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Grunte & Cers Attorneys at Law in cooperation with publishing house Dienas Bizness are preparing the Forest Owner’s Manual

10.03.2010

Forestry is one of the most important industries in Latvia. Its significance is characterised by two indicative characteristics – area of forest land and role of forest industry in the economy. More than a half of the territory of Latvia is covered by forests. The forest industry comprises ~3.5% of the GDP, which indicator is higher than that of the agriculture. Generally that shows the special role of forest and its importance in the development of Latvia. This is why the laws and regulations impose a range of different obligations for and determine restrictions for activities of each forest owner. Half of the forests in Latvia are owned by the state, and the other half by private owners. With the help of the Forest Owner’s Manual the owners will become more competent with respect to their legal obligations and rights, as well as they will be able to manage the forest property in a knowledgeable and responsible manner.

The Manual is based on the extensive experience of Grunte & Cers Attorneys at Law gained through cooperation with our clients: forest owners and managers. Since 1992 the attorneys of the law firm have been rendering advice to both the entrepreneurs engaged in forest industry and state authorities; they have provided support, inter alia, also with respect to construction of different objects, extraction of natural resources and resolution of environmental law issues.

Contents of the Forest Owner’s Manual:

1. Legal status of forest and forest land

2. Terms for use of forest land

• Transformation of forest land
• Construction and formation of infrastructure objects
• Use of bowels of the Earth

3. Forrest management and operational activities in forest

• Basic terms of management (stock count, regeneration, propagation, tending)
• Forest resource output (logging, non-wood values)
• Labour protection requirements in forest
• Taxation of activities in forest

4. Environmental protection in forest

• General environmental protection requirements in forest
• Restrictions for activities in forest within nature territories of special protection

5. Disposal of forest property

• Restrictions for acquiring forest land
• Issues to be considered during disposal and purchase of forest property
• Special terms for disposal of state forests

6. Responsibility for breach of forest management and use regulations

• Administrative liability
• Criminal liability
• Third party liability and obligation to compensate loss
• Disciplinary liability

7. Rights of third parties in forest and limitation thereof

8. State governance in forest industry: competence and areas of responsibility of state and municipal authorities

9. Sample agreements

To apply for the Manual please contact:

Db Manual Department
Mūkusalas iela 15, Riga, LV-1004
Phone: 67084455; fax: 67084499
e-mail: gramatas@db.lv

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