
Environment


Environment

The Constitutional Court (ST) has initiated a case on government decision of summer 2022 which allowed the felling of younger forests, LETA reported on January 30.

Nature Park Dviete floodplains are one of the places in Latvia where, initially with the support of the Netherlands and later the World Fund for Nature, heck cattle and wild horses were brought to live in the wild. The herd of wild animals has now grown to nearly 400 animals and the meadows are getting a bit small, Latvian Radio reported on January 30.

Latvia had committed to introducing a system for sorting textiles this year, but red containers are still not available in many areas, Latvian Radio reported on January 27.

Rēzekne municipality has changed the names of three streets in the parishes of Malta, Stružāni, and Vērēmi, the municipality said on its website January 26.

According to the State Forest Service, it is currently a particularly favourable time to go in search of forest animal footprints. At the moment, special attention should be paid directly to the footprints of the wolf, in order to help the service in compiling the number of wolves in Latvia, Latvian Television's broadcast 4. studija reported on January 26.

If you thought we were done with announcing the winners of the nature 'of the year' after the bird, the plant, the moss, the archeology monument, the habitat, the animal, the invertebrate, and the mushroom... you were oh so wrong! Make way for the shrub of the year 2023, chosen by the Latvian Dendrologist Society.

Latest data published by Eurostat on January 19 shows Latvia in third place in the European Union when it comes to the use of renewable energy sources.

Water levels in Daugava near Jēkabpils have continued to fall, and the ice masses have also nearly left the city. As water levels fall, the damage caused by Daugava is revealed. Meanwhile, residents and local businesses are struggling to return to their usual daily and work routines, Latvian Television reported on January 18.

Lake Lubāns is not only Latvia's largest lake at more than 80 square kilometers, but it is the largest lake in Europe to be contained by dams, dykes or levees, being dammed on all four sides, reports Latvian Radio.

The court has imposed nearly €24,000 in fines to an arborist for the destruction of a great linden tree, said Ilze Reinika, senior communications specialist of the Nature Conservation Agency (DAP) on January 16.

In Jēkabpils, residents of the right coast of Daugava may return to their homes, but on the left coast, in relation to the severely affected city dam, the municipality cannot yet allow residents to return to their homes, Jēkabpils Mayor Raivis Ragainis (Latvian Green Party) said in a statement on January 16.

Since Saturday morning, when the water level in Jēkabpils reached the highest mark in recent decades, it has fallen by 68 centimeters, according to data from the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center (LVĢMC).

From Saturday until 6 AM Sunday, the water level in the Daugava at Jēkabpils has decreased by 24 centimeters, according to data from the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre. However, it is still critically high, exceeding the red alert criterion – 8.4 meters – by almost 30 centimeters, LETA reported.

The water level in the River Daugava near the city of Jēkabpils remains extremely high, with only the concrete embankment holding back the water, Jēkabpils mayor Raivis Ragainis told Latvian Radio January 14.

It has finally arrived: the fun fungus, the wonderful webcap, the mighty mycological moment: the mushroom of the year 2023 has been announced by the Latvian Mycological Society.

The Latvian Entomological Society (LEB) is the next in line for announcements of [insert natural object/creature] of 2023. The next category is the invertebrate of the year, which in 2023 is the medicinal leech (Hirudo medicinalis).

With drumrolls and trumpets, we are thrilled to announce the next winner in the series of nature phenomena awards – one of the most important ones! – the animal of the year 2023, as chosen by the Latvian National Museum of Natural History!

The cultural monument of State importance, “Livonian Sacrifice Caves” near Svētupe (Sacred River), was selected as the archaeological monument 2023, said the Latvian Association of Archaeologists.

Deadwood has been declared as the habitat of the year 2023 in Latvia, the Latvian Fund for Nature (LDF) announced.

Latvia's dearly beloved bear Ilzīte marks her 22nd birthday this year, said Arta Krūmiņa, education and communication specialist at Līgatne Nature Trail. A traditional celebration cake will be handed to the birthday-bear on the morning of January 11.

The prevalence of African swine fever, affecting wild boar and domestic pigs, is increasing again in Latvia. The disease is highly contagious and deadly. The first outbreak in Latvia was in 2014, and although many pig growers have learned to live with the disease and to comply with biosecurity rules and hygiene measures, the sector is also negatively affected by the fact that countries affected by African swine fever may not export pork, Latvian Radio reported on January 6.

Following renovation work, the lookout tower at Siksala – an island in the middle of the Teiču nature reserve – will be open to visitors again from June to November.

The Latvian Botanical Society has chosen Wulf's peatmoss (Sphagnum wulfianum) as the moss of the year 2023, botanist Ligita Liepiņa told LETA on January 5.

With the Christmas and New Year holidays now passed, many people face the annual conundrun of what to do with their defunct christmas tree. Help is at hand thanks to the "Eco Baltia vide" recycling company which will take in trees (minus decorations of course), reports Latvian Radio.

1,200 tonnes of tires have been removed and recycled from Starta Street 8 in Čiekurkalns, as reported on January 2 by the environmental management company 3R, which has done so in cooperation with AJ Power Recycling and Zaļā josta companies.

As of January 1, the packaging of syrups and several alcoholic beverages which weren't included in the deposit system before are now accepted, representatives of the Deposit Packaging Operator (DIO) said.

The Latvian Ornithological Society has chosen its bird of the year for 2023, and it's a real crowd-pleaser: the thrush nightingale (Latin: Luscinia luscinia, Latvian: lakstīgala)!

The most exciting news in about two weeks has just begun to arrive in the form of the award ceremonies of the Latvian plant, moss, animal, bird, invertebrate, and just about any category of wildlife you can imagine, of the year!

After the roof collapse in a residential building in Bolderāja earlier this year, the Rīga House Manager (RNP) is checking all other houses of the same type, 'series 464' or the so-called 'new Lithuanian project'. At least eight of the inspected houses need reinforcement of roof panels to avoid them caving in, Latvian Radio reported on December 29.

Farmland in Latvia is some of the cheapest to purchase in the European Union, according to Eurostat data published Deceber 21.
Most important











Most read









