Sector

The government's 2023 decision on stabilising the timber market has had a positive long-term and short-term effect. The long-term effect is visible in the fixed-asset investments made by wood-processing companies...zm.gov.lv

For years now we have grown used to living in a world of poor-quality legislation. And this has apparently, to some extent, developed our thinking and our survival skills. lasi.lv

...next year the forestry sector will have to live in the shadow of geopolitical and economic fluctuations, as world events can rapidly affect demand for, and the price of, timber.db.lv

The trail is designed as a self-guided route with task descriptions that encourage mindful nature exploration and wellbeing. The route is approximately 1.5 kilometres long and has five stops set up along it...rigasmezi.lv

At Jelgava Palace

vmd.gov.lv · mainita adrese dobeles mezniecibas klientu apkalposanas viet…

Worth knowing! Upcoming and ongoing events

17 January Seminar at Smiltene Technical School “Ask your land reclamation specialist!”smiltenestehnikums.lv

Invitation for secondary school students to enter the ”LVM Bioeconomy School” scholarship competition by 30 January

lvm.lv

In January 2026 Latvia marks the 35th anniversary of the 1991 Barricades, which played an invaluable role in restoring Latvia's statehood. zm.gov.lv

Survey on coexistence with large carnivoressondages.inrae.fr

Officially

...the pressure on EU farmers and food producers is currently very high, particularly given high production costs and intensifying competition.zm.gov.lv

Increased liability for dog owners, and a change in which authority handles violations of the rules on transporting animals in vehicles.zm.gov.lv

With the aim of promoting safe micromobility, particularly for the most vulnerable road users – pedestrians, amendments to the Road Traffic Law take effect in 2026.sam.gov.lv

Economy

Price stability is returning. The Governing Council of the European Central Bank has succeeded in bringing eurozone inflation back to its target level, namely 2% a year, which is the optimal rate for economic development. The period of high inflation is over – businesses and residents no longer need to worry about prices rising too fast or money losing its value. delfi.lv

Peat extraction and processing company SIA Laflora expects this year to be stable with moderate growth for the sector, driven mainly by developments in the horticulture and food-growing segment, demand for quality substrates, and the development of new markets in Europe and other regions.db.lv

The figures are impressive. In total we are talking about billions of euros. The military-industrial complex and the energy sectors are experiencing especially strong growth. tvnet.lv

The factory's output is intended first for the Latvian Armed Forces, with the remainder to be exported to partners in other NATO countries. In total the factory plans to produce around 50,000 charges a year.diena.lv

Hunting

2026 has begun with very sad events. Several wolf attacks on dogs have been recorded, and the number of attacks is growing larger every year. Dogs are not only injured but often killed, or their treatment costs a great deal. The problem needs a radical solution. Carrying on with current practice as before is not a serious approach!latma.lv

There are well-founded concerns that this particular wolf pack, which in this case has already killed and partly eaten a dog, has learned that dogs are easy and accessible prey. latma.lv

Competition oddities

The Competition Council has called on associations of potato, fruit, berry and vegetable growers to actively represent their members' interests, gather information on cooperation problems with buyers of agricultural and food products, and report violations. lsm.lv

The Competition Council has completed market monitoring of payment-term practices in the fresh fruit, vegetable and berry supply chain in Latvia, concluding that buyers use their economic market power and apply unjustifiably long payment terms, shifting the financial burden onto suppliers. inc-baltics.com

Of the Year...

The Eurasian pygmy owl's body length is 16 to 17 centimetres, with a wingspan of around 35 centimetres; it inhabits mixed and coniferous forests. Its most important tree species is spruce, which forms shaded stands offering suitable hiding places and feeding opportunities. leta.lv

The Latvian Museum of Natural History has chosen the common toad as the Animal of the Year 2026 – an amphibian species found throughout Latvia. varam.gov.lv

Tree hollows are small cavities in a tree trunk that often go unnoticed by people but are very important for biodiversity. They serve as a home, shelter, feeding and nesting site, and even a storage space and nursery for many birds, mammals, insects and fungi. lsm.lv

The Latvian Botanists' Society has named a beautiful and mysterious bog-edge dweller as Plant of the Year 2026 – bog-rosemary, while the society's moss group has chosen the short-stalked neckera as Moss of the Year 2026.botanika.lu.lv

Fungus of the Year 2026 is the amethyst deceiver Laccaria amethystina – a vividly purple fungus that looks like a small amethyst amid the forest floor.dabasdati.lv

The grape-cluster slime mould feeds on wood-decay fungi, forms showy, conspicuous fruiting bodies resembling clusters of grapes, and can travel as much as 20 centimetres in a single day.lsm.lv

Environment

The scientific assessment confirms an especially high biological value also for the western part of the Silzemnieki polder, where EU-significant protected grasslands have been identified that are likewise valuable for birds. Alongside the floodplain meadows, the reserve also protects sandstone outcrops on the Burtnieks steep bank, slope and ravine forests, and spring fens.daba.gov.lv

The Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development has approved the nature protection plan for the “Klaucāni and Priekulāni Lakes” nature reserve, covering the period up to 2037.daba.gov.lv

The Ķauķīši oak, which grows in Vijciems Parish in Valka Municipality, was entered in the register of notable trees in 2017; its diameter is 4.55 metres. lvm.lv

Since the owl is a nocturnal animal, we most often do not see it, only hear its call. The owl also hunts by listening and, apart from its calling, tries to behave as quietly as possible. lsm.lv

... the greatest threat to snowy owls is climate change. Warmer winters bring more rain and less snow, leaving a shortage of snow tunnels, on which lemmings depend – the snowy owl's main food source. Without these small rodents, owls cannot survive. And as the Arctic climate grows warmer, the landscapes that snowy owls depend on are also disappearing.dabasdati.lv

Perhaps the shortest definition is that eco-theatre is work about the relationship between humans and the world beyond humans. Within this concept we can include everything – nature, the environment, specific species, as well as other people and various problems we cannot see with the naked eye, such as pollution.lsm.lv

Hmmm...

Whether or not the projects are ideological is probably open to debate. But there are dozens of associations in Latvia that also receive funding from various foreign and European funds, yet do not request state co-financing with a retroactive date. inc-baltics.com

2026

The Saeima elections matter, and everyone should vote, but it is worth remembering that candidates themselves often know little about what is happening outside Latvia, or assume that these topics are not close to voters' hearts.satori.lv

Since on the Latvian side the train will also stop in Valmiera, Cēsis and Sigulda, it is expected to boost tourism from Estonia. Regular service on this route will start from 12 January.delfi.lv

...the so-called practice of data indexing, or data poisoning – a technique aimed not at a direct audience but at artificial intelligence tools, is increasingly on the rise. Various websites and content are created for this purpose so that AI systems pick up this information and start doubting facts, or even present false information as true. radioswh.lv

Current affairs in cartoons

lasi.lv · zime gatis sluka gada dzivnieks

lasi.lv · zime gatis sluka ziemas prieki

diena.lv · cina ar mi iespejam 14346211

diena.lv · latviesu nodoklu virtuve 14346246