How Rigas Mezi Balances Timber, Biodiversity, And Community Well-Being
In the evolving landscape of European forestry, the recently published Fern report, Public Forests at the Restoration Frontline identifies a significant shift toward models that prioritize ecological resilience alongside social value. Central to this discussion is Rigas Mezi, the municipal manager for approximately 60 thousand hectares of forest surrounding capital city of Latvia – Riga. By prioritizing biodiversity and public use alongside timber production, the company is demonstrating a viable alternative to traditional forest management models.
The Fern report highlights Rigas Mezi as a leading example of how public forest landowners can balance revenue with public service functions and exploring non-timber revenue streams. The company provides a scalable example for other European municipalities seeking to align their land use with the goals of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation.
A holistic governance model
Unlike many state-owned forest companies where production and conservation are handled separately, Rigas Mezi uses an integrated management logic. As a municipal company, its primary mission is to manage the forest as a public asset rather than purely as an economic one.
This approach is formalized in the Integrated Forest Management Plan 2026–2035, built on assessments of what the ecosystem needs. The plan ensures that social and ecological functions are not secondary considerations but are embedded into the core planning framework.
It is the first integrated forest management plan of its kind in Europe to systematically combine landscape ecology, ecosystem services assessment, and adaptive monitoring into one comprehensive forest management document.
Innovation for nature and people
Rigas Mezi operations stand out in a few ways. Based on landscape ecological assessment, approximately half of the municipal forests, including more than 10 thousand hectares of Natura 2000 territories, are managed with the main goal to ensure wildlife conservation and public recreation, reinforcing the forest role in supporting urban and sub-urban quality of life. Through internal policy decisions, Rigas Mezi has voluntarily excluded valuable habitats from timber harvesting altogether, going well beyond the legal requirements.
Where timber harvesting does occur, the enterprise has favoured small-scale harvesting in line with adaptive, closer-to-nature practices. To coordinate these harvests gently, their planning relies on individual assessment specified for each particular location. The integrated management approach relies on extensive management impact monitoring and annual assessment of quality on ecosystem services. Algorithms used for this assessment are built through close partnerships with local scientists, NGOs, and local communities.
Seeing the forest for more than wood
Rigas Mezi has transitioned to a management style that explicitly tracks and values different ecosystem services. Beyond supplying raw timber, the woods yield wild berries, mushrooms, and medicinal plants for local communities. On the climate front, the trees sequester around 330,000 tons of CO2 each year while naturally regulating groundwater and reducing local flood risks. At the same time, maintaining recreational values, intact landscapes give Riga suburb residents a place to relax, exercise, and recharge. These values are built on deep engagement with local communities. Before starting management or forestry operations in popular recreational areas, Rigas Mezi hosts public walks and consultations with residents, local municipalities, and community groups to align plans with local needs.
“Rīgas Meži stands out as a leading example of how a modern forest management enterprise can actively engage and cooperate with the citizens of Riga city, ensuring that urban forestry remains grounded in community partnership,” says Agnese Pidrika, FSC Latvia & Lithuania Market Development Officer.
To keep high visitor traffic from harming delicate ecosystems, Rigas Mezi continuously monitors how the public uses these spaces. By mapping popular visitor routes, tracking visitor pressure in high use zones, and collecting feedback from local communities, the organization can pinpoint where recreation is concentrated. The collected data will be used to guide visitor flows towards more resilient pathways, install targeted recreational infrastructure, and protect habitats from human disturbance.
Maintaining its FSC certification serves as a tool for keeping this work transparent. By using the FSC Ecosystem Services framework, the organization sets clear targets and tracks its actual impact over time. This openness is especially significant in today’s polarized forestry sector in Latvia, where Rigas Mezi remains the only major public land manager to hold FSC certification.
Source: FSC
Back to NEWS:
BUSINESS l CLIMATE CHANGE l CONSTRUCTION l EDUCATION l ENVIRONMENT l FORESTRY ENGINEERING FORESTRY l GOVERNMENT l INTERNATIONAL l LAND l RECYCLING l RESEARCH l ROOFING l SHORT HAUL SILVICULTURE l SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY l TRANSPORT l TREATMENT l TRANSPORT l VALUE ADDING
