"Progressives" oppose government-tabled amendments on forest felling rules
Latvia's Cabinet of Ministers is set to review Agriculture Ministry amendments to forest felling and inventory regulations on Tuesday, but the "Progressives" party and several environmental groups say the changes would allow younger forests to be cut earlier and more extensively.
On Tuesday, August 18, Latvia's Cabinet of Ministers is scheduled to review amendments prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture to regulations on tree felling in forests, as well as amendments to rules governing forest inventory and the State Forest Register. The ministry says the goal is to reduce administrative burden in the sector and make it easier and faster for service recipients to meet regulatory requirements.
Among the key changes, the main felling diameter would in future be determined using State Forest Register data where inventory was carried out after December 31, 2025, while older inventories and disputed cases would continue to rely on current measurement methods. The process for classifying stands as unproductive would also be simplified by relying more heavily on register data, and aspen stands aged 31 to 40 years showing signs of heart rot could be classified as unproductive. The amendments also set an allowed deviation for average tree diameter of plus or minus 10%, or no more than two centimeters.
Party and organizations raise objections
The "Progressives" party argues that behind justifications of pest control and reduced bureaucracy, the amendments quietly change several important conditions that would allow younger forests to be felled more extensively. Parliamentary faction chairman Andris Šuvajevs said the Union of Greens and Farmers and the ministry have tried to push these decisions through during the summer holiday period to avoid broader public involvement. Review of the amendments had already been postponed once from an August 11 Cabinet session.
The "Progressives" also point to a 2024 Constitutional Court ruling stating that substantial changes to forest felling regulation may only proceed after public consultation and approval of forestry sector guidelines. The party is demanding that any changes to the sector be halted until these guidelines are adopted.
Several organizations had already submitted objections to the amendments, including the association "Zaļā brīvība," the Latvian Fund for Nature, the Latvian Ornithological Society, the World Wildlife Fund, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development. Objections to the forest inventory amendments were also raised by industry service providers, including SIA "Silvasert," the Latvian Association of Wood Quality Experts, the Forest Inventory Providers Association, and the State Chancellery.
