Forest statistics from the National Forest Inventory in Latvia for 2004–2025

Abstract

In the context of accelerating environmental change, local quantitative assessment of forest resources, both timber and non-timber ones, is highly valued for scientific and policy-making reasons. National forest inventories (NFIs) are conducted across Europe for this purpose; however, overall quantitative data on standing volume and forest structure are rarely published in scientific literature, limiting their accessibility to a broad international scientific audience. This study presents national statistics on forest characteristics important for commercial and conservation use, obtained from the NFI in Latvia, a forest-rich country and an important source of timber in Europe. In 2025, forests covered approximately half of the country’s territory, and the forest cover area remained stable from 2005 to 2025. The majority of stands have been dominated by six species (Scots pine, Norway spruce, birch, aspen, black and grey alder), with conifers and deciduous species forming roughly equal shares; mixed stands were common. However, Scots pine numbers are revealing a declining trend as they are being replaced by deciduous species such as birch and aspen. The total standing stock showed a significant yet ceasing increase over the period covered by NFI data, adding 5% over the course of NFI measurements, and apparently was reaching an equilibrium with mortality and felling in 2025. The abundance and stock of the retention trees have roughly tripled. The average amount of deadwood remained steadily high with minor fluctuations, exhibiting a rising trend, achieving 19.4 m³ ha^–1 in 2025. The lying-to-standing deadwood ratio was 1.68 to 1. Thus, the available statistical data indicate that forests in Latvia are stable and managed according to their productivity, while management systems maintain a high amount of deadwood.

Keywords: forest dynamics; eastern Baltic region; forest statistics; standing volume; forest structure