Scholarly record
EXPLOITATION OF WOOD RESOURCES IN LATVIA
Abstract
In the national policy and development documents of Latvia, forest, along with other natural resources, is defined as an important strategic resource for the sustainable overall development of the country and the development of a diverse and export-intensive economy. At the same time, the need to exploit forests sustainably, reducing the risks to the quality of the natural environment posed by human activities, is emphasized by the documents. The research question is as follows: Are forests in Latvia overexploited and what factors affect the forest owner activities? The research examined the exploitation of wood resources in the country in the period 2007-2018 and found that the main factors that affected the forest owner activities were the economic crisis, the situation in the timber market, timber prices and climatic conditions. Analyzing statistical data on forestry and logging in the country, the research found that forests in Latvia were exploited sustainably. A correlation analysis revealed that the socio-economic factors that were strongly related to the exploitation of wood resources in the country and that could be employed in identifying (1) timber production in state-owned forests; (2) timber production in the other forests and (3) changes in the area logged were as follows: (1) the number of persons employed in the wood and wood products sector; (2) the number of persons employed in forestry and logging, and (3) the financial performance of businesses operating in the wood and wood products sector. Based on the correlation analysis results, three parabolic regression equations, which could be used to predict trends in the factors examined, were constructed. The research employed general scientific research methods, statistical analysis and mathematical methods, data provided by the Central Statistical Bureau, statistical data and public reports provided by the State Forest Service as well as legal acts and policy documents of the Republic of Latvia.
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References6
Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, Statistics Database, [online]. Available at: https://www.csb.gov.lv/en/statistika/db
Guidelines for the Development of Forestry and Related Industries for 2015-2020: Cabinet Decision No. 611 of 05 October 2015, [online]. Available at: https://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=276929 (in Latvian)
Law on Forests (2000): The Law of the Republic of Latvia, [online]. Available at: https://likumi.lv/ta/en/id/2825-law-on-forests
Maximum Allowable Volume to be Clearcut in 2006-2010: Cabinet Order No. 655 of 5 October 2005, [online]. Available at: https://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=118449 (in Latvian)
Maximum Allowable Volume to be Clearcut in 2016-2020: Cabinet Order No. 718 of 16 November 2015, [online]. Available at: https://likumi.lv/ta/id/277848-par-koku-cirsanas-maksimali-pielaujamo-apjomu-2016-2020-gadam (in Latvian)
State Forest Service, Publications and Statistics (Public Report, Forest Statistics CD), [online]. Available at: http://www.vmd.gov.lv/valsts-meza-dienests/statiskas-lapas/publikacijas-un-statistika?nid=1717#jump (in Latvian)
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