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Hunting Helps to Reduce Damage Caused by Animals

The goal of foresters is to grow productive, valuable and healthy tree stands. Currently, this goal is hampered by the increasing number of forest animals and the damage they cause. One of the most effective solutions to the interests of forestry and hunters is the regulation of the population of animals or hunting. JSC "Latvia's State Forests" (LVM) has concluded 922 hunting right leases in its managed areas.

Successful reduction of harmful game species requires good co-operation between landowners and tenants of hunting rights. The first step in providing it, is the exchange of information about the damage caused by game animals and the areas where the work of protecting young forest stands is carried out, since hunters need to know the places where to organise more intensive hunting. This year, LVM has sent information on damage to 568 hunters’ formations.

LVM invites hunters' formations, in whose leased areas significant damage to forest stands is found, to attend regional meetings to jointly seek solutions to improve the situation. This year, ten regional meetings were organised, inviting 165 hunters' organisations.

In turn, hunters' formations, in whose hunting right territories critical damage is found, are invited to individual negotiations. This year, 27 hunters' organisations are included in this category, and after the individual negotiations they will receive instructions for further activities to be carried out.

LVM and hunters understand that only through cooperation it is possible to reach a balance between forestry and hunting.

Since its foundation in 1999, Joint Stock Company "Latvia’s State Forests" implementing sustainable forest management has paid one billion euros to state and local government budgets. LVM's economic activities are carried out by maintaining and recovering forests, taking care of nature conservation, recreation opportunities and increasing timber volumes, as well as investing in expanding the forest land and developing forest infrastructure - renovation of drainage systems and forest road construction. The volume of timber in the forests managed by LVM increases by 12 million cubic metres annually.