What is happening in the forests of Jūrmala: authorities explain the reasons for mass logging

For some time now, there has been mass logging of trees in the center of Jūrmala, in the area of Poruka Street. The same is true in the Melluži-Asari area behind the railway. Work is often carried out at night, under floodlights. Logging also occurred on public holidays in November. There are suspicions that under the pretext of sanitary cleaning of the forest, not only sick but also healthy trees are being cut down.

We want to know: does the Jūrmala municipality control this process, and if so, who specifically? And what is the guarantee that healthy trees are not being cut down?

Everything is under control

Answers from the head of the public relations department of the Jūrmala City Council, Mara Michule:

Currently, in the forests of Jūrmala, in several neighborhoods, work is being carried out on a total area of more than 500 hectares, aimed primarily at clearing the damage caused by the hurricane of 2024. The deadline for completion of the work is March 31, 2026. The forestry department of the Property Management of the Jūrmala Council is overseeing the process on behalf of the municipality.

Sanitary logging is one of the necessary measures, which is a normal practice in forestry. It is essential for maintaining and improving the health of the forest, and in certain situations, to prevent further damage.

What is "sanitary logging" and its goals

Combatting tree diseases and pests. Trees affected by fungal diseases or insects are cut down to maintain the viability and ecological stability of the forests. This improves their ability to benefit the ecosystem as a whole – absorbing CO₂, filtering air and water, and supporting biodiversity.
Removal of damaged trees (for example, due to storms or other reasons), as they may pose a danger to people and animals and contribute to the spread of diseases.
Restoration and enhancement of the ecological quality of the forest. Removing dead or damaged trees gives new trees more light and space to grow, creating a healthy forest structure.
Increasing fire safety. Accumulation of dry and sick trees can facilitate the rapid spread of fire in case of ignition and increases the risk of large forest fires. Sanitary logging reduces this risk.

In June and July 2025, the State Forest Service (Valsts meža dienests – VMD) issued a permit for the aforementioned works. The process has been repeatedly inspected by VMD specialists themselves. According to the information obtained from the inspections, no violations or damage to the forest and the environment as a whole were found. (...)

According to the Service Agreement concluded between the Administration (Jūrmala municipality – M.B.) and SIA Forest Mentor Group (hereinafter – FMG), the service provider (FMG) is obliged to ensure the following works in the territories (27 cadastral units), which are forest areas owned by the Jūrmala municipality:

initial inspection;
preparation work for logging;
inspection and assessment of trees to be logged;
provision of electronic auction for logging on the website e-silva.lv;
monitoring the progress of logging operations after the sale of logs;
restoration of logged forest areas – on two land units, care for young trees and crops in accordance with regulatory requirements;
monitoring of forests that are part of the property, including periodic forest inspections.

The administration received clarification from FMG regarding the progress of the works, which mentioned that no significant violations were found. Nevertheless, considering public concern, to assess the volume of logged trees in the Krastciems forests, the administration engaged an independent certified expert.