Industry
https://www.lvm.lv/jaunumi/8000-2025-gada-as-latvijas-valsts-mezi-sarezgitos-apstaklos-sasniegusi-izcilus-darbibas-raditajus
Boosting the wellbeing of Latvia's residents, for the 2025 reporting year LVM will have paid a total of EUR 262 million into the state and municipal budgets combined, the largest contribution to the state in the company's entire history.
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/ekonomika/04.06.2026-saeima-noraida-ieceri-latvijas-valsts-meziem-valsts-budzeta-iemaksat-130-miljonus-eiro.a650148/
I understand that you [Progresīvie] want to take money away from farmers. You want the square by the Saeima to be full of tractors. Progresīvie effectively want to destroy Latvian agriculture (...)
https://www.lvm.lv/jaunumi/8002-130-miljoni-as-latvijas-valsts-mezi-konta-atrasti-vai-parprasti
(...) the claim is untrue – EUR 130 million is not available for immediate payment into the state budget as additional dividends, since part of these funds is profit from the 2026 operating results, and, under the applicable legal framework, state-owned capital companies cannot pay dividends into the state budget in advance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4mCmbPx3Ss
https://www.youtube.com/watch
Worth knowing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaiorAf8i1I
Forest News #33
https://www.medibam.lv/lapsas-ker-sunisus-laci-ienak-pilsetas-lusi-medi-kakus-vai-tiesam-pie-vainas-izcirstie-mezi
In public debate, one often hears the claim that forests are shrinking and that this is exactly why animals are coming closer to people. In Latvia's case, however, such an explanation is too simplistic.
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/kas-notiek-latvija/raksti/05.06.2026-neambiciozs-raditajs-vai-labbutiba-zagetavas-peldas-nauda-vai-grib-investet-diskusija-par-latvijas-valsts-mezu-parvaldibu.a650169/
What counter-arguments does “Latvijas valsts meži” have to the conclusions of the State Audit Office's report, and what do politicians, people working in the sector and those responsible for the governance of state capital companies think about the situation at one of Latvia's most valuable companies?
https://rigasmezi.lv/jaunumi/rigas-mezi-sovasar-piedava-195-darba-vietas-skoleniem
Of all the positions on offer, 36 will be at the “Norupe” tree nursery near Ogre, while the rest – will get to know the upkeep of city green spaces and everyday work at the nursery, as well as gaining valuable first experience of work and earning a wage.
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/ekonomika/02.06.2026-valsts-kontrole-atskaite-saeima-ipasu-uzmanibu-vers-uz-latvijas-valsts-mezu-parvaldibas-problemam.a649799/
The forest sector is operating without a medium-term policy planning document that would set out the expected results for the sector and provide clarity on what we actually expect from it.
https://rigasmezi.lv/jaunumi/rigas-mezi-sak-mezizstradi-pie-acones
In June 2026 SIA “Rīgas meži” is starting logging work in Salaspils parish near Acone. The aim of the work is forest tending, improving stand quality and gradual forest regeneration.
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/dzive-stils/vide-un-dzivnieki/30.05.2026-vecie-mezi-nav-pagatnes-relikts-kapec-tie-ir-tik-svarigi-dabai.a649285/
Everything else here is beautiful, worth protecting. Big, old trees. There will be species, there will be rare beetles. But the vegetation has been damaged, because there are an awful lot of paths criss-crossing the area (...)
Worth knowing! Upcoming and ongoing events
16 June, Opportunities Day for entrepreneurs
https://www.es.gov.lv/lv/uznemejus-aicina-piedalities-latvijas-prezidenturas-eiropas-savienibas-padome-iespeju-diena
27 June, Malnava College's 105th anniversary
https://www.malnavaskoledza.lv/aktualitates/642-lbtu-malnavas-koledza-aicina-uz-105-gadu-jubilejas-svinibam.html
1 August Hunters' Festival “Munchausen 2026”
https://www.latma.lv/minhauzens-2026-koknese-mednieku-festivals-notiks-augusta-pirmaja-nedelas-nogale/
https://www.latma.lv/nebijis-notikums-minhauzens-2026-lidztekus-festivalam-notiks-ari-lmka-medibu-sunu-izstade/
Until 26 July photo exhibition “My Bird 2026” at the Latvian Museum of Natural History
https://www.varam.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/fotoizstade-mans-putns-2026
Until 10 August public consultation on the “stress test” of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/18072-Birds-and-Habitats-Directives-stress-test/public-consultation_lv
Baloži peat railway museum excursions in 2026
https://kudrasbanitis.lv/lv/ekskursijas
Garden days and masterclasses at the Institute of Horticulture in 2026
https://fruittechcentre.eu/lv/article/2025-12-23/darza-dienas-un-meistarklases-darzkopibas-instituta-2026
All year the National Botanic Garden's anniversary event series “Nature in the Garden”
https://www.daba.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/nacionalais-botaniskais-darzs-70-jubilejas-gada-katru-menesi-aicina-uz-aizraujosiem-pasakumiem
Official and important
https://www.zm.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/aicinam-pieteikties-uz-akciju-sabiedribas-latvijas-valsts-mezi-valdes-priekssedetaja-amatu
Joint-stock company “Latvijas valsts meži” has announced an open competition for the post of chairman of the board, requiring competence in company and team management.
https://www.lvm.lv/jaunumi/8004-lvm-izsludina-konkursu-kokmaterialu-parvadajumu-pakalpojumu-sniegsanai-uz-4-gadiem
(...) the procurement retains the requirement, introduced in the previous long-term procurement, for timber-truck combinations fitted with axle-load indicators that can read current weight readings. This allows the timber-truck driver to check the weight of the loaded combination and stay within the set weight limits.
https://www.vmd.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/atvieglota-meza-zemes-novertejuma-registracija-kadastra
On the State Forest Service's e-services portal, forest land owners and persons authorised by forest land owners, whose authorisation has been registered on this portal, can use the “Forest and forest land assessment for determining cadastral land value and stand value” e-service free of charge.
https://www.db.lv/zinas/iub-lemums-izgaismo-problemas-edinasana-526743
(...) the decision reduces the scope for giving preference, in public procurement, to suppliers who work with local and organic producers, thereby making it harder for organic produce to reach school catering.
Economy
https://www.delfi.lv/bizness/56234200/eiropas-zinas/120121286/algas-vairs-nebus-tabu-jauna-es-direktiva-paplasinas-darbinieku-tiesibas
From June this year, employees are free to discuss their pay, and from January next year organisations will have to report which pay band each employee falls into. If an employee requests information on the average pay of women and men in their pay band, the answer can be provided based on data prepared by the State Revenue Service.
https://tv3.lv/zinas/ekonomika/lu-rektors-par-tautsaimniecibas-attistibu-paradijusas-dazas-loti-biedejosas-tendences/
The latest data on Latvia's economic development show that our gross domestic product grew by 2.5% in the first quarter compared with the same period a year earlier.
https://db.lv/zinas/par-268-miljoniem-eiro-ledurga-buves-biometana-razotni
(...) a biomethane plant costing EUR 26.8 million will be built in Lēdurga, Sigulda Municipality; a loan agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the project was signed on Friday.
https://www.db.lv/zinas/rb-rail-latvijas-noslegtais-rail-baltica-pamattrases-ligums-ir-loti-dargs-526725
It seems that, under the contract signed by Latvia, the unit prices for crushed stone, fill and other base materials are very high, and the state cannot afford it (...)
Bears
https://www.daba.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/satiekot-laci-pilsetvide-jasaglaba-miers-un-jaievero-distance
In Latvia, the greatest risk at present comes not from bears but from how people behave when they encounter one. Yesterday's situation in Jēkabpils, where a bear wandered into the city in broad daylight, is a vivid illustration of this.
https://www.silava.lv/aktualitates/lacu-paradisanas-pilsetas-izgaismo-trukstosu-ricibas-sistemu
(...) specially trained services capable of handling problem bears would definitely be needed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFbJbTHI2Pk
(...) we also talk to the initiative's author, Kaspars Lūsis, who is not a hunter but, as a citizen of Latvia and a member of the National Guard, is concerned about safety in the forest. He explains why he considers this issue relevant, and why people should not live under the illusion that “a bear will always just go away on its own”.
Hunting
https://www.vmd.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/saksies-stirnu-azu-medibu-sezona-3
The roe buck hunting season began on 1 June, while the season for roe does and fawns (up to one year old) will start on 15 August. The roe deer hunting season will continue until 30 November.
https://www.delfi.lv/video/53950177/spried-ar-delfi/120120833/spried-ar-delfi-par-to-vai-lacus-latvija-jamedi-vai-jaaizsarga
There are more and more bears in Latvia. People heading out into nature see them ever more often. Some are delighted by it, others made anxious – after all, bears are large, predatory animals.
Environment
https://www.daba.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/nepamatota-savvalas-dzivnieku-mazulu-glabsana-var-izraisit-bojaeju
Help should only be given to a young animal that is obviously injured. In Latvia, responsibility for caring for wild animals that end up in a helpless state has been delegated to municipalities. If an animal is trapped, tangled, has fallen in, or cannot free or extricate itself from an enclosure, the State Fire and Rescue Service should be called.
https://www.diena.lv/raksts/latvija/zinas/vieta-kur-putni-un-dabas-bagatibas-nav-tikai-vardi-14352740
The Green Certificate is awarded to encourage tourism operators to renovate, build and furnish rural tourist accommodation in a style traditional and characteristic of the region, preserving the distinctiveness of the landscape by using environmentally friendly, locally produced building materials.
... or, I don't know, but I'm saying it anyway
https://www.delfi.lv/898102/versijas/120120944/viesturs-kerus-latvijas-universitate-ka-petijumu-pasniedz-atbalstu-meza-nozares-iegribam
The aim of the study seems to match what sustainable forest management should be – finding a forest management scenario that best balances the various forest management objectives...
Naming
https://www.lvm.lv/jaunumi/7992-lvm-un-vivi-atklaj-jaunus-vardus-elektrovilcieniem
(...) this month four more electric trains are being given forest-related names – Zalktis (Grass Snake), Bērzs (Birch), Mednis (Capercaillie) and Ērglis (Eagle).
Current affairs in cartoons
https://www.lasi.lv/par-svarigo/karikatura/zime-gatis-sluka-jekabpils-lacis-pret-lusi.43045
https://www.lasi.lv/par-svarigo/karikatura/zime-gatis-sluka-pieprasita-timeklvietne.43182
https://www.diena.lv/raksts/diena-citi/karikaturista-skats/nevajadzigais-mikstais-mandats-14352618
https://www.diena.lv/raksts/diena-citi/karikaturista-skats/obligatas-avizes-veikalos-14352701
https://www.diena.lv/raksts/diena-citi/karikaturista-skats/no-ka-uzmanities-senojot-14352419