Notable - Zeme un valsts
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Latest articles

Latvijas Banka issues a symbolic collector coin, "Chestnut"
The European Innovation Act and the forest bioeconomy – what can Latvian forestry gain from it?
The “Trojan Horse” of Turkish Plywood – Growing Concerns Among European Timber Producers
Nature Conservation Agency invites donations for the restoration of nature tourism infrastructure damaged by the storm

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

Collector coin “Chestnut”
Trees on agricultural land – perennial plantations, short-rotation coppice or agroforestry?!
The Baltics in the Kremlin's sights. How serious is the threat?

Notable

1200 scientists and specialists declare: "There is no climate emergency"
Survey reveals the most popular “Latvijas valsts meži” recreational sites
The path we are walking. “...the USA and NATO do not need nuclear weapons to deter Russia from using nuclear weapons”
Removing emotional barriers for the ATR will take more than four years
Your Christmas tree can be home to thousands of living creatures. Some may become active at room temperature
Researchers have created a list of 70 priority river dams for removal
On the annual botanical discoveries
Forest nation Sweden will soon take over the EU Presidency
Latvia: Regional Economic Trends
The Paris Agreement was a turning point for global warming. Do we need a similar agreement to protect nature?
Riga's main Christmas trees this year come from Rīgas Meži in the Olaine area
Timber product prices are falling in Latvia
Only a small proportion of Latvian pupils see their future in agriculture
Forestry company founder and motorcycle racer Kristaps Grietiņš
What is happening in the hardwood timber market in Europe?
Many financial institutions continue to fund deforestation
The shine and misery of public procurement
This year, residents are nearly twice as active in applying to collect logging residues
Entrepreneur must pay a 25 thousand euro fine for tree felling
Splitting the Moon. “Faith in miracles in a scientific world...”
What do you know about lesser spotted eagle monitoring? The significance of the project and the surprising results
Identity and migrants: how Britain is organised. “...No one bothers anyone. Everyone does what they want – of course, within the bounds of the law and common sense”
Strategic goals of the Latvian forest sector and the possibilities for their realisation in the short and long term by adapting to the new geopolitical and climate situation
Celebrating 30 years since the implementation of the Habitats Directive
Latvians as people and people as Latvians. “It is even harder to come to terms with the call to realise one’s value as a Latvian”
Manor offered for sale in Madliena for one euro
Latvian Foreign Minister opposes proposal to introduce EU-wide constituency at General Affairs Council
US scientists' plan: cool the Earth by reflecting sunlight into space
Cold, colder, coldest. “Winter is coming... A chilling introduction to freezing”
Clever city dwellers. “City birds are cleverer than their country cousins, say ornithologists...”
Renewable energy sector investors face uncertainty due to EU-imposed profit caps
Brand “greenwashing” will not save the planet
German state premier claims that phasing out coal by 2030 is unachievable
High-tech lobbying outcompetes big energy in the European Union
Recently published documents clarify NATO's eastward expansion
A petition to JSC “Latvijas valsts meži”
Highest number of new companies registered this year in August
EU Council adopts general approach on emission reduction and its social impact – Fit for 55
Gazprom has generously endowed a climate foundation in Germany
“Green cloud” startups that investors are betting on to tap into a 2 trillion USD climate change opportunity
To protect the oceans, the European Union must act on a scientific basis
Scientists: “Urban timber construction” could prevent around a billion tonnes of emissions by 2100
The euro is not the end of history yet
Profit, dividends and the public good
Hot summer reveals mob secrets in Las Vegas lake
Without gas, the EU could face several 'terrible' winters
No way out. China switches off first electric vehicle charging stations
I am not interested in small animals
...the more drunkards plant, the better the trees grow
First come, first served!
Humans have completely altered small mammal communities over the last few centuries
First farmers in Latvia receive payment for calculated carbon credits
Is this strange summer the right time for change?
Traces of the 2010 oil spill were still detectable in 2020
"Latvenergo" and LVM joint venture plans wind farms in forests "further from the public eye"
Budget "eaters". "The news about alcoholics eating up the medical budget may seem alarming to any decent citizen..."
On freedom of speech
Subtly put. In the weeds
Squabbling over EU Taxonomy rules shows: the future of sustainable finance will be distinctly political
Do plants have a memory?
Protected nature area established for the conservation of a rare bat species
The most culturally arrogant* Europeans
All-powerful, unified. "...What is the difference whether a territory is a formally independent state or an official province..."
At the dawn of great ape rights. "Some scientists even suggest including gorillas and chimpanzees in the human genus (Homo)..."
Latvian history did not begin in the 20th century
The issue of European rolling stock
Livestock farmers must learn to coexist with wolves and take responsibility for the security of their herds
Quantifying climate benefits from UNESCO World Heritage forests
Is Russia genuinely funding Western eco-activists?
The state has not proven itself to be a good crisis manager
Ministry of Defence proposes establishing a state-owned enterprise for ammunition production
Here are the positive environmental stories from 2022 so far!
UN food programme chief calls on the wealthy who benefit from C19 and similar events to fight hunger
Disputes over the use of the Īle forest have been ongoing for years – activists are calling for a nature park
End of the road for tree felling regulations saga
Who is guarding the pesticides?
Acute shortage of farm workers in the UK following Brexit
Consider the opportunity to take over a valuable business in the roundwood trade
Fighting for Latvia, but against Latvians
100 euros a kg! The world market pays significant sums for plants from Latvia's meadows and forests
Harmful and dangerous major forests on our planet. Why are they a threat?
Permafrost peatlands are “poised to release” billions of tonnes of carbon
To stay camouflaged, soldiers may soon be able to use cellulose foam instead of leafy branches
Money lakes are circling over Latvia and bringing joy to people in many places
Fossil fuel 'gold rush' triggered by war may make global warming irreversible
Paris protesters celebrate. Trees around the Eiffel Tower saved
Supporting Ukraine's seed bank
An Even Hotter Russia
Netherlands approves joint project with Germany for natural gas extraction in the North Sea
106 forest fires extinguished in the first month of the fire-hazardous period
New, highly reactive chemical substance discovered in the atmosphere
Why Russia is no longer afraid of the West. Wartime thoughts.
Zemgale railway station turns 100
830-million-year-old organisms found trapped in ancient crystals could be revived
Study on pesticides in European countries: Latvia is the cleanest
Lynx in Latvia. Bureaucratic actions hinder (or finish off) successful species conservation
The EU is to promote the use of solar energy and renewable energy sources to reduce the consumption of Russian gas
Widespread wildfires rage in Russia; many resources needed for firefighting have been diverted to Ukraine
Relations with Russia and Belarus are comparable to cooperation with North Korea
Ukrainian minister and Azovstal owners call on Latvian government to support DLRR
How they call out in the forest... 10 years later.
Research. The Paradoxical Animal
On peat
Europe Day has a different flavour this year
On Europe and extremism
A massive solar plasma spot could "collide" with Earth this weekend
Energy sector challenges spark discussions on the possibility of burning peat
A barcode for snakes. "How can you forbid keeping a grass snake when it wanders around the farmhouse foundations?"
What is the largest arachnid that has ever lived?
Svēte: a border river in minty freshness and rock music solidity
A house for one euro (€1) in Italy
Observer Society. “...meteorological maps of public mood”
New IPCC report states: opportunities to reach UN climate goals are exhausted.
In Europe's cooler regions, heatwaves boost support for "green" parties
A light European cocktail. "...Rīgas Melnais balzams mixed into Rīgas šampanietis will also do..."
The potential economic and social consequences of the Green Deal (green transition)
Ukraine is the Poland of the 21st century
The tax burden in Latvia will only continue to grow
Scientists have found evidence of the most powerful earthquake in human history
Why were there no sanctions after the invasion of Crimea in 2014, but now they were introduced almost overnight?
Will taxing porcini mushrooms and cranberries help us defeat the shadow economy?
The city's triumph. The ploughman gives life to the word “culture”, the city – to the word “civilisation”
God save the polar explorers! "...a large part of the North Pole is..."
VAT rates in Europe
The Orlen Group guarantees stable oil and fuel supply. From where? ...
What is the difference between reforestation and afforestation?
Silent soldiers. "...there is no answer to the question of whether to use animals for human warfare..."
Is the end nigh for fossil hydrogen?
Ring-necked duck observed in Latvia for the first time
Europe underestimates the economic contribution of its craft heritage
Russians or citizens of the Russian Federation?
How Latvia is warming up. "...well, yes, I don't recommend a house on the coast – in Kaltene, Roja, Saulkrasti..."
The Holy Spring of Lielie Muļķi.
If I lived in Daugavpils. "Some people even sell their flats in Riga and move here"
Brussels fog over Latvia's peatlands
The Management Myth. "The world of business management theorists is not subject to the necessity of accounting for results"
The whole world is convinced that beaver teeth are the gold standard of whiteness
A celebration of provincialism. "...Latvia is an outpost in the fight against the terrifying land of bears, Russia, with its unfathomable soul..."
Playing with numbers. It is impossible to determine whether money changes one's way of thinking
On ratings, opinions and anxiety. “Now surely you will be able to tell me clearly and unambiguously – are we heading up or down?”
Even today, hillforts can still be found in Latvia
Riga, Warsaw, Brussels will be protected on the threshold of Zaporizhzhia
On bunk. The sole purpose of bunk is to reveal something about the speaker themselves, such as the fact that they are a “source of expertise”
Gulbene municipality puts bānītis locomotives and carriages up for auction, no cause for concern about the future of the narrow-gauge train
Transit. "We have entered Russia..."
Responsible for everything. ...“eco-Catholicism” and Russia’s ultramodern “atomic Orthodoxy”...
What reduces the desire of Rigans to travel in a “green” way?
Russians under umbrellas. "...he wasn't standing under Putin's umbrella, but mine..."
Moscow's Golden Thresholds. Spy training camp, refuge from oneself, capital of glamour
VARAM has set impossible requirements for state support for pellet boiler installation
The back door for Russian oil flows to Europe remains open
How Germany became a supporter of Putin
Work with the heart. "...patriotic films also become engaging for those who do not visit cinemas..."
Zoologist advises against going to the forest in March and April
Art in the forest, or a near-detective story
Cloudy with a chance of economic recession
“Rīgas Meži” video surveillance system records: construction waste dumped in the forest twice in one hour
Future of the peat industry in Latvia remains uncertain
On the Russian rake
Agricultural products have become 17% more expensive, and some buyers are already starting to save on food
Brown bear in Gulbene municipality has been euthanised
The mysterious region is home to only a few people - climate researchers
If other news overshadows climate issues, we could find ourselves in big trouble
Swedish skyscraper stores a large volume of C
On the world of waste. A little...
Russian invasion puts an end to Ukraine's plans to plant a billion trees
Stepping on the Russian rake
From somewhere to nowhere. "...I don't know much about the Gulag. I know it existed..."
In Defence of Banalities. "More than anything in the world, the current power in Russia is interested in power"
Gift
Good people in 2007
Expert says: "The climate crisis and the invasion of Ukraine share the same roots"
Where is water stress expected by 2040?
Environmental issues are being put on hold, as the EU concerns itself with food security
With war raging, a desire to slow down green management is being felt
"Mega Moon" rocket is ready for launch
The liquidation of the fifth column. Why are you crying like that, we are glad that you are finally leaving.
Ministry of Economics evaluates two proposals to reduce fuel prices
Forestry and related neologisms and terminology
On fan culture and patriotism. Sometimes we can even fray the nerves of the world's great powers
Research to study newcomers in rural Latvia and their integration into local communities
Vegetables in Latvia to become an exclusive luxury for the wealthy
NATO must prepare to defend its weakest point - the Suwalki Gap
“Rīgas Meži” to begin creating scenically valuable areas in the Gauja forestry district
Support for solar panels
Major environmental activist organisations and groups are ignoring or pretending not to notice the war in Ukraine. Why?
Australian scientists have received a €3.4m grant to resurrect the Tasmanian tiger
The war is not fought with weapons alone
Climate Council of Australia wonders: elections are approaching, yet politicians are saying little about the climate
Money received for Russian natural gas turns green
Coexistence is inevitable
Italy looks to Algerian gas
Last year saw the largest area of grain crops sown in Latvian agricultural history
Gas supplies can be organised via the Klaipėda terminal
The war in Ukraine as a turning point for European gas dependency
FACE begins partnership with Härkila
Journalism is not idle chatter. "It is not important to me whether journalists are like-minded people, because I do not seek emotional comfort in newspaper pages"
Improvements to water quality planned at nine sites in Latvia
Labour shortage in forests. All hope pinned on technology
On English language skills worldwide
If necessary, Belarus may stop timber supplies to Lithuania
I didn't know he was such a fool!
Unknown plant discovered in Brazil. Researchers fear for its threatened existence
Three knives and the culture of arrogance in Europe
The most valuable companies in the agricultural sector
Tremors after the empire. "Russians have nicknamed the British capital 'Moscow on the Thames'."
Post-Soviet pragmatism gas crisis. "The myth of fighting the dragon – on the Ukrainian side, and the Orthodox myth from the Russian side."
How will Europe fare if Russia cuts off gas?
How to compare countries?
A little on Soviet architecture in Riga. "In a sense, every building has a meaning..."
Nurture, educate, teach. "Education is what young people who are not working and have no intention of doing so occupy themselves with..."
After reading wonders about fast-growing trees, dozens of buyers spend hundreds on bits of root
South American lithium fields reveal the dark side of our "electronic future"
Which European countries are dependent on Russian gas supplies?
Latvians love Latvians. Hallelujah!
We have identified what is valuable. What next?
Astronomers have identified a cosmic object unlike anything seen before
EU Platform on Sustainable Finance requires clarity
The Nature Conservation Agency invites reports on toad migration sites
Will the Green Deal strengthen EU-Africa relations and economic cooperation?
In 2021, sustainable bond issuance exceeded the value of 1 trillion USD
Restrictions have also reduced pollution, saving about 800 people in 47 major European cities
An extraordinary step towards the state. "The popularity of reporting in the new Republic of Latvia..."
Cherry tree forests: are they the future for Latvia?
164 million years old is the oldest flowering plant discovered on Earth to date
Tonga volcanic eruption equivalent to "hundreds" of Hiroshima atomic bombs, NASA concludes
Sock exhibitions are not enough for the development of cultural space
Nature Conservation Agency announces competition for names of specially protected marine areas
The European Parliament and the European Commission have published the results of a joint Eurobarometer survey on the future of Europe
USA plans to divert gas to Europe if Russia reduces supply
To achieve climate goals on time, 9.2 trillion dollars must be invested annually
In which continent or part of the world should we expect wage growth this year?
Russia thrown off the train
The clock on Europe's ticking inflation time bomb is ticking...
European Parliament advocates for the use of renewable hydrogen and energy system integration
Serbia revokes licence of Australian mining giant Rio Tinto
Trust in government across different countries
How did the world warm in 2021?
River barrier clearance project expected in Latvia
Another periodic revolution at the State Forest Service
Followers of the “green religion” enjoy the conveniences created by technology without thinking or asking where these benefits come from
December frost causes maple sap to flow as early as the beginning of January
"Greenflation"*, I am afraid, is real and here to stay
Will lab-grown palm oil help save tropical forests?
Japanese ceramic artist Kaori Kurihara has created magnificent fruit
4.2 million euros to be allocated for integrating Rail Baltica into Riga city centre
Innovative asphalt concrete recognised as a 2021 achievement
The work achieved in 2021 marks a new turning point in nature conservation
What does the story of the 14th-century plague tell us about the impact of Covid on policy change?
Using knowledge to combat greenhouse gases
We do not have oil, but we have a renewable raw material – wood and biomass
How to preserve pine forests by the seaside?
How safe a person feels alone on the street at night
There is a possibility that nuclear energy will become "green" energy in the European Union
Latvian wheat export income is more than double the income of "Latvijas dzelzceļš" from the export of freight transport services