in Latvia.

 

The dry and cold spring, as well as the dry start to summer, significantly affected the forest stands planted this spring. Dagnija Lazdiņa, leading researcher at the Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava and Dr.silv., provides answers to questions on how to help saplings survive and how to understand whether everything is already lost and the plantings will need to be replanted.

 

 

Exports of wheat grown by Latvian farmers generate three times more revenue than the entire Latvian railway.

 

 

The State Audit Office has acknowledged that, in general, prerequisites have been created for evaluating the disciplinary and civil liability of those employed in public administration. However, these conditions depend on the type of employment relationship, and the regulation for assessing liability is fragmented...

Application deadline extended for participation in the Advisory Board of the Latvian Environmental Protection Fund

The administration of the Latvian Environmental Protection Fund of the State Regional Development Agency is extending the application deadline for participation in the Fund’s Advisory Board for the period from October 2023 to October 2025 until 15 September 2023.

The State Forest Service has received several reports of wolf attacks on dogs. Specialists from the Service's Hunting Department urge hunting collectives to report atypical wolf behaviour.

In Latvia, the wolf is a specially protected, limited-use species that may be hunted in strictly defined volumes – this hunting season it is permitted to cull 300 individuals. The Service emphasises that wolf hunting helps to maintain the predator's natural fear of humans and improves the ability of rural residents to coexist with the wolf population.

 

We should stop this prattling about it will affect – no, it won’t affect. Clearly, it will! The question is: do JV and P understand what Lembergs’ views are on a specific range of issues? I have not been following Lembergs’ expressions in recent years, so I don’t know, but I also don’t feel guilty for my ignorance. JV and P are in a completely different situation, yet I suspect that both parties’ notions about the ideas of their next cooperation partner are quite hazy.