Reforestation with high-quality seedlings and regular thinning of young stands are considered by the Latvian public (81% of respondents) to be the most important ways in which forests and forestry help mitigate climate change, as young forests more actively sequester carbon dioxide, according to data from the Forest and Climate survey conducted in April by AS Latvijas valsts meži (LVM) and the research centre SKDS.

The use of renewable natural resources for heat production, such as wood chips and firewood, is considered by the Latvian public to be the second most effective way to mitigate climate change, while the use of renewable natural resources for electricity production is recognised as an even more significant method.

The majority, or 78% of respondents, indicate that they have taken deliberate actions to mitigate climate change. Most frequently, respondents noted that they try to reduce their daily consumption: new items are purchased more thoughtfully to reduce waste (indicated by 50% of respondents), and over the past year, additional thought has been given to reducing the amount of wasted food (41%) and energy consumption (36%).

Survey data show that in order to mitigate climate change, respondents are also keen to choose wood products over plastic (16%), consciously choose brands that have implemented environmentally friendly practices (11%), and live or would like to live in a house built of wood simply because it stores carbon for its entire lifespan (9%).

Furthermore, the respondents' answers show that there is an increasing effort to travel on foot or by bicycle rather than by car (29%), as well as to choose locally sourced products that have not been transported from distant countries (26%).

Everyone interested will be able to learn more about individual responsibility and action in mitigating climate change next week, on 26 and 27 May at the Latvijas valsts meži Nature Park in Tērvete, where the highly anticipated forestry event Latvian Forest Days 2023 will take place, which this year is dedicated to the theme of climate: "Will the forest save the world?"
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