Progressives deliberately want to destroy Latvia's forests - Greens/Farmers

RIGA - Agriculture Minister, Chairman of the Board of the Union of Greens and Farmers (Greens/Farmers), Armands Krauze, has strongly criticized the proposals and approach to forestry of the Progressives party, saying that their objections threaten the future of Latvia's forests and people's well-being.

According to the party's press release, Greens/Farmers believes that the Progressives, while opposing the reduction of the age of trees that can be felled, does not state the main reasons why this should be done.

"The party boasts about its concern for nature, but in reality their approach means that old forests will be eaten up by insects, trees will decay and Latvia will turn into a graveyard full of dead, decaying trunks," Krauze believes.

Greens/Farmers pointed out that Latvia's forests are growing fast, and sustainable management means maintaining and restoring them, not "turning them into standing graveyards".

"The Progressives' policies are pushing us back to the chaos of the 1990s, when resources were wasted and Latvia was held back," said Greens/Farmers.

The Agriculture Ministry is proposing to reduce the age of felling for a number of tree species, including spruce, by 30 years - from 81 to 51 years, according to amendments to the Forest Law prepared by the ministry and submitted for approval.

The main felling age for pine is to be reduced by 20 years from 101 to 81, for birch and alder by 20 years from 71 to 51 and for aspen by 10 years from 41 to 31.

At the same time, no change is planned for oak and larch, which will remain at 101 years, and ash, lime, elm, elm and maple, which will remain at 81 years.

The amendments aim to reduce climate risks and increase carbon storage in long-lived wood products, reduce massive damage to mature stands caused by the spruce budworm and other risk factors, and improve wood quality and the proportion of high value-added products. The approach of the amendments is based on the findings of the Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava and other European Union (EU) studies, and is in line with the practice of several EU countries, the ministry noted.

The Ministry notes that forest stands are felled too late, old trees lose their economic and ecological value - they no longer become value-added products, but firewood and wood chips.

Environmental organizations and the Progressives have voiced their opposition to the ministry's proposal.