A conversation with Andris Ramoliņš. Part II, after some time

What has happened since your spring activities and radio warnings? As could be seen in the press, people in state institutions did not understand, or pretended not to understand, the message and tried to interpret the warning in their usual (desired) style…

As far as I am aware, the Nature Conservation Agency, having found no arguments and wishing neither to show interest nor to explain anything, has complained about us (Stiga RM) to the FSC European office. We have voluntarily joined the FSC system with our forests, and, as indicated by the NCA in its letter of complaint, we are “allegedly promoting deforestation and unsustainable management”. The Agency had no arguments, only claims. We are awaiting an FSC audit, which will be carried out by people from the FSC European office or their appointed representatives. The inspection is directly related to the Nature Conservation Agency and its complaint. “We don't understand, we don't want to understand, we don't want to solve” – let's complain elsewhere in Europe.

What were you able to achieve with your appeal on the radio?

I think – enough! Part of the public who heard and understood the appeal (understanding is very important regarding the first question of the interview!!!!!!!), thought, reconsidered and became concerned. That could be one reason why we don't have a head at the Nature Conservation Agency today, but rather an acting official. As far as I know, a part of the public is “stirred up”, and not only foresters, but farmers as well. For example, meadows that have been left fallow this year are being included in databases as natural meadows. The meadow is “resting”, it is in production, it is your arable land! The “nature census” story is a very good one! You see what is happening! Check it, look at it, assess it! By the way – the purpose of the European regulation, by which nature census takers are guided and which they cite, is not prohibitions and restrictions! I have familiarised myself with this regulation! Here, the opposite is happening. So – it is a good story in a very distorted and bad execution! Go to the Rural Support Service (LAD), familiarise yourselves with the documents! As soon as a landowner receives a letter that a habitat has been found or designated on their territory, the status change of the relevant territory appears in the LAD system – “cannot be used for agriculture”! This happens immediately, without warning, without involving the owner!

The NCA, when sending letters to landowners, should have warned and informed the inhabitants of what exactly the NCA was planning to do! Not just talk about counting and identifying values, but honestly, as a state institution should and ought to do, state: “if we find something valuable, we will restrict it, prohibit it, and offer nothing in return!” As a result of beautiful speeches, after 6, 8, or 15 months, the owner receives a letter: “a valuable grassland has been found on your property and…” Moreover, the NCA does not explain what one should do with this grassland next…

Have your activities alarmed any other state administration institutions?

I have not noticed any “attacks” from other state institutions. I hope that no other complaints or reports are travelling to the cabinets of European power…. We have a correct coexistence with state institutions, including the State Environmental Service. As it is in the city, we have problems with rainwater, and we hope to solve this issue with the new construction project that has been started. Our new “story” is a log acceptance yard.

As is known, as a result of various activities, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM) has arrived at organising a working group for the creation of a compensation system… At present, only timber industrialists and forest owners are included in the working group, while the others are ornithologists and officials representing VARAM structures. There is no group for farmers or peat producers…

The issue of compensation has been discussed more than once! It is strange – compensation is being discussed by that part of the society that does not own a single hectare of forest! Not a hectare of agricultural land! Not a square metre of bog! “Non-owners” are now, inexplicably to others, considered the greenest-thinking citizens! We – the owners – pay taxes, we – will be the ones upon whom the “outsiders” will once again impose some burden. The strangest thing I have noticed: when asking a question at the Ministry of Agriculture - “Please show and introduce me to those “green friends of nature” who own 20-30 ha (even 10 ha) of land and who have voluntarily renounced the management of their land for the sake of nature conservation and natural values! Please, I wish to meet them!” Either there are none, or… I have not been introduced! The Ministry people are silent!

I believe that all the cited “friends of nature” are very, very “green” because for them it is a money issue. “Green thinking” is paid for by money from European and local funds; it is currently considered sophisticated and correct. It is a business! They live much better than, for example, our company employees, because they (“the greens”) do not have to earn this money, they receive it in the form of projects, funding, or otherwise! Moreover, by creating restrictions for those who earn this money for them! Money “arises” from production, not from downtime!

If money has been found for the accounting of natural values and it must be done, the only institution that could do it would be a state administration institution – either the State Forest Service or officials of other institutions who, with their signature and position, answer for their work and actions! No independent experts! Currently, people are participating in the nature census who go, look, and research within the scope of their own understanding, but there is no responsibility! All territory surveyors and “counters” must be state officials! At present, the State Audit Office has achieved the principle that officials are materially responsible for their decisions. We want that too!

“Green thinking” is a business! Unfortunately! I believe that such things (activities) in Latvia must be put in order! It cannot be that in our country such work is undertaken and carried out by public organisations that receive money for what has been done but bear no responsibility… This has a direct and negative impact on the owner and the state economy – on third parties. It does not matter whether the restriction is in the forests of Latvijas valsts meži, Riga forests, a Swedish company's forests, or a local inhabitant's forest: it is a forest plot that is removed from the state's economic circulation. It has been calculated that every hectare of land in our national economy is worth 70,000 euros. Are we that rich?

I believe that the use of forests in Latvia could be increased by another 35%! Let's not look narrowly! Forests are felled. Seedlings are grown in nurseries, forests are maintained, planted, young stands are tended and monitored. The volume of wood obtained is sufficient for us to be able to build processing plants. The raw material base will be stable. And then we will be able to say: Latvia has a stable processing industry, we have work and good wages! And - we have a renewable natural resource!!!! We cite the Scandinavians in and out of place; in many places we are similar, in many places they are far ahead of us. The Swedes understand that wood rotting in the forest produces CO2! They remove old, rotting trees from the forests! Wood is used rationally! The Danes, in whose country there are few forests, are building a large woodchip boiler plant. The Danes' plans include achieving the use of wood in construction up to 40%. For us in Latvia, that would not be a problem – the material grows right here! There would be enough work for scientists and architects – to work and work! We live wastefully!

If we look at pre-war Latvia. Forest areas were around 27%, agricultural areas were increasing… Forests were felled, there was a visible boom in agriculture! Today we have 52% forest and its area continues to increase! We essentially have no plantations – I have seen them in Chile and Brazil. That is a different story!

Concern about ocean pollution. What are the oceans polluted with? With plastic waste! Concern about rivers in Latvia? What are our small rivers full of? With fallen trees! CO2 is released during the rotting process, fish sometimes suffocate in the rivers, but what is characteristic of Latvian rivers? Protection zones! Absurd… You cannot clean! Something must have happened in people's minds in recent years, rivers are being cleaned again. Often at the risk of fines… But! Is it important to invest money in cleaning (mitigating consequences), or would it be better to invest it in eliminating the causes? We clean the riverbanks, and the problem will largely be solved! The rules for protection zones must be revised! For us, protection is provided “mechanically” everywhere!

Returning to greenness – we can be green, but we can build our country – Latvia – into a developed state! We can produce wooden chairs instead of plastic ones! If you throw away a wooden chair, for example (that also happens), it will decompose. Plastic? How and in how many centuries? Unfortunately, decision-makers in Latvia do not see the landscape as a whole!

Thanks to the Great Clean-up (Lielā talka), I think those children and young people who participate and help to clean up the territories will not litter themselves, they will not throw bottles or bags in forests and ditches. In the past, unfortunately, it was “normal” to throw anything out of a car window, now it happens more and more rarely! Society has changed! But we cannot live in a meadow, picking dandelions and poppies, smiling at a butterfly, listening to a skylark, and singing folk songs alone! If there is no industry and work in Latvia, people will leave! We cannot produce from what we do not have! Our mineral and resource is the land!

Right here in Kuldīga. What kind of manufacturing plants are operating? Timber industry! 70% of production – timber industry, 20% – agriculture, the rest – food, home producers, and others. A city or a municipality cannot rely on home producers and restaurants (which are certainly needed!!!!) – we need more serious production! Hats off to the Kuldīga Municipality Council, which is trying to develop the city in the direction of tourism – there are many places to eat in the city, but the city lacks living space! Not a single multi-apartment building has been built in the last 30 years! The population is ageing, there is no room for the young! We need to ensure a full life cycle – space for both the young and the old!

Over the past year, I have received six offers to sell the company! Shall we watch as Uzbeks, Chinese, or Austrians work in Kuldīga? We can sell… To Finns, Austrians, Germans, Russians, Chinese – I received offers from these countries. Can we be masters in our own land? We can! When a large Chinese company comes in and pressures the government… A foreign investor is like a “sacred cow” that must not be touched… At present, it is me, a Latvian, who can be whipped and occasionally struck with a “state lash”… A local investor, own capital, which has slowly attracted resources over many years, is nothing… Let us not forget that we no longer have local banks! We have to convince a foreign banker that we are the “right boys” to be given that money! It is unfortunately much harder for locals to attract capital than for foreigners, and that capital costs us more!

The first interview with Andris Ramoliņš can be read here: https://www.zemeunvalsts.lv/vai-dzivojam-briva-valsti-uznemeja-sajutas
An appeal to be cautious when receiving letters from the NCA can be heard here:
https://www.zemeunvalsts.lv/uzmanibu-esiet-piesardzigi-