Weekly review
Poll
Concern about gaps in the skills and knowledge of our pupils is voiced quite widely from time to time. Unfortunately, only when someone from outside Latvia has concluded as much. Why is that?
There is a political tendency to be busy, to invest, to make promises, but not to think about the results
If you have little knowledge yourself, you do not even know how or what you do not know...
A smart society is not always desirable or welcome
Many interests swirl around education. A "good result" is rarely mentioned among them
29 July – 4 August
On current and upcoming events
### Hunter festival “Münchhausen 2023” in Mētriena. On 4 and 5 August, when all hunters' roads will lead to the Mētriena open-air stage.
### 5 August, Slītere National Park Traveller’s Day
daba.gov.lv · aicina uz sliteres nacionala parka celotaju dienu
daba.gov.lv · aicina uz sliteres nacionala parka celotaju dienu
### Possibility to sign a petition “No to new protected nature areas without fair compensation!”
### Looking for a tree with a story!
### 11 August, Bread Festival at Vārme Manor
zemeunvalsts.lv · 11 augusta maizes svetki varmes muiza
zemeunvalsts.lv · 11 augusta maizes svetki varmes muiza
### 26 August, Tomato Festival in Brenguļi
valmierasnovads.lv · tomatu svetki brengulos
valmierasnovads.lv · tomatu svetki brengulos
### Baloži Peat Museum Railway excursions for the 2023 season
### A study on horticulture and its environmental impact by scientists from ten countries (including colleagues from Daugavpils University); we invite you to support it by participating in a survey:
### While planning your summer activities, you may find it useful
majaskafejnicas.lv
majaskafejnicas.lv
On state affairs
From 25 to 28 July, elections for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) took place in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. During the four-day 59th session, member state governments elected the new IPCC Bureau. Latvian representative Dr. Zinta Zommers was elected as Vice-Chair of the IPCC Working Group on “Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability”. The IPCC will be led by Chair Jim Skea (Jim Skea) from Great Britain, who has 40 years of experience in climate and science issues.
The Administration of the Latvian Environmental Protection Fund, in accordance with the decision of the Latvian Environmental Protection Fund Council at the meeting No. 7 on 28 July 2023, announces a project competition for the activity “Cooperation projects for environmental policy-making and implementation” with the aim of providing financial support for public education projects in media to create socially significant, informative and educational content, promoting the target audience's understanding of the importance of the environment and/or nature conservation in a healthy ecosystem and changing habits in everyday life.
By clearing a large area of forest, it is intended to build an industrial park in the Augšdaugava Municipality – the Saeima has already given conceptual approval for this step. However, representatives related to the environmental sector are calling for haste in passing the law and suggest initially carrying out local planning for this area or evaluating alternative locations for the creation of such a park.
It is a shame to let even detainees inside; rainwater leaks from the leaky roof into buckets, old peeling wallpaper, squeaky doors that are difficult to close – that is the scene at the State Police station in Valmiera. The Ministry of the Interior promises improvements only after several years...
On industry issues
30 years ago, on 3 August 1993, the State Forest Service was established by an order of the Cabinet of Ministers.
LVM periodically faces a temporary unavailability of service providers. Fluctuations are influenced both by seasonality – weather conditions and the involvement of the workforce in seasonal work in other sectors – and by the market situation, specifically the demand for services in the forestry sector, which is linked to wood resource prices and demand from buyers.
There are at least several hundred hectares of young stands where, due to drought, absolutely nothing has grown from the seedlings. Data is still coming in, but I think there will be more than a thousand hectares that will be severely damaged – part of the trees have perished. A similar prolonged drought occurred in Latvia in 2018, only then it was at the end of the summer. This year, unfortunately, the drought gripped Latvia just when the newly planted trees were trying to take root – therefore, the damage will likely be greater than in 2018.
In 2022, SIA Kronus net turnover increased by 42% compared to 2021, reaching the highest level in the company's history at 124.7 million euros, while the company's profit reached 10.59 million euros.
With modern thinking and management, the first harvest of birch can be collected after 15 years; pine and spruce will also take about 15-17 years. We usually plant trees a little more densely so that various parasitic plants do not grow in between and suppress the trees. We thin them with low intensity, and then after 15 years, something can start to be done.
Those who are not connected to forestry usually hear “horror stories” about our country's “green gold”: first, environmentalists loudly protest against forest felling and claim that all of Latvia has almost turned into one large clear-cut; second, all those forests that are left have been bought up by the Scandinavians!
On economic issues
The State Chancellery has prepared amendments to the Law on Governance of Capital Shares of a Public Person and Capital Companies. They propose to clarify the responsibilities and their distribution among the parties involved in the governance of capital companies, to align the norms of the Law on Governance of Capital Companies with the current regulations of the Commercial Law, as well as to consolidate and clarify the regulation of capital companies.
In 2022, eight European Union countries bordering the Baltic Sea signed the Marienborg Declaration, pledging to increase offshore wind energy production capacity sevenfold by 2030 – to 20 gigawatts. Experts were also asked to investigate which coastal segments would be the most suitable for this purpose, and it turned out that the best locations in Latvian waters are in the section between Pāvilosta and Jūrkalne.
The Smiltene Municipality has cancelled a tender for the reconstruction of two bridges in the region, concluding that the planned works would be too expensive.
“We can now see from the experience of recent years that you cannot always bring in food from elsewhere. Today we look – it is the same with grain. At one point, countries relied on it and there were such theories: why bother, others can produce it cheaper, and that agriculture doesn't pay off! And you can earn more with industry, with information technologies, but it is a strategically important sector. Because if your supplies break down, you will still be able to produce something of your own in the country – and that is important.”
We are calling for allowing controlled, time-limited entry into Latvia for third-country workers so that they can work in specific companies. It wouldn't be like: I want to come, I live here, and then maybe I look for a job. We, the entrepreneurs, would be responsible for these people so that after the set term – whether it be six or nine months – they would go back to their homes.
Yes, so how is it?
On environmental issues
With the growing demand for organising various events and activities in nature, including in specially protected nature areas, the Nature Conservation Agency has prepared informative guides or infographics that will help activity organisers navigate the process of obtaining the necessary approvals and permits.
Latvia is one of the few European Union countries where various dune habitats can be found in one place – grey dunes and wooded coastal dunes. They are a significant habitat for many rare species, for example, the sand pink Dianthus arenarius and the meadow pasqueflower Pulsatilla pratensis, and are also an integral part of the Latvian coastal landscape.
August in the Latvia's State Forests Nature Park in Tērvete has begun ceremoniously – the 100,000th visitor of the year has been welcomed and greeted!
By regularly mowing reeds and cleaning the riverbed, the general ecological condition of the water body is improved. The reeds are mowed with special machinery, the construction of which ensures the mowing of aquatic plants both in deep water and in shallow water near the very shore.
In the hope of preserving the eagle-owl population in Latvia, barrel nesting sites have been installed in trees for the birds, where it would be easier for them to hide from tourist crowds. However, eagle-owls are not rushing to build nests there because they want to see if the place is safe. Ornithologists also have a hard time surveying and spotting these birds...
The creation of a deer garden on the outskirts of Ogre began in 2004; first, a 100-hectare fenced area was set up, and then deer were released into it. The goal was to create a genetically high-value red deer population, with the animals that had multiplied then being released into the forests around Riga.
...the information recently distributed publicly about the red deer herd managed by the company does not correspond to the truth.
On roads that are becoming better
The construction season continues in the state road network, and work is underway in a total of 71 sections. The largest traffic restrictions are on the Vidzeme side...
From 3 August, changes in traffic organisation have been introduced in the initial section of the Bauska highway (A7) from the Riga border to Katlakalns; they will remain in effect until the end of September.
Transport movement will be organised along the reconstructed Bauska highway section with one lane in each direction.
On joy in Liepāja and Riga
From Monday, trains between Riga and Liepāja run every day, and about 200 passengers were counted in the train composition provided on Monday evening from Riga and on Tuesday early from Liepāja, which is considered a good indicator by the joint-stock company “Pasažieru vilciens”.
After many years of interruption, a scene of absolutely normal life can be seen early on a weekday morning in Liepāja – a tram stops at the railway station, a few dozen people get off and head to the train to travel further to Riga.
On things that are interesting and might be of interest
Although summer and the tourism season are already in full swing, this will only be the first full working week for the historic Līgatne ferry in Cēsis Municipality, which even in winter carries people across to Straupe parish of the Pārgauja association and vice versa using only the power of the current. Closed since the end of February, the ferry did not resume operation in the spring because it was damaged during the floods. It could not be launched at Jāņi or the beginning of July.
In Latvian politics, foreign policy and security stand above everything. After Edgars Rinkēvičs' election as President, looking at the calendar, the next major event clearly stood out – the NATO summit in Vilnius, and it was clear that major political fluctuations would likely not happen before then. The NATO summit is, after all, very important for the security of both Latvia and the Baltics. Apparently, there was also some agreement that the boat would not be rocked until then.
While experts and part of the public discuss new elements of external threat – whether it be Wagnerians in Belarusian territory or Russian manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea –, one only needs to spend a few hours in the local information stream to realise that a significant threat is ourselves. Namely, the only conclusion one can reach from reading the media and social platforms is – well, everything is bad. Everything has been clear about politicians and politics for a long time, but we see that everything is also bad when it comes to any concert, getting around on scooters, or what can be bought in a shop.
lsm.lv · 02.08.2023 velas apvienot dienvidkurzemes novada senlietu kr…
Dienvidkurzeme Municipality wants to liquidate the antiquities collections of Cīrava and five other parishes, combining them into one larger exposition at Virga Manor. The residents of Cīrava are against this step.
Summary of oligarchs supporting the war in Ukraine
Current events in cartoons
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