The article deals with several renovation problems of the species of beavers in Latvia. The process of the disappearing of beavers in Latvia and other countries is analysed. It is pointed out that Latvia was among the first countries in which beavers reintroduction was started. It is stated that beavers occupy their former residences and renovate their ecological niche after two centuries. The organizational problems of beavers farming and management are considered in the article.

Research on the effectivity of herbicide STOMP, MCPA mixture in barley fields was carried out in 1993-1994. The effect of these hebicides in weed control and on spring barley yields was studied. The conditions and methods of the experiments are described. The experimental data are shown in tables. The results of the experiments show that the difference in spring barley yields was caused by the difference in soil fertility and the depth of soil tillage before sowing, not by the effect of the herbicides.

The fermentation industry in Latvia is described. Production of nonfood products, especially biofuel, from agricultural raw material would stimulate the market economy in Latvia and ensure liquid fuel from local resources. A model is proposed which integrates agriculture and the fermentation industry, including biofuel production, in a closed biotechnological system.

The use of mineral fertilizers and plant protection chemicals in Latvia in the latest years is discussed. The quality and the effect of imported herbicides on different weeds as well as their prices are analysed. The effect of 11 herbicides on 36 widespread weeds in Latvia is shown in tables.

In Latvia the forests cover 2.7 million ha or 42 per cent of the total land area and this percentage has stable trend of growth. Renewable forest resources covering 42 per cent of total land area are a major factor for environmental quality and stability. In state economy the forest sector is the leading export industry in Latvia now - in 1994 the foreign exchange value of forest based export was 20.34 per cent of the national total and this number has increased considerably. The direct contribution of forestry and forest industries in the Gross Domestic Product is represented about 10 per cent (year 1994). These figures do not reflect the true economic importance of the forestry sector in Latvia. The indirect effects of the development of forestry and forest industries in transportation, power generation, services and other sectors would be greater than the primary effects. After land reform and restitution of land (and also forest) ownership rights Latvia will have essential part of privately owned forests; estimations indicate that the number of private forest owners would be 100,000-200,000. The Latvian forest legislation system regulates the main principles of forest improvement, management and protection. The paper discusses some of the methodological and practical problems in the analysis of forest and environmental policies in the analysis of forest and environmental policies and practices in Latvia after the restoration of private ownership, in the free market economy conditions

The development process of soils in different regions of Latvia is described. The physical and chemical composition of the soil types as well as their characteristic features are analysed. The suitability of certain soils for the cultivation of field crops is discussed. Regions having the most fertile as well as the least fertile soils are pointed out. The importance of choosing the right field crops for a definite soil type is emphasized.