After forestry operations are completed, logging residues remain at the site, which are useful as firewood, so A/S “Latvijas valsts meži” allows them to be collected free of charge. To do this, residents must obtain special free permits. Given the rise in fuel prices, public interest in these permits has in some places increased fivefold, noted Edmunds Linde, Head of Silviculture Planning at “Latvijas valsts meži”.

“For example, in Zemgale, with its relatively low forest cover and higher population density than in Latgale, our colleagues have received five times as many enquiries about permits this year compared to the same period last year. As for the number of permits – whereas last year we issued over 2,000 permits for the collection of logging residues, this year we will effectively have reached that volume within just six months,” noted E. Linde. (...)