Procedures for Calculation of Losses Caused to Forests

Republic of Latvia

Cabinet

Regulation No. 370

24 October 2000

Procedures for Calculation of Losses Caused to Forests

Issued pursuant to Section 50, Paragraph four of the Law On Forests

1. These Regulations prescribe the procedures for calculation of losses caused to forests through violation of the requirements of regulatory enactments that regulate forest management and utilisation.

2. Damage shall be deemed caused to a forest if a forest stand or a part thereof has been damaged or destroyed.

3. A forest stand shall be deemed damaged if the basal area of the forest stand or a part thereof is smaller than the minimum basal area.

4. A forest stand shall be deemed destroyed if the basal area of a forest stand or a part thereof is smaller than the critical basal area.

5. If a forest stand or a part thereof with an area more than 0.1 hectare has been damaged or destroyed, but in specially protected natural territories, if the relevant area exceeds 0.05 hectares, the damage caused to the forest shall be calculated as follows:

5.1. for forest stands where the average height of trees of the dominant tree species is 12 metres or more, the following formula shall be utilised:

Z = A x V, where

Z – losses caused to a forest (in lati)

A – quantity of illegally felled wood (m3)

V – losses caused to a forest per 1 m3 of illegally felled wood (in lati)

Notes.

1. ”A”, the quantity of illegally felled wood, is calculated as follows:

A = (Gmin - Gact) x h x f x S, where

Gmin - minimum basal area of a forest stand specified in regulatory enactments (m2 per hectare)

Gact - actual basal area of a forest stand after illegal tree felling (m2 per hectare)

h – average height of trees of the dominant tree species of a forest stand according to data in the State Forest Register (m)

f – a coefficient that depends on the dominant tree species of a forest stand, and on the average height of trees of the dominant tree species of a forest stand (Annex 1)

S - area in which the forest stand has been damaged or destroyed (ha).

2. ”V”, losses caused to a forest per 1 m3 of illegally felled wood, is calculated as follows:

V = Dmin x Kdomin, where

Dmin - minimum monthly salary (in lati) set by the State

Kdomin - a coefficient that depends on the dominant tree species (Annex 2);

5.2. For forest stands where the average height of trees of the dominant tree species is less than 12 metres, the following formula shall be used:

Z = A x V, where

Z - losses caused to the forest (in lati)

A - quantity of illegally felled trees (in thousands)

V - damage caused to the forest per thousand illegally felled trees (in lati)

Notes.

1. ”A”, the quantity of illegally felled trees, is calculated as follows:

(Nmin - Nact) x S

A = ------, where

1000

Nmin - minimum number of trees specified in regulatory enactments

Nact - actual number of trees after illegal felling of trees, determined in four 50 m2 circular sampling areas per hectare

S – area where the forest stand has been damaged or destroyed (ha)

2. ”V”, losses caused to the forest per thousand illegally felled trees, is calculated as follows:

V = Dmin x Kdomin, where

Dmin - minimum monthly salary (in lati) set by the State

Kdomin - a coefficient that depends on the dominant tree species, and on the average height of trees of the dominant tree species (Annex 3);

5.3. in specially protected natural territories, in micro-reserves or protective zones where any type of economic activity is prohibited or final felling is prohibited, losses caused to the forest, calculated according to Sub-paragraphs 5.1 and 5.2 of these Regulations, shall be increased threefold.

6. Cabinet Regulation No. 241 of 25 July 1995, Regulations Regarding Financial Liability for Violations of Regulations for Forest Management and Utilisation (Latvijas Vēstnesis , 1995, No. 121) is repealed.

Prime Minister A. Bērziņš

Minister for Agriculture A. Slakteris

These Regulations come into force on 28 October 2000

Annex I

Cabinet Regulation No. 370

24 October 2000

Coefficient “f” (Depending on the Dominant Tree Species of a Forest Stand and on the Average Height of the Dominant Tree Species of a Forest Stand)

Average height of trees (m) / Tree species
pine / fir / birch / aspen / common alder / white alder / oak / ash
11 / 0,5583 / 0,5951 / 0,5028 / 0,5188 / 0,5251 / 0,5222 / 0,4959 / 0,5571
12 / 0,5449 / 0,5873 / 0,4934 / 0,5121 / 0,5168 / 0,5124 / 0,4889 / 0,5461
13 / 0,5351 / 0,5682 / 0,4855 / 0,5066 / 0,5094 / 0,5015 / 0,4829 / 0,5363
14 / 0,5245 / 0,5624 / 0,4787 / 0,5019 / 0,5035 / 0,4944 / 0,4778 / 0,5267
15 / 0,5128 / 0,5511 / 0,4730 / 0,4978 / 0,4978 / 0,4859 / 0,4735 / 0,5197
16 / 0,5042 / 0,5466 / 0,4680 / 0,4943 / 0,4937 / 0,4757 / 0,4697 / 0,5126
17 / 0,4964 / 0,5367 / 0,4637 / 0,4914 / 0,4899 / 0,4688 / 0,4667 / 0,5061
18 / 0,4893 / 0,5273 / 0,4601 / 0,4887 / 0,4858 / 0,4650 / 0,4641 / 0,5001
19 / 0,4808 / 0,5184 / 0,4569 / 0,4865 / 0,4818 / 0,4593 / 0,4619 / 0,4947
20 / 0,4748 / 0,5100 / 0,4543 / 0,4845 / 0,4800 / 0,4492 / 0,4600 / 0,4896
21 / 0,4692 / 0,5020 / 0,4520 / 0,4828 / 0,4786 / 0,4468 / 0,4583 / 0,4850
22 / 0,4659 / 0,4889 / 0,4501 / 0,4814 / 0,4776 / 0,4425 / 0,4571 / 0,4807
23 / 0,4611 / 0,4763 / 0,4485 / 0,4801 / 0,4765 / 0,4407 / 0,4560 / 0,4767
24 / 0,4585 / 0,4747 / 0,4472 / 0,4790 / 0,4760 / 0,4369 / 0,4550 / 0,4730
25 / 0,4561 / 0,4733 / 0,4462 / 0,4780 / 0,4758 / 0,4357 / 0,4547 / 0,4695
26 / 0,4539 / 0,4668 / 0,4453 / 0,4771 / 0,4755 / 0,4329 / 0,4543 / 0,4662
27 / 0,4501 / 0,4657 / 0,4447 / 0,4764 / 0,4757 / 0,4316 / 0,4542 / 0,4631
28 / 0,4483 / 0,4646 / 0,4443 / 0,4758 / 0,4758 / 0,4286 / 0,4543 / 0,4602
29 or more / 0,4449 / 0,4638 / 0,4440 / 0,4752 / 0,4760 / 0,4258 / 0,4545 / 0,4575

Minister for Agriculture A. Slakteris

Annex 2

Cabinet Regulation No. 370

24 October 2000

Coefficient Depending on the Dominant Tree Species of a Forest Stand

Dominant tree species / Coefficient
Oak / 0,80
Pine, fir, birch, ash, larch / 0,43
White alder, aspen, Common alder / 0,28

Minister for Agriculture A. Slakteris

Annex 3

Cabinet Regulation No. 370

24 October 2000

Coefficient Depending on the Dominant Tree Species and the Average Height of Trees of the Dominant Species

Dominant tree species / Average height of trees (m)
up to 2.0 / 2.1-6.0 / 6.1-9.0 / 9.1-11.9
Coefficient
Pine / 3.9 / 6.8 / 12.6 / 21.1
Fir, larch, birch, aspen
Common alder, white alder / 4.9 / 7.9 / 13.5 / 18.8
Ash, oak / 8 / 12 / 24 / 27

Minister for Agriculture A. Slakteris