Nearly 400-year-old protected forest felled near Rucava, Forest Service explains permits

On Wednesday, September 30, the Latvian Fund for Nature (LDF) raised alarm that a forest stand near Rucava had been cut down, containing trees at least 377 years old, including a notably rare and ancient pine. The State Forest Service (VMD) confirmed it had issued cutting permits for the area earlier this year.

According to Indulis Brauners, head of VMD's Forest and Environmental Protection Department, the plots in question did not at the time hold status as a specially protected nature area or micro-reserve, meaning the service had no legal basis to refuse the permit.

Discovered during stork nest survey

The logging came to light when a known black stork nesting site was inspected and a fresh clear-cut was found. The nest tree had been one of many ancient pines in the stand. Ornithologist Māris Strazds removed a trunk cross-section from the site, which the University of Latvia's Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences examined by counting tree rings, determining the pine was at least 377 years old, having begun growing around 1649. Several other felled trees were also found to be around 370 years old.

Jānis Ķuze, chairman of LDF's council, noted the tree had lived through the abolition of serfdom and the proclamation and restoration of Latvian statehood, adding that such sites on state-managed land should be identified and protected in advance rather than discovered only after being cut.

Next steps

Following public and environmental-group attention, a proposal was submitted to establish a micro-reserve in the area, and experts are still evaluating it. Four cutting permits issued for neighboring plots have been suspended in the meantime. Nature Conservation Agency records show that before the felling, the plot was registered as holding the EU-protected habitat type "old or natural boreal forests." LDF has asked responsible institutions for an explanation.