The Ministry of Agriculture urges members of the public visiting the forest to treat nature with respect and responsibility.

Latvian residents are free to stay and move about in any forest – state, municipal and private alike. The Forest Law provides that everyone has this right, unless the forest owner has prohibited it by clearly and comprehensibly marking off the area concerned with readily visible warning signs. Residents may likewise freely gather wild berries, fruit, nuts, mushrooms and medicinal plants, except where the forest owner or lawful possessor has set out and clearly indicated restrictions.

At the same time, the Forest Law stipulates that anyone in the forest has a duty, among other things, not to harm forest plants. However, with the start of the berry- and mushroom-picking season, the Ministry of Agriculture has received complaints from members of the public and reports of cases in the forest where berry pickers are damaging berry patches with hand-held devices and gathering unripe berries.

Damaging or uprooting berry patches, or excessively gathering unripe berries, can harm the forest and adversely affect the plant's further development and berry yields in subsequent seasons. In the event of violations, the State Police, the municipal police or the State Forest Service may initiate administrative offence proceedings, issuing a warning or a fine.

We urge members of the public to treat the forest with respect and responsibility, leaving behind a clean environment and preserving natural assets for future generations.