Unfortunately, a portion of society in Latvia still does not understand or does not want to understand that "nothing comes from nothing…" In order for our country to survive the troubles and tribulations echoed by almost all mass media, it must be stated clearly and plainly: Latvia needs people who manage our country's most significant resource – the land. People and the land are Latvia's greatest assets!

A veteran forester, who has worked in the forestry sector for 48 years, given his life to caring for Latvia's forests, and acted honestly and responsibly so that the state could also receive the fruits of his labour, receives a pension of just over 200 EUR… Of course, pathetic "benefits" are not just for pensioners; many in Latvia are struggling to survive. Those who give their lives to Latvia do their best to raise their children and grandchildren here. Not everyone wants to leave for the unknown abroad and, in effect, disappear from their nation… Even so-called "returnee benefits" are pitiful, despite the pomposity with which the idea was presented when it began. Driving along the roads of our Homeland (whatever they may be like…) and meeting people, the love for the Homeland that compels them to stay here is admirable. And to hope… People ask: "Why don't you tell them, so everyone hears it there in Riga, that we want to live and work here? Let them allow us to do so, let them not waste our money on unnecessary things and projects that provide no benefit to the people, but only to a few who see an opportunity and receive large sums for what is, essentially, unnecessary in circumstances where schools are being liquidated and states of emergency declared due to the 'collapse' of roads." When orphanages are overflowing, yet families who want to raise orphans have no money. How can Latvia pay tens of thousands of euros for counting wintering birds when 20,000 people have left in a single year? Not like migratory birds that return in the spring, but for good…

A brief look into the recent past – some projects of "green" organisations:

People say: "We approach the centenary of Latvia with hopes, with cares and heavy thoughts – what will the Latvian countryside be like in a few years, what will the Latvian landscape look like? With us, or without – beautiful, with flying dragonflies and forest meadows ringing with the trills of birds? Will the Latvian language still be heard there?"

It must be admitted that there are no answers to such questions. In Latvia, large funds are spent on dragonflies and owls, on the "enchanting" process of habitat mapping (9.5 million EUR) and the already planned potential restoration (which also amounts to millions of euros), and on "green offices" and other miraculous things, while forgetting about the most important thing – the residents of Latvia.

People ask: "What are the officials thinking who work on creating the principles for fund distribution at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development? Who are the people spending the project money? Where have they 'appeared' from? Who is covering for them and supporting them throughout all these 'project' years? Is society prepared to trade a Latvian family for a three-toed woodpecker? Or one village for one nest? Or one Latvian school for one project about dragonflies? Or a rural homestead for an owl?"

And…

Results of the 2017 project competition under the guideline "Responsible Lifestyle"

Etc., etc…. Behold, the protocols of the 2018 meetings of the Latvian Environmental Protection Fund council: https://www.lvafa.gov.lv/lemumi/fps

How is a person in the Latvian countryside supposed to live? What are they to live off in 2019 and the following years? It seems from the trills of researched birds and the romantic rustling of specially valuable habitats…