Weekly review
Poll
November is here... What would be the best thing it could bring us...
A continuation of this beautiful autumn
A knowledgeable and stable government that knows how
Peace for our friends in Ukraine
Many small, personal successes that turn into one Great Success
24-30 August
Worth knowing! On upcoming and current events
5 December at the LBTU Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences
LMSP 9th International Conference “Scientific, economic and social aspects of natural resource use in the current environmental and geopolitical context”
5-8 September, Peat Days
7-8 September, Slītere National Park travellers' days
21 September, Autumn Plant Parade in Sigulda
Until 30 September we invite you to nominate a tree and its story for the “Tree of the Year” competition
The “Ziedu ceļos” campaign runs from 1 February to 30 October
mammadaba.lv · 3920 akcija ziedu celos 2024 aicinas apmeklet astonus ziedos…
mammadaba.lv · 3920 akcija ziedu celos 2024 aicinas apmeklet astonus ziedos…
This season's excursion timetable for the Baloži peat narrow-gauge train
kudrasbanitis.lv · ekskursijasOn 21 September and 12 October hikes in the Krustkalni Nature Reserve
From 18 May, the exhibition “From the birch seed to betulin” at the Pharmacy Museum
27-29 March 2025, 12th Baltic Theriological Conference “Baltic mammals in the turbulence of anthropogenic tensions”
On industry matters
The council of AS “Latvijas valsts meži” has reviewed the company's operating results for the first half of this year. Compared with the corresponding period last year, in the first six months of 2024 the company earned 287.4 million euros in revenue, which is 38.7 million euros less.
In 2023, Latvia ranked third in the world per capita for income from exports of prefabricated wooden buildings, according to statistics compiled by the International Trade Centre (International Trade Center – ITC).
As part of the development project for “Latvijas Finieris” tree nursery “Zābaki”, construction of a unique wooden building complex is continuing on its grounds.
External utility networks at the site have been completed and the monolithic reinforced concrete structures are fully finished. In recent weeks work has been under way on the load-bearing timber structures and roof covering of the warehouse–cold store building. Assembly of the timber structures for the other buildings in the complex has also begun.
“We are genuinely delighted that the new kindergarten in Salaspils will open its doors in September. We are pleased that children will have the chance to experience contemporary timber architecture. We thank the management and staff of Salaspils municipality for their cooperation and their trust,” the MADE arhitekti team says on the social network Facebook.
A study of regions and industries by Luminor bank found that, although last year was difficult for the forest sector as a whole, three municipalities stood out positively thanks to individual sub-sectors or successful companies: Ventspils, Kuldīga and Ropaži municipalities.
In 2023, SIA “Rīgas meži” took significant steps to strengthen its role in the sustainable management of natural areas. Despite the economic challenges, the company successfully met all its financial targets and most of its non-financial targets, and introduced several sustainability solutions that will help it achieve climate neutrality by 2030.
Although roundwood haulage is not the largest cost item in the wood products production chain, some are using the market downturn to tackle long-standing grievances at precisely this stage: in an effort to cut costs, already heavy log lorries are routinely overloaded beyond the permitted limit.
“Latvijas valsts meži” has been gradually phasing out the propagation of ornamental plants since the spring, with a view to ending sales of them altogether by the autumn of next year. The company notes that this is not because demand for these plants has fallen.
Why does forestry matter?
In order to improve access to Pokaiņi Forest for recreation and to enhance visitor safety, both of which have been affected by this summer's storms and by damage caused by bark beetles, AS “Latvijas valsts meži” will continue the planned tending works in Pokaiņi Forest this autumn.
On science and education
On 28 August, the annual Academic Session was held in the Assembly Hall of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, bringing the university's staff together to open the new academic year, learn about current developments and the tasks ahead, and to welcome new colleagues as well as tenured professors and associate professors.
The director of LVMI “Silava”, Jurģis Jansons, and the institute's leading researchers Dārta Kļaviņa, Dainis Ruņģis and Mārtiņš Zeps on one of Latvia's largest scientific institutions – the Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”.
On the storm of 28 and 29 July
The informative report provides that, when supporting municipalities in dealing with the aftermath of the storm of 29 July 2024, the approach should be that support for remedying the consequences of the emergency situation be granted both for infrastructure facilities owned by municipalities and for the restoration of residential buildings (individual dwellings and multi-apartment buildings) affected by that storm (including flooding).
The State Forest Service has assessed the extent of the damage caused to forest stands by the heavy rainfall and wind gusts of 28 and 29 July. Damage has been recorded over approximately 1400 ha, with a total timber volume of at least 165,000 m³. The greatest damage was caused by the strong wind. The impact of flooding on forest stand areas cannot yet be assessed, but it is expected to be insignificant. The worst wind damage was done in the Zemgale region, especially around Olaine, Dobele, Jelgava and Rīga. Proportionally, birches were the worst affected – 50%, followed by pines – 30%, spruces – 10% and aspens – 10%.
On environmental matters
Thanks to landscape architect Una Kancāne, I also learned about the “Green Vine” – a proposal drawn up by the council in 2006 for a pedestrian route through the inner blocks that would connect Ziedoņdārzs with the centre. Creating this route, and allowing for its potential connection with other pedestrian routes through the city's inner blocks, would form a green corridor providing easier movement on foot, so that the traffic-heavy streets would be used less.
Although bears had at one time disappeared from Latvia, in recent years, as a result of purposeful and scientifically grounded decisions and actions, including restrictions on hunting in our neighbouring countries, the bear population has been steadily recovering, reaching at least 130 individuals in 2023.
The aim of the competition is to provide financial support for the implementation of cooperation projects in order to produce practically applicable results for the development and/or implementation of environmental protection and nature conservation policy. Projects may be submitted for the competition until 16.09.2024 by an association or foundation registered in the Republic of Latvia, or by a scientific institution registered in the Register of Scientific Institutions.
Ivy flowering was first observed in Latvia in 1998 in the vicinity of Rucava; in 2019 a flowering ivy was observed in a planted area in Nīca, in the south-west of Latvia.
The state of Latvia's road infrastructure literally reflects the decisions and the funding allocated to it by the political forces in power. At the same time, situations arise where what one set of political forces considered good, the next has left to languish. Changing this requires a long-term development strategy with appropriate funding.
Following a public auction, on 27 August a building rights contract was concluded between the company and Valmiera municipality, giving the company the right to begin all the preparatory work needed to implement the large-scale construction plan. If the feasibility study is successful, production could begin around 2030, the municipality forecasts.
lsm.lv · 25.08.2024 rail baltica jautajumi izraisa domstarpibas valdi…
Around 400 million euros of European funding is currently, in effect, stuck at the Ministry of Transport (SM). Most of this money was earmarked for investment in the railway sector, but it is clear that it will not be spent within the deadline set for using the funds.
As the Latvian Television programme de facto reports, the hope is to reallocate the money to other purposes, including the Rail Baltica project and the half-finished reconstruction of the Central Station. However, the SM has long been delayed in preparing the decisions needed for the amendments. This gave rise to serious disagreements among coalition politicians this week.
According to data from the German statistics office, the highest number of insolvency cases in Germany was recorded in May this year – 1934 cases in the month, the highest figure since 2016. At the same time, overall corporate insolvency trends in the first half of this year have been negative when the situation over the past eight years is analysed.
On this and that
In a prisoner exchange, 115 Ukrainian defenders were released and are now back home. Their accounts of the war crimes committed by Russia are horrifying, and the testimony of former Ukrainian serviceman Oleksiy Anulya from the Chernihiv region is blood-curdling too. Yet investigators' checks have found it to be true.
After the Second World War, however, there is a turn that to me personally remains unclear – the Lithuanians adapted to the occupation regime more adeptly. For example, the frequently cited fact that Lithuania has fewer descendants of occupation-era immigrants than Latvia and Estonia has a fairly clear historical context.
Based on the results of risk information analysis and suspicions that the cars might not be delivered to the recipient in Kazakhstan but end up in Russia instead, the goods were not released for export and Latvian customs prohibited their removal from the European Union. The VID Customs Board has sent risk information about this particular attempt at sanctions circumvention to the German customs service.
Current affairs in cartoons
