The turnover of Riga's forests for the year amounted to nearly 23 million euros 0 13

Goals and Objectives

Inguna Kublička, head of the Nature and Planting Department of the Environment Management of the Housing and Environment Department, noted that the Rīgas meži strategy includes 17 directions and 51 tasks. Among them are integrated management, employee motivation, and digital skills. The management of forests owned by the capital was accompanied by "green infrastructure services." In addition to economic functions, recreational, educational, and preservation of biological and cultural-historical environments were also performed.

Many goals and tasks have been completed and exceeded – however, the elimination of the consequences of natural disasters (fallen trees) and forestry work did not go well.

The enterprise is also responsible for managing economic activities in the waste sector – special containers have been installed since last year. As Ms. Kublička noted, the collection of forest waste is ensured with the help of special transport and digital solutions, which contributes to the optimization of personnel. The latter, by the way, is provided with medical insurance and special clothing.

Cameras are installed in the forests, and monitoring of dangerous trees is conducted, especially near power lines.

The company is accountable to international audits and certifications. The level of legal support is evidenced, for example, by the fact that the company is serviced by the Irish law firm Eversheds Sutherland. Last year, a significant number of events took place in Riga's parks and gardens – 350, and on average, RM staff conducted cleaning every day. A survey ordered from the sociological company SKDS confirmed the satisfaction of residents as clients.

Profits Are Decreasing

Anita Skudra, chairwoman of the board of SIA Rīgas meži since 2022, previously held leading positions in the food industry and gasoline trade – Rīgas Dzirnavnieks, Latvijas Piens, NP Foods, Latvija Statoil, Aldaris. According to the company leader, RM was one of the first in the country to join the corporate initiative Misija Nulle. This is about quality personnel management. Additionally, the enterprise has been declared free from corruption!

It should be noted that Riga's forests are sometimes located far from Riga. The green areas of the capital are concentrated in the Tīrelis forest district (25,500 ha), Jugla (23,260 ha), Rīga (9,670 ha), and Katrīna (4,320 ha). The latter is the most remote, located in the Limbaži region, and the total forest property of Riga is located in 12 municipalities.

Ms. Skudra noted that one of the directions of Rīgas meži is the cultivation of tree seedlings for its own needs and for sale on the market. In addition, the enterprise owns about 8,000 hectares of peat bogs, including degraded ones. Now it is necessary to develop a work plan together with tenants for the reclamation of these areas.

Last year, the net turnover of the enterprise amounted to 22.892 million euros (+1% compared to 2023), while the gross profit was 2.637 million (-5%). The enterprise operated with a profitability of 6.8%. Investments amounted to 3.52 million euros.

As dividends in 2024, Rīgas meži paid out 1.222 million euros, while for 2025, only 625,000 euros is planned. Part of the dividends from previous years, by the way, went to cover "insufficient funding for gardens and parks."

"Nivas" Went to the Front, Replaced by "Toyotas"

Anita Skudra also reported that recently the enterprise made significant capital investments in its vehicle fleet. The fact is that previously a significant part of the vehicles consisted of the Niva SUVs purchased in the Russian Federation. They required components that, after the start of hostilities in Eastern Europe, fell under the EU sanctions. As a result, the enterprise donated the old transport to Ukraine and purchased new ones, such as the Toyota Hilux. During the period from 2023 to 2025, investments amounted to a total of 10.4 million euros, although, of course, this includes not only the vehicle fleet.

The enterprise will maintain a stable personnel ceiling of 150 people in 2025-2026, which, it should be noted, is even a couple of people more than in 2021. Meanwhile, the number of greening objects cared for in Riga is only increasing – from 116 in 2021 to 141 in the planned 2026. In particular, from this year to next year, the area will increase by 10 hectares. To clarify, the functionality of RM includes, among other things, the maintenance of promenades along the Daugava. All the numerous flowerbeds, benches, and bins – recently, the greened promenade of General Radziņš, the streets of Emīlija Benjamīne, Saulkrasti, as well as the Saulesdārzi garden have been added to them.

Just No Slugs!

It should be noted that due to its municipal nature, RM regularly receives large budget transfers from the city council. If in 2022, 1.425 million euros were transferred from the city treasury, then in 2025, it will be 5.874 million. Meanwhile, funding from the company's own funds during the same period decreased – from 2.042 million to 428 thousand. And why give away your millions if there are municipal ones?

The diagrams presented by the head of the company confirmed that the main item of expenditure is personnel – for example, in the structure of gardens and parks, 64% of all money goes to employee salaries, while the next largest item is 9% for the depreciation of fixed assets, while the maintenance of parks and gardens accounts for 8%.

Nevertheless, emphasized A. Skudra, recently there have been fewer complaints about uncleaned park paths during the autumn-winter period. It is clear that you cannot please everyone – and therefore, for example, the opposition deputy of the "Sovereign Power/New Latvians" Rudolf Bremanis harshly criticized the policy of the enterprise on social media, which collects leaves from the population with the condition – only without Spanish slugs!

RENEWABLE ENERGY

The enterprise Rīgas meži provided most of its consumption – 59.8% – from "green" energy sources, mainly from self-collected biomass.