On 4 November the government approved the procedure for granting state and EU support for the measure “Support for the prevention of forest damage”, channelling EUR 1 million from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) into improving preventive forest protection measures.
Applications for support may be submitted by a direct administration authority or a derived public person whose functions include forest fire safety supervision or the monitoring of forest pests and diseases. The support intensity is 100 percent.
Support may be received for the installation and improvement of monitoring equipment and communications equipment for forest fires, harmful organisms and diseases, thereby promoting sustainable forest management. Forest fire safety supervision is one of the preventive measures, since detecting the site of a forest fire in good time reduces the economic, social and ecological consequences it causes. The monitoring of forest pests and diseases likewise reduces losses for the forest owner, and good-quality forecasts of the spread of diseases and pests allow owners to take the decisions required.
Once in force, the regulations will replace the current Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 381 of 14 June 2016, “Procedure for granting, administering and supervising state and European Union support for the activity ‘Installation and improvement of monitoring equipment and communications equipment for forest fires, pests and diseases’ under the sub-measure ‘Support for the prevention and restoration of damage to forests caused by fires, natural disasters and catastrophic events’ of the measure ‘Investments in forest development and improvement of the viability of forests’”, and will ensure the implementation of the measures of Latvia's Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan for 2023–2027.
The regulations “Regulations for the granting, administration and supervision of state and European Union support for the intervention ‘Support for the prevention of forest damage’” will come into force on the day after their publication in the official gazette “Latvijas Vēstnesis”