In order to manage forests in a more timely and sustainable way, increase CO₂ storage in high value-added wood products, reduce ecological risks and at the same time strengthen the competitiveness of the Latvian timber industry, the Latvian Forest Industry Federation is calling for amendments to the Forest Law that would revise the final felling age for the dominant tree species in forests, bringing it closer to Estonian and Scandinavian requirements.

The current rules in Latvia lag significantly behind practice in the Nordic countries and even in neighbouring Estonia. Countries such as Finland and Norway allow forest owners to decide for themselves when to fell, while Sweden and Estonia set a felling age considerably lower than Latvia's – by several decades in some cases. The felling age currently set in Latvia – for example, 101 years for pine and 81 years for spruce – limits forest owners' ability to respond flexibly to market and climate conditions. This creates unequal competitive conditions in the region and reduces the sector's capacity to develop to its full potential. The proposed amendments would lower the felling age by 20 years.

Forest management has a decisive role to play if Latvia and Europe are to meet their climate targets. If forests are felled too late, trees lose their ability to capture CO₂ efficiently, and their potential to become high value-added products, in which carbon is stored for decades or even centuries, also diminishes. Overmature trees become considerably less resilient to climate risks – they are more susceptible to pests and diseases and more often suffer from rot. Moreover, damaged or overmature wood is often used only for energy, which means immediate CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere rather than long-term carbon storage.

“Sustainable forestry means a smart balance between conserving nature and using resources. If we use wood in good time and turn it into high value-added products, we are in effect helping the climate,” stresses Artūrs Bukonts, Executive Director of the Latvian Forest Industry Federation.

Lowering the final felling age would make it possible to increase substantially the share of quality timber suitable for furniture manufacturing, plywood products and modern wooden building structures. Such products not only store carbon over the long term but also generate considerably greater economic value.

A more flexible approach to managing forest stands would reduce natural mortality, make more efficient use of the wood grown and increase income per hectare. At the same time, it would promote the development of the bioeconomy and the use of new markets – including those for CO₂ capture and nature credits.

“If we want to be competitive in the Baltics and Scandinavia, we must adapt our regulatory framework to today's reality. Otherwise both the sector and the national economy as a whole will lose out,” notes A. Bukonts, stressing that these changes are an important step towards a climate-neutral and economically strong Latvia.