We are a European superpower of ancient trees, holding the second-highest density of such trees right after Great Britain. We have many beautiful, well-tended ancient trees, many that grow in the wild, and many still to be discovered. Those that meet the size criteria for ancient tree status are protected by Cabinet Regulation No. 264, which stipulates that within the area of the tree's crown projection and for 10 metres around it, no activities may be carried out that could hinder the tree's growth and natural development; no heavy objects may be placed there, and the area may only be cleared of competing trees and shrubbery. It all seems quite straightforward, yet things happen in real life. There are truly shocking cases, like the one in Mārupe, where, driven by greed, property developers persuaded the local government to approve construction right next to a tree, ultimately leading to the felling of the ancient oak. But there are also situations like in Cīrava, where, over the long life of a tree, various circumstances have unfolded such that the letter of the law alone is not enough; genuine mutual understanding between the residents and the local government regarding the value of the ancient tree is required, along with cooperation to ensure that protection measures are put into practice.
In the Dienvidkurzeme region, within the parish of Cīrava, the mighty and scenic Aptiekas Oak stands near the Ozoliņi homestead. During the years of occupation, land reclamation negatively affected the moisture available to the oak, and an electricity line was run through its branches. The owners of the Ozoliņi homestead care for the oak and have been fighting for more than 30 years to have a road relocated—a road that was built without authorisation in the 1970s, sits just 3 metres from the oak's trunk and crosses the ancient tree's roots.
As time passed and state systems changed, the road’s status shifted, and it has now become a municipality-maintained road that is regularly cleared, improved and used with increasing intensity. Over the last few decades, the owner, Māra Vidnere, has appealed to the Cīrava parish administration, the Dienvidkurzeme municipal government, the Aizpute regional administration, the Nature Conservation Agency, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and elsewhere with requests to move the road further away from the oak, outside its protected zone. However, after the authorities commissioned two different arborists, it was concluded that while the built road is not beneficial to the tree, it has not had a significantly detrimental effect on the tree's development.
The same Cabinet Regulations state that if a protected tree is located in a town or populated area, the construction or renovation of infrastructure or engineering utility networks, as well as the reconstruction of buildings, is permitted. The Aptiekas Oak grows on the border; it is rooted outside the populated area in Cīrava parish, and its branches stretch over the existing municipal road, which is still not within the territory of Cīrava village. However, the tips of the branches, as well as the 10-metre protection zone beyond the crown projection, do extend into Cīrava village, which is a populated area.
This results in a contentious and unclear situation, which can only be resolved in favour of the oak if the residents of Cīrava and Cīrava parish, as well as the local government, truly appreciate the value of this mighty, majestic ancient oak and work together to find the best solution to ensure the long life of this ancient tree.