19.06.2019.

To Ms U. Klapkalne, Chair of the Board of Latvijas Radio

To Ms M. Lele, Head of the News Department at Latvijas Radio

To Ms E. Unāma, Producer of the programme “Krustpunktā”

Following the announcement of today's “Krustpunktā” programme, “Deforestation: Ministry of Agriculture proposes cutting thinner trees, nature lovers object”, and the choice of the heading “Deforestation” for the forestry section, I wish to express, on behalf of the Latvian Forest Owners' Association and other forestry sector organisations, our bewilderment at this portrayal of forestry issues and request an explanation as to why this is being done.

In our opinion, when a topic is announced for a programme, the public media should maintain neutrality in the formulation of the subject, rather than choosing the view of ONE interest group. In this instance, the chosen programme blurb contains the phrase “cutting thinner trees”, which is taken verbatim from a statement by the Latvian Ornithological Society and the Latvian Fund for Nature; moreover, it is factually incorrect and constitutes demagoguery. Proof of this is the fact that even 10 cm thin trees can be felled now if they have reached the cutting age. This confirms that the public is being misled even in the headline regarding the essence of the issue. Is this professional journalistic conduct when reporting on current affairs? The programme producers could just as easily have chosen the words of forestry sector organisations, stating that the amendments are aimed at more efficient forest management and more productive forest cultivation. Furthermore, to maintain a neutral position, the programme should have adhered to the original source of information – the annotation of the Cabinet of Ministers regulation draft prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture – or, at the very least, the opinion expressed by the Minister of Agriculture, K. Gerhards, on LSM a few days earlier. Furthermore, foresters ARE friends of nature and do not object to these amendments.

We draw attention to the fact that public media, when offering topics on specific sectors, should use terms used in the regulatory acts of those sectors. We have Cabinet of Ministers regulations on tree felling in the forest, on forest regeneration, etc. We have no regulatory acts that define procedures for DEFORESTATION (izciršana). Tree removal (izciršana) is addressed in regulations on deforestation, i.e., changing land use from forest land to another type, for example, for construction or infrastructure development. In these cases, THE FOREST WILL NO LONGER EXIST AT THAT LOCATION. In contrast, in forestry, even after trees are harvested, a forest will grow in their place after a certain period. Thus, by using the term “deforestation” when talking about forestry, the public media is misleading the public, shaping a negative opinion against one of the most important sectors for the Latvian economy and its people, which provides jobs for a large part of the Latvian population, pays taxes and dividends into the state budget—which also supports public media—and produces goods that bring money into the Latvian economy from abroad. Is it the aim of Latvijas Radio to undermine the competitiveness of this sector with tendentious headlines?

At the same time, we would like to express our appreciation to today’s “Krustpunktā” presenter, Māra Jansone, for her professionalism in hosting the programme.

We look forward to Latvijas Radio maintaining future neutrality regarding the coverage of forestry issues, i.e., changing the “Deforestation” section to “Forestry” or “Forest Management”. The second option is to keep the “Deforestation” section and place in it news items about the loss of forest areas both globally and in Latvia. For example, it could feature a very timely news item that on 26 June there will be a timber plot auction where it is planned to DEFOREST 300 ha of mature forest, and there will be no more forest there. Further details https://www.daba.gov.lv/upload/File/DOC/Cirsma_190626_izsoles_saraksts.pdf. Conversely, a new section should be created for forest management issues using the heading options mentioned above.

In conclusion, I would like to extend an invitation for cooperation with the forestry sector in creating the content of programmes, as the forestry sector has the data, the professionals, and the topics that concern every inhabitant of Latvia, for which the level of education and understanding of not only Latvijas Radio journalists but also the entire public should be improved.

Yours sincerely,

A. Muižnieks

Chairman of the Board