presentation on forest recreation in Lithuania - the OPENspace ...

Forest Recreation in Lithuania 

LIETUVOS MIŠK INSTITUTAS 

LITHUANIAN FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Lithuanian forests in figures 

Forest land area: 2.091 m ha = 32% 

Designated functions of Forest 

– Primary function Forest 

Total area, 1000 ha = 2,099 

Production, %: 70.3 

Protection, %: 9.8 

Conservation,%: 8.9 

Social services, %: 3.2 

Multiple purpose,%: 7.8 



3,2 

12,9 

0,9 

36,2 

Pine 

Spruce 

Oak 

Ash 

20,6 

Birch 

Aspen 

2,5 

1,9 

21,8 

Alder 

Other 





According to the biogeographical delineation, Lithuanian forests represent 

the transitional Boreal (south taiga) – Nemoral zone of mixed and 

coniferous and broadleaved deciduous forests with 

Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, Betula spp., 

Populus tremula, Alnus spp., 

Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus robur, 

Acer platanoides, Ulmus spp. etc. 

The boundaries of the large 

phytogeographical division 

comprising Carpinus betulus, 

Ulmus caprinifolia (south western Lithuania) 

and Quercus petraea (small patches in the south Lithuania) cross the 

country and separate the northern and southern sub zones of the 

broadleaved and coniferous zones. 

Forests and forest management are historically significant as vital resources 

of Lithuania’s prosperity providing many versatile and useful products, as 

well as a spiritual and welfare resource for the population. 



List of Forest Types: 

= Middle and south boreal and hemi-boreal pine forest 

(34%) 

= Hemi-boreal spruce and fir-spruce forests (23%) 

= Mixed oak forest (2%) 

= Ashwood (2%) 

= Mixed oak hornbeam forest (1%) 

= Atlantic dune forest (0,5%) 

= Ombrotrophic mires (3%) 

= Minerotrophic mires incl. swamp forest (0,5%) 

= Swamp and fen forests, alder (5,5%) 

= Swamp and fen forests, birch (4%) 

= Flood plain (alluvial and riverine) forests (0,5%) 



The Forest Law defines forest groups by management regimes 

and their main functional purpose including: 

= Group I: Reserved forests include strict nature reserves 

committed to protect forest naturalness 

= Group II: Special purpose forests including forest 

reserves, forests of the Baltic Sea and Curonian Lagoon 

protection, resort forests, recreational forests etc.; 

= Group III: Protective forests including buffer and 

protective zones state parks; forests of the recreational and 

aesthetic value near roads; resort protective forests; forests 

sheltering agricultural lands etc; 

= Group IV: Commercial forests and forests of the 

economic zones in national and regional parks commercial 

forests 



Protected areas in Lithuania 

Strict reserves 7 (37,535 ha = 0.6%* 

Strict nature reserves 

= 3 (18, 363 ha) 

Strict cultural reserves 

= 2 (559 ha) 

Small strict reserves (Urwald) = 1 (120 ha) 

Biosphere reserves 

= 1 (18, 493 ha) 

National parks 5 (152, 874 ha) = 2.3% 

Regional parks 30 (439, 088 ha) = 6.7% 

Nature and landscape reserves 254 (146, 238 ha) = 2.2% 

Municipal reserves 101 (11, 186 ha) = 0.2% 

Protected nature heritage features 683 

In total (2005) 1, 096 (933, 249 ha) 14.3% 

*% share of the total area 

SHARE OF PROTECTED AREAS (%) IN 

LITHUANIA 

Protected 

areas 

14,3% 





The network of NATURA 2000 included 

Special Protected Areas (SPA) and Proposed 

Sites of Community interest (pSCI) that 

covered 453,200 ha. Overlapping area is 

65,400 ha. 

The area of the national network of protected 

areas increased from 11.2% in 2003 to 14.3% 

in 2005 of total territory of Lithuania. 



HISTORY: There are profound traditions to use and 

protect the resources of nature in Lithuania 

Plenty of archaeological remains, historic metrics and folklore all 

proclaim the honour-founded relations of the ancient Lithuanian 

people with nature. 

In deep historical times such terms as saint tree and saint forest 

underlined that these objects were untouchable. 

In IX-XII centuries Dukes owned lands and forests, and Lithuanian 

Grand Dukes awarded forests and lands to nobility. 

In the 15th century, the Lithuanian Grand Duke chartered townspeople 

to use forests around the town for the pastures providing they left 

hollow trees alone. 

In summary, 

the initial notions of relation to forest formed mostly 

because of the influence of nature worship. The ancient 

faith and awareness of the forest guard function had 

helped to protect forests. 



Up to the present day timber production represents the primary 

economic value derived from forests. 

Timber export has an important role in economic development 

for many sectors. 

Today the role of forests as a renewable domestic energy 

resource, replacing non-renewable energy, is steadily 

increasing. 

Forestry solves some social problems: it also serves as an 

important source of employment in rural areas. 



Furthermore, forests provide other 

natural resources including berries, 

mushrooms, hazel nuts and also game 

animals ipso facto attracting people. 

For certain groups of the population, 

mainly in rural areas, these resources are 

an important additional source of income. 

A significant part of the population 

also enjoys hunting. 



Main activities in forests 

•camping ; 

•walking; 

•fishing; 

•hiking, cycling, driving; 

•wildlife watching; 

•boating and sailing, water cycling, 

windsurfing, yachting; 

•excursions by hovercraft to impenetrable 

swamps; 

•horse riding; 

•collecting berries, mushrooms & hazel nuts; 

•recreational hunting 



LEGISTATION 

The main legislative acts related to recreation and nature tourism: 

= Forest Law (2001), 

= Law of Protected areas (2001), 

= Regulations of the use, design and protection of recreational 

territories (2004), 

= National programme of tourism development (1993), 

= Law of Tourism (1998), 

= Long-term strategy of state development (2002), 

= Programme of the Government of Republic of Lithuania (2004) 

= Regulations of national and regional parks 



State of Recreational resources 

(territories and objects) 

= National & regional parks: 

- 107 cognitive and educational 

trails and routes, 

- 46 viewpoints landings, 

- 333 camping and rest points. 

= Forest enterprises (I-IV group of forests) 

established : 

- 2 020 recreational objects regularly renewed 

- 250 recreational objects fitted for disabled 

people in the all 42 forest enterprises 

(Recreation development for disabled people) 



Examples of socially useful recreational 

practices in forests related to two particularly 

sensitive social groups of human society: 

disabled people and young people. 



Examples of Recreational facilities for 

Disabled People 



Foresters lend social service to social group of DP over 

the whole territory of Lithuania. 

Seeking to implement the goals of the Disabled Year 2003, 

the General Forest Enterprise, under the Ministry of the 

Environment, initiated meetings between foresters and 

representatives of Disabled Groups (DG) NGOs adapting 

recreational facilities in forests for DP. In turn, DP NGOs 

provided guidance for the best implementation on the 

ground to meet demands of disabledpeople. 

Forest enterprises informed society and NGOs about new 

facilities and possibilities of placement of DP through 

mass media. 

There are 12 cognitive and educational paths, 12 

recreational paths, 9 special paths, 9 viewing grounds, 74 

respire points, 102 resort grounds, 21 campsites and other 

facilities 



Raseiniai Forest Enterprise: Recreation for DP 



Examples of Forest Recreation 

Infrastructure: 

in Forest Enterprises 



…are usually occurred 



Kurši& Nerija National Park: at the onset of spring… 



visit Forest Enterprises… 











Steps to the ecotourism… 



COUNTRYSIDE TOURISM IN LITHUANIA 



Countryside tourism is the leading business in the 

Lithuanian countryside. The total number of 

farmers offering holidays is close to 1000. 

• countryside tourism is more attractive near spectacular 

natural surroundings (forests, lakes, rivers). 

• instead of stars the level of comfort is designated by storks: 

– 1 stork : stay overnight on hay, in a barn, or in 

modest house. Visitors commonly stay on their own and 

receive limited services. 

– 4 storks: guarantees a high level of comfort, a wide 

range of services and activities, the facilities are suitable 

for organising celebrations, seminars or conferences. 







• 

Classification of farmsteads by types of recreation: 

• Acquaintance with Lithuania 

• “I want to go to a bathhouse” 

• Let’s celebrate together 

• Walking-tour 

• Active recreation 

• For bicycle " lovers 

• For fishermen 

" 

• For horse lovers 

• Holidays by the water 

• Recreation with children 

• Winter holidays 

• Farmstead for business meetings 



Thank you for your attention

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