An interview with Gatis Megnis, forest owner and head of the forest resources department at PATA Saldus
Your journey as a forester so far has been quite diverse, including a move from central Riga to Kuldiga. How did that come about?
Yes, that is exactly what happened! Currently, I live in Kuldiga and work in Saldus, at PATA, Latvia's largest full-cycle forest management and timber industry company. Before that, I worked at the "Mezsaimnieks" cooperative in Alsunga. In terms of time, the commute to work is the same.
How did I return to Kuldiga from Riga? It was simple and interesting! I worked in Riga for quite a long time, with a few breaks, and in various fields. I did not go to university straight after secondary school, as it was popular at the time to study law, civil engineering, or economics, and none of those sectors appealed to me. I decided that before committing to studies and perhaps taking out a student loan, I needed clarity on who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do. I worked a bit in construction and a bit abroad to understand how things worked there, and eventually, I ended up in Riga! I say 'ended up' because it was clear that I needed to start doing something with a purpose. I enrolled in the Faculty of Forest Engineering at the LLU because the forest had always drawn me (my father was a logger); as a child, I spent my free time there and earned my own pocket money working in the forest. I started studying and occasionally went abroad for seasonal work to earn money for my education. At that time, I was actively sending letters to various forestry companies, inviting them to take me on as an intern. I wanted to gain experience; you can't get anywhere without it! Unfortunately, there was no interest. In those years, "Rigas mezi" began to set up their own logging brigades, I read an advertisement, applied, and started working as a logger (chainsaw operator). Of course, I continued my studies; I had two sessions left. It was not easy; my previous experience in such work was very minimal—just cutting firewood in the countryside, nothing more. The start was difficult; once you gain and develop the skills, it becomes normal, but your health takes a toll. In the snow, rain, and wind... the motivation to work comes from the belief: "I will finish university, I will have experience, and I will have a different job!" I wrote my diploma thesis on thinning in "Rigas mezi". It was then that a vacancy for a forester at the Gudenieki district was announced by the Kuldiga forest district. I applied and left Riga! I swapped a well-paid job for the duties of a forester, which, as is well known, are not exactly highly paid! I took it as the next step in my life and career. That was the beginning of an eventful period of work at the State Forest Service (VMD). My territory was very "stretched out"—starting from the Kuldiga border and continuing quite far into the county. The closer you get to the city, the more "events" there are: illegal dumping, illegal hunting, illegal logging, etc. Within a year, I learned all the procedures one might encounter at the VMD. When I noticed that my initial enthusiasm was gradually turning into a routine, I looked for something to change. The VMD gave me excellent knowledge of legislation, because as I continue to work in the industry, I can clearly see that few people are well-versed in the law!
The advertisement for the "Mezsaimnieks" cooperative appealed to me, so I applied for the vacancy. While at the State Forest Service I was, so to speak, fighting against forest owners who were looking for various ways to avoid doing things, at "Mezsaimnieks" I met owners who wanted to act but did not know how! Another step up in experience and career.
For instance, sometimes a forest owner wants to take action but ends up in the hands or sights of the "wrong" people. In such cases, the owner is often told (or convinced of) very strange things. While working at "Mezsaimnieks", I spoke a lot with clients—often by phone—and even if I never meet the person to whom I have successfully given advice, we talked and I explained. My philosophy is: transparency! Latvia is small; you can get anywhere quite quickly. Ten good deeds will not outweigh one bad one! Every client must be treated as the only one! Trust is very important! I have never classified forest owners by the size of their property! One hectare or one hundred hectares—the person is a forest owner who comes to me for advice or help!
What is the main thing a forest owner wants?
A forest owner looks at the forest with the thought of generating income one day (now, in ten years, or in the future)! The forest owner assesses the state of the forest—which management cycle their forest is currently in... A common question is: what should be done or what do I need to do? My job is to look at the documents and explain. Many are very surprised that "there is quite a lot of money hidden in their grandfather's bushes!" Of course, people's decisions can be wrong, and situations can be awkward when choosing partners. It is difficult to tell a forest owner that "someone has cheated you, but you wouldn't do that" or "someone has lied to you, but you are not like that and you won't do it"! The forest owner has to understand a lot themselves. For example, regarding logging—there is the price and the volume. During the measurement process, the differences can be significant. If an owner is "fixated" on a price they found in a local newspaper's classifieds section: "Look, this person pays 72 for sawlogs, but you are offering only 70"... it is not easy to work with someone like that!
You mentioned that your neighbor, fearing a potential fine for not maintaining her forest, sold it quickly without consulting anyone, neither asking nor offering it to her neighbors. Do such impulsive decisions happen often?
Rarely does a forest owner, like rarely does any person, have the ability to stand tall and say: "I was wrong!" It happens that an owner has sold something to someone, not entirely profitably or wisely, and stays silent about it, telling no one. The person is not proud of their actions! But—it is true—matters related to forests often frighten people! How can we change that? Educate and re-educate forest owners! Only that and nothing else!
I entrust my car to a mechanic; a forest owner entrusts professional forest management to a professional for whom it is an everyday job! The question is solely about the transparency of operations: how the manager ensures that everything is clear to the forest owner. If you search for "forest management" on Google, you can find many offers, but it is about everyone's personal understanding of forest management, which can be done in different ways! It is not said that there is only one correct way!
Nowadays, many people tend to say: "They are cutting down forests in Latvia!" A dilettantish statement! We are harvesting the crop, but the forest does not end there! The forest is not just trees; it is an ecosystem, it is an endless cycle, and we are certainly taking care to ensure it is preserved. It is important how you look at it and what your knowledge is before judging that "they are cutting down forests in Latvia."
Recently, doctors (since everyone knows how to treat) and teachers (anyone can do that, right?) have been "joined" by foresters, because they are being taught by everyone who has a tongue in their mouth...
What surprises me the most: we in the industry also use the word "the greens". As a representative and patriot of the industry, I believe that we have given them this word groundlessly! Which "greens"? Who in Latvia is green and who is not? Aren't we foresters green? Of course we are! I think this situation, starting with the way we speak, needs to be changed gradually! We—the foresters—are for the sake of it being green here in Latvia!
Foresters, if I may say so, are "located" each in their own county, company, or forest property, and we put our minds together too little! We must refute more, louder, and publicly what the "friends of nature" (in five sets of quotes) are dumping on us! I see the problem in the fact that we, who are associated with the industry, understand everything well—"oh, what complete nonsense he is talking on television again!" But our knowledge needs to be wrapped in a nice story and presented just as brightly!
People in the regions understand well that the forest must be tended, cut, and planted... They perceive it all as self-evident and don't talk about it because it is as clear as day!
Loud shouters find many things unacceptable, but... they have no connection to the forest! There are about 130,000 forest owners in the country; if we count those involved in the industry and their families, we calculate that approximately 1/4 of the country's population should be associated with the sector. So, one quarter who know are being taught how to work by three quarters who know nothing... That doesn't add up!
In our daily work, we think about and do a lot for nature conservation in the forest. For example, no one drives over an anthill; if it is in a cutting area, we leave trees or undergrowth around it for a specific microclimate. Within reason, we leave deadwood both "on the stump" and in the form of fallen trees. If a stream or brook is visible in the forest that is not marked on the plans, no one "drives it shut" or dams it up. If logging roads cross it, they lay branches, drive over, and when the work is finished, they clean it up and remove them so the watercourse is clear. We look at what we are doing! I think 90% of loggers think and act similarly!
Are you a forest owner yourself?
Yes, but not a large forest! I own 7 hectares of young growth and I look after my parents' property. There are people who like earthworks; I have great pleasure in going into the forest and watching the pines I planted myself grow. There used to be a clear-cut there. Moreover, the management "wheel" had stopped for a moment because in the inventory file it read 'damaksnis' (myrtillus site type), but in nature it is 'lāns' (vaccinium site type). While a lot regenerates naturally and very well in 'damaksnis', in 'lāns' it is "not quite so much". I planted pine, I check the growth twice a year, and I am happy to see how they grow!
Are you a hunter? The year 2020 and the current lynx situation...
Yes! I encountered a lynx in the wild about 10-12 years ago in Kurzeme, near a feeding trough in the forest. The trough was set up in an old homestead, the wind was blowing in my face, and I look—"there is a big chow-chow dog sitting in the trough" (that's what it looked like from a distance)! The animal turned around—no—a lynx! Most likely, it was waiting for some prey to "arrive" at the trough.
There are plenty of ungulates in Kurzeme. Red deer cause the biggest worries; their density is high. The biggest eaters and destroyers are the young individuals. There are far fewer moose. What do we do? First, we try to understand the number of animals! We gain experience from "Latvijas valsts meži", because it is rare in Kurzeme for private forest not to have state forest nearby! In state forests, damage is well monitored: where it is, they protect; where it is not, they do not protect. Young stands in state forests are a "good indicator": if it is not protected, we can assume with reasonable confidence that we might not need to protect it either!
We also use natural methods: when the vegetation period of the trees ends, we do not mow in the young stand; we don't create a "golf course". If there is snow, the animals move to feed in the forest and... a beautifully mowed young stand: "Come and enjoy!" We mow "small" young stands in May; during the vegetation period, the little trees are in the sun; competing plants, of course, also grow, winter follows, after which we mow again... We observe the growth! I was taught: you must go into the forest! That is what we do!
As the young stand grows larger, we leave natural admixtures: rowan (moose love it very much!), we leave willows in small, wet hollows; on unused agricultural land that is being afforested, there are often clumps of willow; we leave them (for the moose and deer to love very much too), because "the horned one will fall less greedily upon the little pines". The stand is healthier, and we achieve results with fewer resources.
Of course, there is a task for hunters: to be in the forest, to hunt, and to control animal density! If all the above happens, we cannot consider animals a problem.
You speak optimistically about job opportunities in the Saldus region!
I can talk about Saldus and Kuldiga: the distance is 40 km, the difference is huge! While Kuldiga is based on tourism, in Saldus that is practically non-existent (only Janis Rozentals and his legacy), but Saldus has very developed industry (timber processing, metalworking)! In almost every Soviet-era hangar, something is happening: someone is welding, someone is building boats, etc. People have work! A person working in a well-paid job can commute from Saldus to Riga quite simply; from Kuldiga, it will be more problematic. Outside Saldus, there are well-developed agricultural enterprises. There is competition in terms of labor! Unemployment in Saldus is around 5%; the outlook is optimistic!