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The law does not protect people, yet the bear population keeps growing. What does the new initiative actually propose?
Forum “Green Transformation: Policy, the Forest Sector and Innovation in the Digital Age”
So that a dog does not become a tasty morsel for a wolf. Advice for dog owners on how to protect your pet from wolf attacks
Can you shoot if a bear attacks? Contradictions in Latvian law and their possible consequences
Aigars Dudelis “Integrating nature conservation into forest management. The LVM experience”
Jānis Švirksts “Certification in Latvia and around the world. What matters most now and in the near future”
Mārcis Saklaurs “Life is Salaca – Harmonisation of the Water Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive”
Daiga Zute “The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the forest sector”
Raccoon dog culling numbers up tenfold in Lithuania. Should Latvia's Hunting Regulations be changed?
Juris Buškevics “Hunting in Latvia – current developments, problems and possible solutions. Cooperation with forest and land owners and managers”
Juris Buškevics “Hunting in Latvia – the current situation and prospects. Limiting forest damage caused by game animals”
Juris Buškevics “The situation in Latvia's hunting sector. Contractual relations with forest and land managers. Cooperation in limiting damage caused by game animals”
Haralds Barviks “Latvia's forest animal populations and their control. Invasive species. Hunting of ungulates and predators”
Linda Dombrovska “International activities and processes in the hunting sector in Latvia. Problems and solutions. Society and environmental policy”
Ilze Ozola “The importance and use of peat in forestry. The context of environmental policy requirements”
Timber industry future forum “From the forest to the world market: how do we give Latvia's economic engine extra power?”
Rietumvidzeme regional customer centre building of "Latvijas valsts meži" opens in Valmiermuiža
Uldis Ameriks, Chairman of the Board of SIA “Laflora”, TOP500 National Capital Entrepreneur of the Year
Conference “The impact of climate targets on the sustainability of the forest sector and the economic balance of the regions”
In Valka municipality a bear charges at a surveyor, stopping only at the last moment. Eyewitness video
Farmers' protests in Berlin
Farmers from all over Germany arrived in the centre of Berlin with tractors to protest against proposed budget cuts that will directly affect them. It is expected that approximately 3,000 farmers will travel in a convoy around the Brandenburg Gate.
The Moravian movement as a precursor to the national awakening. A lecture by Gvido Straube
8th International Conference 'Changes and Solutions in Environmental Policy for Sustainable, Climate-Neutral Economic Development'
ESG Talks: Sustainability in Agriculture
Agriculture is one of the most important sectors in the Latvian economy, and it is undoubtedly significant to Latvian society as a whole. With the European Union's commitment to sustainability, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects have become vital in the agricultural sector as well. Their implementation in agriculture provides benefits to society, reduces negative environmental impact, and improves the area of corporate governance.
At the event, which was moderated by Assistant Attorney-at-Law Natālija Ešenberga, the experts discussed the following issues:
# Managing sustainability risks: how important is it in the field of agriculture? (Eva Berlaus, Latvian office
Managing Partner, Attorney-at-Law)
# The European Green Deal: new environmental requirements for farmers. (Zane Akermane, Attorney-at-Law)
# How to prevent conflicts of interest in EU-funded projects? (Katrīne Pļaviņa-Mika, Attorney-at-Law)
Biodiversity, carbon sequestration and raw material supply. Three things. What should Europe choose?
“Latvijas Finieris” and “Riga Wood” support the XXVII General Latvian Song and XVII Dance Festival
Electromobility. How sustainable is it?
As electric vehicles appear more and more on city streets and society turns its focus to sustainability issues, consumers are becoming increasingly interested in the real environmental impact of electrified transport. They are showing growing interest in what batteries are made of, what the CO₂ footprint of electric vehicles is over their lifecycle, how they are recycled...
Moose. A clash of interests between hunters and foresters. Is a conservation plan needed?
Urban forests for greener, healthier and more sustainable cities
Rapid urbanisation and climate change are two of the greatest challenges our society has ever faced. Urban forests are an extremely effective nature-based solution for greener, healthier and more sustainable cities. The implementation of urban forestry solutions still faces many obstacles. Uforest – a three-year project co-funded by the European Union, which aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in this field.
By bringing together universities, businesses and public authorities, the project provides cross-sectoral cooperation to improve urban forestry.
Nordic-Baltic Business Forum “How to strengthen resilience and improve preparedness for crisis situations in the Nordic-Baltic region”
Conference “Energy – industry challenges and their impact on the availability of electricity and heat supply services in Latvia”
Tree establishment and cultivation in various land-use types – a contribution to the development of Latvia's bioeconomy sectors
Why is humanitarian aid from Latvia not left at the Ukrainian border, but delivered directly to the recipient?
Sustainability in forest monitoring – where are we heading?
Conference of the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia and the Latvian Forest Sector Trade Union
The tree that made the world smaller
In 1842, in Singapore, William Montgomerie showed his gardener a strange resin which, when placed in hot water, could be moulded into any shape, and would harden upon cooling. This could be done over and over again. Unlike the rubber already known at the time, this resin did not crumble in salt water and remained firm. (...)
At least 1,000 firefighters battle flames in forest near Bordeaux
More than a thousand firefighters were working to contain a large forest fire near the city of Bordeaux in south-west France on Thursday, 11 August.
Thousands of hectares of pine forest have burned in the Gironde region in recent days, with the total area of forest fires reaching approximately 68 square kilometres. (...)
Photograph used from Today Times Live
Speech by Jānis Endziņš, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. August 2022
Farmer protests take place across the Netherlands
The Netherlands has found itself in a difficult situation – one could even say, in a major bind. The national government's decision regarding climate change, which intended to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030, has met with very strong resistance from the Dutch population. Farmers in the Netherlands have taken to the streets, setting fire to hay bales and blocking roads.
Zilākalns neighbourhood railway
In Latvia, there are still railways in existence that are or were used for the technological needs of various enterprises. One of the industries that at one time could not have existed at all without railways is the peat extraction industry. The total length of such narrow-gauge railways in Latvia in the second half of the 20th century exceeded the 400-kilometre mark. Among the many peat and peat product production facilities, the Zilākalns peat factory stood out with one of the most extensive railway networks. Now, only a small part of this railway system is used for transporting peat. A small section of the railway, meanwhile, serves entirely different purposes. What are those, and how did railway infrastructure develop in the Zilākalns neighbourhood of Valmiera municipality?
"Šauj garām!" Episode 123. Amendments to hunting regulations
Regarding updates to the hunting regulations
The dark side of renewable energy. A documentary
Electric cars, wind turbines, solar collectors. The transition to electricity seemingly promises peace and prosperity in a world freed from oil, pollution and scarcity. However, this official position turns out to be a myth. By getting rid of the use of fossil resources, we subject ourselves to a dependency on rare-earth metals.
Area managed by "Rīgas Meži" in the capital city increases
The area managed by the "Gardens and Parks" division of the company "Rīgas Meži" in the capital city has increased this year by approximately 20% or 87 hectares.
Conference “Sustainable management of natural resources – a prerequisite for successful socio-economic development during the implementation period of the European Union's new environmental policy”
Cultivating less popular tree species in forest stands for timber production - wild cherry, maple, linden, oak
Toms Bricis "Conversations about the forest". How is climate change affecting the forest?
Visit by Minister of Economics Jānis Vitenbergs to Rēzekne
During his regional visit to Latgale, Minister of Economics Jānis Vitenbergs also visited the Rēzekne Special Economic Zone and the company Verems RSEZ SIA. The company's management reported that they would be prepared to expand the business and build another production facility in the Rēzekne municipality, which would also mean additional stable jobs for locals.
The Three Little Pigs, wood and the climate
In 2018, the COP24 conference (UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties) took place in Katowice, Poland, to discuss the necessary international actions to reduce emissions and "keep temperature within the limits of the Paris Agreement". During the conference, many events were dedicated to practical solutions for these issues.
In this regard, UNECE has set out to explain the importance of wood in reducing emissions by using it (wood) to replace carbon-intensive materials in construction. The animation film produced for this purpose "tells" the well-known fairy tale in a slightly different way.
Abja-Paluoja has become the 2022 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture
Abja-Paluoja (a town in Estonia near the Latvian border) has become the 2022 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture.
Person shot during illegal hunting. What can be done to ensure this does not happen again?
Forest Owner's Manual. Episode 4. How to protect your young spruce plantation during the Christmas period
An experiment! How to comply with the requirements for the ban on lead ammunition in wetlands?
The European Commission has developed a proposal for a ban on lead ammunition, covering any shooting with lead-containing shot within 100 metres of a wetland. Within the meaning of the Ramsar Convention, wetlands are floodplains, marshes, peat bogs or bodies of water – natural or artificial, permanent or intermittent, containing stagnant or flowing water, fresh, brackish or salt, including marine areas, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed 6 metres.
The chairman of the board of LATMA, Haralds Barviks, provides an opinion on this. A hunter from Germany, Magnus Pelz, provides a demonstration.
Latvia's forests and national forest monitoring
LVMI Silava leading researcher and Doctor of Forest Sciences Jurģis Jansons, and scientific assistant and Master of Forest Sciences Guntars Šņepsts, discuss Latvia's forests and national forest monitoring.
Swedish professor explains why isolation is not the right course of action
An adviser to the Swedish government, Johan Giesecke, one of the world's most experienced epidemiologists (who, incidentally, hired Anders Tegnell, the current leader of the Swedish strategy), the first chief scientist at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and adviser to the Director-General of the World Health Organisation, has set out his thoughts.
https://unherd.com/thepost/coming-up-epidemiologist-prof-johan-giesecke-shares-lessons-from-sweden/
Conference “Forestry – the backbone of the Latvian economy in the context of bioeconomic sector development” Part I
Conference “Forestry – the Backbone of the Latvian Economy in the Context of Bioeconomic Sector Development” Part II
Discussion: How does public good become value?
The conference “How does public good become value?” organised by the association "Latvijas Formula 2050" in cooperation with the University of Latvia and SEB bank. A speech by Roberts Strīpnieks, Chairman of the Board of A/s “Latvijas valsts meži”, at the conference starting from 14:54.
Attention! Be careful!
If you are on a train or at a station and hear a call to be careful and cautious, it is immediately clear what it is about!
If you are a forest or land owner... What should you be careful about, what should you be wary of?
"Stiga RM" warns about the potential consequences of habitat mapping, more widely known as "nature census"!
“In my opinion, lands are valuable when they are productive and managed, whether it be agriculture or forestry. As a result of the nature census, restrictions are also being placed on our lands. Some territories are named as nature reserves, while the status of others is unclear. We have received notices with text that means nothing to us. Last year, we asked the Nature Conservation Agency that we wanted to participate in the inspection of all our properties. The answer: “We cannot ensure that!” Some experts work in the evenings, others on weekends, and so on. If I turn to the state administration, I have to accept their rules. I would like to see the same thing in the opposite direction. The NCA turns to me, the owner, we can organise which employee will be in which compartment on which day to meet the expert sent by the NCA. We submitted an official request to the NCA that we want to be present; we insist on it, and we are currently waiting for an official response.”
(Interview with Andris Ramoliņš, entrepreneur and forest owner, 16 April 2019)
What do scientists have to offer for the National Development Plan?
A presentation by Jurģis Jansons, Director of the Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava", at the conference "What do scientists have to offer for the National Development Plan?"
http://straume.lmt.lv/lv/konferences/konferences/jurgis-jansons/1038851
Latvia's forest timber resources – an insight into the present and future. Information from Latvia's National Forest Inventory
A lecture by Jurģis Jansons (Director of LVMI "Silava") titled "Latvia's forest timber resources – an insight into the present and future. Information from Latvia's National Forest Inventory", delivered on 25 October 2018 at the conference "Sustainable management of natural resources - a driver of economic development for Baltic Sea region countries"
Panel discussion following the conference at Daugavpils University on 25 October
Panel discussion following the conference held on 25 October 2018, titled "Sustainable management of natural resources - a driving force for economic development in the Baltic Sea region"
Szilárd Grédics “Forest management in protected areas (conflicts & solutions) in Hungary”
Szilárd Grédics (EGERERDŐ Forestry Company) lecture “Forest management in protected areas (conflicts & solutions) in Hungary” on 25 October 2018 at the conference "Sustainable management of natural resources - a driver for economic development in the Baltic Sea region"
Damian Zielinski “Situation in Białowieża Forest - economic, environmental and social aspects”
Damian Zielinski's (Lasy Panstwove, Poland) lecture “Situation in Białowieża Forest - economic, environmental and social aspects” on 25 October 2018 at the conference "Sustainable management of natural resources - a driver for economic development in the Baltic Sea region"
Dr. habil. Piotr S. Mederski “Forest operations in Poland - economic and environmental conditions”
Lecture by Dr. habil. Piotr S. Mederski (Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poland) “Forest operations in Poland - economic and environmental conditions”
On 25 October 2018 at the conference “Sustainable management of natural resources - a driving force for economic development in the Baltic Sea region”
Guntis Gūtmanis (LOSP) "Farmers and foresters – partners or competitors"
A lecture by Guntis Gūtmanis (board member of the Farmers Parliament (LOSP)) entitled "Farmers and foresters – partners or competitors"
On 25 October 2018 at the conference "Sustainable management of natural resources - a driving force for economic development in the Baltic Sea region"
Dr Artūrs Škute "Fish aquaculture ponds in Latvia as a source of sustainable development of biodiversity"
Lecture by Dr Artūrs Škute (Daugavpils University) and Dr Mihails Pupiņš (Daugavpils University) "Fish aquaculture ponds in Latvia as a source of sustainable development of biodiversity"
On 25 October 2018 at the conference "Sustainable management of natural resources - a driving force for the economic development of the Baltic Sea region countries"
Dr. Aleksejs Nipers “Challenges for bioeconomy development in Latvia”
Lecture by Dr. Aleksejs Nipers (Leading Researcher at LLU) on the "Challenges for bioeconomy in Latvia"
On 25 October 2018 at the conference "Sustainable management of natural resources - a driving force for the economic development of Baltic Sea region countries"
Latvia 100
"We protect the family, the nation and the state. Be one of us, become a soldier!". NBS social media network "Latvian Army":
Conference on sustainable management of natural resources concludes at Daugavpils University
Further information on the speakers, their presentations, and materials will be available on our website.
An American journalist's study on the Finnish education system.
An American journalist's study on the Finnish education system. In short: public schools in the USA prepare employees, in Finland – happy people.
Uldis Ameriks - Chairman of the Board of SIA “Laflora”, Latvia's largest national peat extraction and processing company, a patriot of his country, a historical researcher, and a peat philosopher by calling
On degraded peatlands and the possibilities for their afforestation
LVMI Silava leading researcher Dagnija Lazdiņa discusses degraded peatlands and the possibilities for their afforestation
Does environmental policy help manage available resources?
The Chairman of the Forest Certification Council of Latvia, Māris Liopa, discusses on the programme "Nacionālo interešu klubs" (National Interests Club) with the Chairman of the Board of Laflora, Uldis Ameriks, and the board member of Stiga RM, Andris Ramoliņš, whether the current environmental policy in Latvia has helped to properly manage available natural resources or hindered society from becoming wealthier.
Why did I leave Greenpeace? Patrick Moore explains why he helped found Greenpeace...
Patrick Moore explains why he helped found Greenpeace and why he decided to leave the organisation. The video describes how a mission to improve the environment for the benefit of humanity began, which transformed into a political movement where humanity became the villain and science became unnecessary.
What is happening in Latvijas valsts meži? Was it really better before? Watch the "Forest Facts" video!
What is happening in Latvijas valsts meži? Was it really better before? Find the answers to these questions in the animated video "Forest Facts"!
Is backfilling drainage ditches a priority for VARAM?
I stumbled upon the planned work for the near future by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM), which is responsible for municipalities, and its formally subordinate institution, the Nature Conservation Agency (DAP), and I remembered an article in Latvijas avīze about the Lubāns and Meirāni canal cleaning issue HERE. VARAM has no money for municipalities to restore drainage systems, but it certainly finds the funds for backfilling drainage ditches.
Information available on the Nature Conservation Agency's website regarding specially protected nature territories where management measures ARE A PRIORITY (List updated on 30.06.2016)
Territory
AAA Ziemeļgauja, Pukšu purvs
Necessary management measures
Removal of fallen trees, demolition of beaver dams; backfilling of drainage ditches
Territory
DL Ječu purvs
Necessary management measures
Hydrological research, backfilling of some drainage ditches, shrub clearing and mowing of saplings
Territory
DL Kalna purvs, DL Kaušņu purvs, DL Supes purvs, DL Tīreļu purvs
Necessary management measures
Restoration of the hydrological regime; felling of spruces in capercaillie leks; removal of vegetation from spoil banks, construction of dams, backfilling of drainage ditches
Territory
DL Lielais un Pemmes purvs
Necessary management measures
Restoration of the hydrological regime, demolition of beaver dams; removal of vegetation from spoil banks, construction of dams, backfilling of drainage ditches
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development is the leading state administration institution in the fields of environmental protection, regional development planning and coordination, local government development and oversight, spatial development planning and land management, the implementation of the one-stop-shop principle for the accessibility of state and municipal services, as well as electronic governance, the information society, and information technologies in public administration.
Photosynthesis Explained Simply - Forest Fact Break
A 90-second animation explaining, for the rest of us, how photosynthesis works and why our forests are such an important part of that process.
Forest Fact Break: Forest Management video
This 2-minute video answers the question: "What on earth is forest management?" Oregon forests are managed for a wide range of values: wood products, wildlife habitat, recreation, you name it. Strong Oregon laws and sustainable forestry allow us to balance the environmental, social and economic needs of our state. This is part of a series created by Jordan Benner of the Oregon Forest Resources Institute.
A Documentary on Finland's Schools
Students in Finland are number 1 in the world! How did they achieve that?
National Interests Club. Discussion on Latvia's forests - Part 2
National Interests Club broadcast from 10 August.
Guests: Jurģis Jansons, Aiga Grasmane and Varis Sīpols