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
30 November – 6 December
Worth knowing! On upcoming and current events
From 1 November to 15 December we invite you to choose the European Tree of the Year in Latvia
Until 13 December, an exhibition of works by students of the Art Academy of Latvia, “Latvijas valsts meži Scholarship in Art 2024”
From 18 May, the exhibition “From Birch Seed to Betulin” at the Pharmacy Museum
27–29 March 2025, the 12th Baltic Theriological Conference “Baltic mammals in the turbulence of anthropogenic tensions”
On industry matters
It does not matter whether we are sitting at the dinner table beneath a roof held up by wooden beams, reading a book on the sofa or scrolling on our phone upon the porcelain throne — wood is all around us. Inseparable, self-evident, like air, water and warmth. So it has been and so it always will be.
At the awards ceremony of the Latvian forest sector annual prize “Zelta čiekurs” on 11 December 2024, the sector's most outstanding representatives will be honoured for their contribution to forest management, science, innovation and the development of the industry.
The timber industry accounts for around 20% of all goods exports and is among the leading sectors in Latvia. “Stiga RM” is one of the industry's most visible companies, investing purposefully in raising productivity and efficiency.
A new ecological, moisture-resistant building material has been created in Latvia. Scientists at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry have developed it from tree bark. The aim of the project was in fact quite different; the board came about through experiments with the residue produced in the process.
The project therefore provides for the implementation of practical management measures and the drafting of planning documents with the aim of improving the quality of the rivers in the Salaca sub-basin and preserving natural values in the long term, as well as passing on knowledge and good practice to the public and to experts in the field.
The aim of the doctoral thesis is to establish the plasticity of the radial growth response of Scots pine in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea region to variability in meteorological and climatic conditions, and to characterise the species' capacity for climatic adaptation and the potential to improve it through breeding.
On official matters
On 3 December the government approved amendments to the procedure by which state and European Union support is granted to the forestry measures “Investments in forest afforestation, replacement, regeneration and thinning” and “Support for improving and maintaining the resilience and ecological value of forest ecosystems” from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund, setting out the conditions for granting, administering and monitoring the support.
The loan programme for those engaged in agricultural, rural and fisheries economic activity is intended for agricultural, rural and fisheries entrepreneurs, including young farmers.
In the open project selection round, for which the acceptance of applications closed on 26 November, the most active were the local authorities of the Vidzeme planning region, with seven project applications submitted. Six project applications were received from local authorities in the Rīga planning region, while four applications came from each of the Kurzeme and Zemgale planning regions. In the Latgale planning region, two local authorities wish to implement projects.
The actual costs of the certification process for cattle destined for export have in reality been far higher than the fees currently in force for a long time now. In issuing a veterinary certificate for the export of cattle, the Food and Veterinary Service assumes full responsibility and guarantees to the receiving country that it has satisfied itself as to the animals' identity, state of health and fitness for transport.
On the economy
In Latvian manufacturing, the construction segment plays an important role, with corresponding shifts in demand for wood and metal products and building materials. Timber companies, metalworkers and building material manufacturers are seeking to offset the deterioration in price competitiveness and the fall in demand for standard products by moving further into niche products, making more complex products to order or supplying raw materials to niche product manufacturers.
Of course, in the case of universal income declaration an extremely high level of data automation is required, and completing the document must be as simple as possible.
On environmental matters
VARAM and the Nature Conservation Agency (the Agency) invite the public to take part in the public consultation on the planned amendments. Written proposals and suggestions on the draft regulations must be submitted by 20 December, addressed to VARAM (Peldu iela 25, Rīga, LV-1494, or pasts@varam.gov.lv). The draft legal act is available on the website of the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development. It can also be viewed in the Public Participation section of the public portal for draft legislation (Project ID 24-TA-1293).
The main problem is that if a nature reserve is now established, it will significantly restrict economic activity not only for us as tourism service providers, but also for farmers, who will no longer be able to choose how to use their agricultural land in future — whether it will be meadow, a field of rye, or forest.
In Kaigu bog, several dozen tea bags of two types were placed in fen peat at a depth of 15 cm, and changes in organic matter were measured over three years.
In the special edition of the programme “Kas notiek Latvijā?” entitled “What will happen to the green course and climate neutrality in Latvia? Nature conservation and local government”
Lauga bog in Limbaži municipality, chosen for the expedition, is an example of the successful coexistence of nature conservation and economic activity — within the 740 ha nature reserve the natural bog is preserved, while right alongside it peat is extracted and large-fruited cranberries are grown commercially in an area of the bog that has been restored following peat extraction.
During the project an updated list of Latvian moss taxa was published, several training sessions were held for new and prospective nature experts, field checks were carried out on individual moss species, and an identification guide to Latvia's protected moss species was produced.
From 30 November, an exhibition on the importance of natural diversity can be seen at the Latvian Museum of Natural History, highlighting the interconnections between living organisms and their fragility in ensuring a healthy and balanced living environment.
If a property lies beside a lake or river, owners usually want to tidy up the adjoining waterside area as well, and to set up a bathing spot or a boat mooring. LV portāls explains what requirements and rules must be observed in such cases.
So what is it that I study? From a hundred kilometres up I study the direction in which our civilisation is developing, and as a biologist by faith and by education I try to formulate interdisciplinary regularities. I shall describe some of them below, because I believe they deserve your attention.
On hunting
At the end of November 2024, the Internal Security Bureau took part, within its remit, in a State Forest Service raid to check compliance with the legislation governing hunting during a drive hunt. The check was carried out among hunting collectives in the Vidzeme region and revealed no infringements by employees of institutions subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior.
This decision gives member states additional flexibility in managing local wolf populations. At the same time, the wolf will retain the status of a protected species, and member states will have to ensure a favourable conservation status for the species.
On the interesting
On 15 December three newly built railway stops will open — “Dauderi” on the Skulte railway line, “Šmerlis” on the Sigulda railway line and “Medemciems” on the Jelgava railway line. With the opening of the “Medemciems” stop, the existing "Baloži" stop will be closed.
This year marks 160 years since the founding of the Ainaži Naval School. In its day this school gave not only a good education to Latvian and Estonian lads, who gained prosperity on obtaining a master's certificate, but is in a sense also one of the cornerstones of the rise in Latvian self-confidence.
Local residents are beginning to ask questions about the delays in the reconstruction of Rudbārži Manor for the needs of the Colonel Oskars Kalpaks Vocational Secondary School. The fact that nothing is happening at the school is causing concern, and there are grounds for that concern.
The auctions held in November in Jelgava municipality for two cultural monuments — the dwelling house “Upenieki” in Salgale parish and the manor house of Bērvircava Manor — ended without result, the municipal authority reported.
Topical matters in cartoons
