31 May – 6 June - Zeme un valsts
11th LMSP International Conference in 29 days, 29 October. Learn more ›

Weekly review

19–25 September
12-18 September
5-11 September
29 August – 4 September
22-28 August
15–21 August
8–14 August
1–7 August
25–31 July
18–24 July
11-17 July
4–10 July
27 June – 3 July
20–26 June
13–19 June
6–12 June
30 May – 5 June
23-29 May
16-22 May
9-15 May

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

A lighter note

“Why are the trees here so big?”

VIDEO

The Baltics in the Kremlin's sights. How serious is the threat?
Latvian and Baltic economic review
From log to microchip: where is Latvia's export value actually created?

31 May – 6 June

Zemeunvalsts.lv | 06.06.2025

Industry matters

youtube.com · watch
The timber stock currently stands at 680 million cubic metres, and at present the volume of forest felling in Latvia is reportedly lower overall than the increment. The state also owns a considerable amount of forest land, which is currently managed by various ministries.
 
db.lv · valsts mezu cirsanas apjoma palielinasana budzeta varetu ien…
The minister mentioned that income from forest felling could be affected by various factors, including how the felled timber is sold, the market price and other factors, but total income could amount to between 100 and 200 million euros.
 
jauns.lv · 657778 ekonomists peteris strautins norada uz milzigu proble…
Over the past ten years there has been an economic renaissance, largely thanks to one company – “Stiga RM” – which took over plywood production in Kuldīga and revived it at an entirely different level of quality. Perhaps it is a coincidence, perhaps not, but other companies have developed during this time as well.

zm.gov.lv · zemkopibas ministrs armands krauze ar veja energijas asociac…
Implementing projects of this scale in state forests calls for very careful assessment — not only of the potential contribution to the national economy and the energy sector, but also of the public interest. Forests are Latvia's pride, so public concerns about the impact of these projects on Latvia's landscape and everyday environment are understandable.

db.lv · latvijas finieris realizejis rekordlielu saplaksna apjomu 52…
In 2024 the “Latvijas Finieris” group sold a record volume – 309 thousand cubic metres of plywood products (296.6 in 2023), the company reports.

lvm.lv · 7624 koksnes buvniecibas parsteigumi izstade expo 2025
Visitors to the Baltic pavilion will be able to take part in a symbolic forest planting, planting a pine in Latvia and a spruce or birch in Lithuania. After symbolically planting a tree in Latvian or Lithuanian territory, visitors to the exhibition receive a digital certificate confirming what they have done, making them the godparent of the tree they planted.

db.lv · metsa group pabeidz koksnes piegades biznesa pardosanu latvi…
Metsä Group's parent company Metsäliitto Cooperative has completed the sale of its subsidiary SIA Metsa Forest Latvia to the Latvian company SIA ACA Timber.

Worth knowing! Upcoming and current events

Baloži peat narrow-gauge train excursions in 2025
bdklubs.lv · ekskursijas

The exhibition “Who was rustling in the forest?” on the Līgatne nature trails
daba.gov.lv · ligatnes dabas takas atklata jauna ekspozicija kas meza brik…

From 12 April to 27 July, the photography exhibition “My Bird 2025” at the Latvian National Museum of Natural History
dabasmuzejs.lv · fotoizstade mans putns 2025

Throughout June, the Peony Flower Parade 2025
staburags.lv · visu juniju krasni peoniju ziedesanas svetki lvm arboretuma…

From 28 May to 27 July, a solo exhibition by Prof. A. Barševskis “Peonies”
du.lv · atklata arvida barsevska fotografiju izstade peonijas

On 7 June, in the lecture tent of the “Zobens un lemess” festival there will be the reading series “For freedom!”
Semigallians, home guards, riflemen, national partisans in Zemgale. Different eras, one land, a thread that unites them in different contexts – the motif of freedom
zobensunlemess.lv
 
On 8 June, a performance dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the novel “Zaļā zeme”
lsm.lv · 06.06.2025 romana zala zeme 80 gadu jubileju atzimes ar perf…
 
On 19 July, the Dienvidkurzeme Municipality Hunters' Festival
medibam.lv
 
On 14 and 15 August, the first teachers' development forum DABĀ
lvm.lv · 7587 skolotaj piesakies izaugsmes forumam daba
 
On 20–22 August, the international scientific conference “Sustainable Horticulture from Plant to Product: Challenges in a Temperate Climate – 2025”, organised by the Institute of Horticulture
darzkopibasinstituts.lv · conference
 
On 4 September, the “Green Classroom” at Sarkaņkalns in Rēzekne Municipality
sarkankalns.lv · zala klase

On 12 September, “Forest lore in the Blue Hills”, Ogres Zilie kalni

On 15–19 September, the international scientific conference EuroDendro

Official matters

zm.gov.lv · lauksaimnieciskas izglitibas iestades vares bez administrati…
The amendments to the law concern agricultural research institutions and educational establishments that deliver vocational education programmes related to agriculture, including the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Bulduri Technical School and Malnava College.

kem.gov.lv · kem aicina uz sabiedrisko apspriesanu lai iepazistinatu ar s…
Latvia has access to various support instruments, including financial support instruments, for mitigating the effects of climate change and moving the economy towards climate neutrality, which are intended to boost our country's competitiveness, reduce costs, raise productivity and support local economic activity.

zm.gov.lv · latvija pirmo reizi konstatets augsti patogenas putnu gripas…
An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza of the H5N1 subtype has been detected at a holding with 190 birds in Birzgale parish, Ogre Municipality.

In science

silava.lv · paula zeltina promocijas darbs par prizu eglu un berzu augsa…
On 30 May, at the Estonian University of Life Sciences in Tartu, a research assistant of the Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava, Pauls Zeltiņš, successfully defended a doctoral thesis.

Climate change is increasing the risk of fire in forests all over the world – including in Latvia. The fire hazard season officially began in the country on 1 May. Although the weather is fairly damp and cool at the moment, summer heat and drought can change the situation quickly.silava.lv

...chitosan, obtained from Agaricus bisporus (button mushroom) biomass, is one of the few natural polymers with a positive charge. This unique property makes it an effective barrier against bacteria and moisture – an advantage not even found in many synthetic materials. kki.lv

Movement of various kinds

Over the next three months, regular oversized cargo transports will be carried out on the Rīga–Kalnciems route.zz.lv

Overall, the situation on the railways and in the ports is very sorry indeed. In fact, our cargo volumes have now reached a historic low, because we have never had such small cargo volumes on the railways and in the ports.lsm.lv

On hunting

That is why I hope for continued responsible cooperation, for listening rather than dictating. Where there is normal communication between the state, hunters and forest owners, solutions do emerge. Where there is no willingness to cooperate, recriminations, mistrust and stagnation prevail.medibam.lv

A meeting with Juris Veispals, senior inspector of the State Forest Servicemedibam.lv

Regardless of this question, Latvian hunters mention from time to time — referring to fatal wolf attacks on domestic animals in rural areas, particularly around Rēzekne — that wolf culling quotas ought to be increased.jauns.lv

The roe buck hunting season began on 1 June this year, while the season for roe does and kids (up to one year old) will begin on 15 August. The roe deer hunting season will continue until 30 November.vmd.gov.lv

On the ancient oak

In the case of the ancient oak felled in Mārupe in 2022, Rīga District Court has ordered a legal person to pay 27,500 euros in compensation to the state for the damage caused to the environment, together with a coercive measure – the confiscation of property.lsm.lv

On storms and safety

Several safety measures relating to the use of personal electrical devices must be observed during a thunderstorm. If a building is not fitted with lightning and surge protection systems, it is dangerous to operate electrical devices during a storm, and simply switching a device off is not enough – it must be unplugged from the socket! kem.gov.lv

On the environment

varam.gov.lv · pasakumi biologiskas daudzveidibas veicinasanai un saglabasa…

To protect a rare, fragile and specially protected aquatic plant – Dortmann's lobelia – a seasonal ban on people being present in Lake Ummis (in the water), in the “Piejūra” nature park in Ādaži Municipality, applies from 1 June to 15 August.varam.gov.lv

With Swiss financial support, a support programme has been set up to ensure a tidy, clean and safe environment at a historically contaminated site in Aizkraukle.kem.gov.lv

The Institute of Biology of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences of the University of Latvia has begun drawing up a nature conservation plan for the “Sedas purvs” nature reserve for the next 12 years, commissioned by Valmiera Municipality and following a specification of the work to be done drawn up by the Nature Conservation Agency.daba.gov.lv

On railways and a little on timber

At present, trains on the Rīga–Saulkrasti line stop at Inčupe station, which lies far from populated areas in surroundings that are hard to reach. Local residents had therefore hoped that a new, more accessible station would be built.lsm.lv

There was unusual activity by workers at Torņakalns railway station on Wednesday, 4 June. This is the first of 16 railway stations where temporary raised train platforms will be built. One of the three planned here is ready and began serving passengers that very day.lsm.lv

On oddities

The environmental protection tradition, which the authors of the initiative would seem to represent, does not usually recognise the rights of individual animals, including the right to life. Possibly because the environment is seen as a process in which suffering, death and killing are an inseparable part. That is why the demand to be a vegetarian or a vegan is mostly not so strict, but follows from the already mentioned devastating impact that the meat industry has on the environment.satori.lv

Miscellaneous

An unprecedented event in Kazdanga – part of a 300-year-old pine containing a wild bees' hollow was taken to the manor. Now there is a historical object by the castle, echoing the apiary of local beekeeper Vaclovs Jonkus in the park right next door.liepajniekiem.lv

It seemed to me a wonderful opportunity – after working at Sigulda Municipality, to end up on the other bank of the Gauja, developing the museum's activities and its role in the context of the region, and making this a place where people want to come back again and again.aprinkis.lv

In this case it was the national question. In the last quarter of the 19th century, Russia seemed to come to its senses and realise that it had annexed so many territories that Russians themselves had been left in the minority in this enormous state, and so an enormous policy of Russification began.lsm.lv

Together with students from the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, we carried out a survey in which we concluded that residents have become less active. Yes, they take part in elections – in percentage terms that is a small share of people, but even fewer get involved in community activities.zz.lv

Current affairs in cartoons

diena.lv · udensmeritaji 14336929

diena.lv · kandidates mazakuma 14336989

diena.lv · izbraukuma balsosana 14336804

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