On current and upcoming events
### You can still sign for the future of hunting in Europe: https://signforhunting.com/
### Daugavpils University Annual Science Awards and Award Ceremony on 14 March
### On 12 and 13 May Forest ABC in Struņķukrogs, Padure Parish, Kuldīga Municipality
### Latvia's 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
https://www.lvm.lv/jaunumi/6761-meza-nozime-cina-ar-klimata-parmainam-si-gada-tema-latvijas-meza-dienas
### Student Association Šalkone 100th anniversary celebration on 16 June
News from Latvijas valsts meži
On Friday, 3 March, a new interim council was approved at the shareholders' meeting of a/s “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM), given that the previous council had decided to step down. Appointed to the LVM interim council are: Mārtiņš Līdums, Zane Driķe, Mārtiņš Gaigals, Sintija Ķikste, and Edvīns Zakovics.
The interim council of a/s “Latvijas valsts meži” is scheduled to be appointed on Friday, announced Ministry of Agriculture state secretary Raivis Kronbergs, who represents the ministry at the shareholders' meeting.
He informed that a list of potential candidates who could hold the positions of “Latvijas valsts meži” council members has been prepared.
Until recently, the council of one of the largest state-owned companies – “Latvijas valsts meži” – comprised four people. Currently, the entire council, including its chairman, has submitted letters of resignation.
In order to discuss European climate policy and its impact on the forestry sector, in February a/s “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM) board member Toms Reiziņš and Head of Corporate Relations Daiga Grīnfelde met in Brussels with representatives of the European Corporate Governance Institute – Director Elaine McPartlan and Executive Director Prof. Marco Becht, as well as with Piotr Borkowski, Executive Director of the European State Forest Association, EUSTAFOR.
In 2022, the state forest manager, state a/s Latvijas valsts meži, recorded a net turnover of 568.6 million euros, which is 159.2 million more than in 2021, and a record profit of 258.5 million euros before corporate tax, compared to a profit of 127.4 million euros the previous year (before tax).
and
The LVM council instructed the board to prepare a report for the shareholders' meeting regarding the prosecutor's warning concerning the inadmissibility of violations in the procedure for amending long-term logging contracts.
On industry issues
https://www.delfi.lv/bizness/dzilak-meza/klimata-parmainas-un-mezsaimnieciba-kurs-kuru.d?id=55277692
Āris Jansons, Lead Researcher at the Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”, and a/s “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM) Forestry Planning Manager Aigars Dudelis and Long-term Planning Manager Viktors Gulbis all unanimously stress that the key to success is a balance between the economy, carbon sequestration – an important component of climate neutrality – and the preservation of biodiversity. The surest way to achieve and maintain this balance is to collaborate with science and base forestry strategy on scientific research results, as these provide the conclusions on what we can do with the forest today to reduce long-term risks, reach harvest sooner, and also help the planet.
For many years, methods have been systematically improved in Latvia to assess the potential of forest stands to store carbon and to calculate how much carbon dioxide (CO2) is accumulated in Latvian forests. Growing interest in carbon accumulation in woody biomass and climate-smart forest management justifies the need to continuously update information on the status of Latvian forest stands and their growth progress. As trees grow, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is sequestered and absorbed in wood, roots, bark, branches, and leaves, which is why forests play a significant role in the overall carbon balance.
The wood processing industry has long faced an acute labour shortage, but the best chance of finding labour is not by attracting young people, but by retraining existing employees, Latvian Wood Industry Federation (LKF) Executive Director Artūrs Bukonts admitted in an interview with the LETA agency.
He noted that existing employees should improve their skills in relation to automation and robotisation. It would also be possible for the industry to lure employees from other sectors with better wages and working conditions.
Meanwhile, Gita Strode, Director of the Nature Protection Department at the Nature Conservation Agency (DAP), indicated in an interview with Latvian Radio that the agency had received applications for the inclusion of a forest massif in specially protected nature territories.
However, the DAP representative emphasised that this situation “must be viewed more comprehensively”, saying: “It is not justified to immediately ban something.”
Strode said that the process of evaluating and resolving the applications and the situation certainly cannot be done within a few months or half a year, but most likely over a “couple of years”. DAP has started negotiations with LVM to look for solutions for the management of this territory, noted Strode.
On the economy
In the Ministry of Transport's 2023 budget, 261 million euros, or 35% of the ministry's total funding, is earmarked for promoting sustainable mobility for the population, strengthening rail as the backbone of public transport. The funding is planned for the purchase of new electric trains, ensuring the operation of railway infrastructure, subsidies for regional buses, and the application of fare concessions.
Despite the challenges of 2022, one of the largest food production companies in Latvia – SIA “Karavela” – has increased its turnover by 22% compared to 2021.
According to preliminary data, the company's turnover in 2022 reached 72 million euros.
On environmental matters
...announces a project competition for the activity “Planning of protection and management measures for specially protected nature territories for the preservation of biodiversity”. The aim of the competition is to provide financial support to projects that result in the development of a nature conservation plan for a specially protected nature territory (SPNT), which defines the necessary management and protection measures to ensure a favourable conservation status and the achievement of the objectives for the natural values for which the territory was established.
In the “LIVE LAKE” project, the Nature Conservation Agency (the agency) has developed methodological materials that are publicly available to anyone interested and can be especially useful for science teachers and hobby club leaders so that children and pupils can better understand lake ecosystems and learn to recognise various plants and freshwater inhabitants. With the help of the methodology, educational sessions can be independently implemented in nature.
On hunting
Since 2014, not only in Latvia but also in the European Union and various countries around the world, extensive measures have been implemented and huge financial resources involved to stop the spread of the disease. The Council Directive defines African swine fever as a disease included in List A with significant economic importance. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) is a technical reference organisation recognised by the World Trade Organisation in the field of animal health. It has compiled a list of epidemic animal diseases with significant economic importance...
On the interesting and current
Until 30 March 2023 (inclusive), owners or possessors of state and regional significance cultural monuments are invited to submit applications for the 1st round of the open competition to receive state funding for the research, conservation, and restoration of cultural monuments.
The planned amount of funding to be distributed is 520,000 EUR, of which 120,000 EUR is earmarked for local governments. The maximum funding amount granted per application is up to 30,000 EUR. The funding must be used by 1 December 2023.
Jelgava has been showing high results for several years in the “European Cities and Regions of the Future” category of the “FDI Intelligence” research conducted by the Financial Times monthly “fDi Magazine”. This year, in the micro-cities group (population up to 100,000), Jelgava's foreign direct investment attraction strategy was ranked 5th; last year the city occupied 6th place in this list.
...the answer to the question formulated in the headline of this text is negative – no, such conflicts are inevitable. It is easy to preach, of course, but you simply have to be ready for it. Or else – an “ivory tower”. Both options are respectable.
First thing – cooperation. For us, especially being small, no matter how difficult, we must cooperate. In the times when we have achieved something, it is because we were together with those very Lithuanians and Estonians. Even though we had our quarrels, during the War of Independence we were somehow able to agree and cope. In the late 30s, 1940 – we were barely talking, we had signed treaties, but nothing really happened. And then they took us one by one... We were not talking to the Finns either. Well, such was the time, one might say, but we can learn from that. The situation is much better now, but we have to maintain relationships all the time. For example, it is very good, as I see it, that at the highest management level, at the very least, presidents must personally know each other.
Current events in cartoons