2022-05-31
National Audit Office: conservation of Lithuanian forests requires a timely response to changes in biodiversity
Adequate protection of Lithuanian forests and their natural values is not ensured: the planned forestry objectives have not been met, trees damaged by animals, insects, diseases or otherwise are increasing, and the identification of areas important for the habitats conservation is delayed, as shown by the audit carried out by the National Audit Office “Conservation of Lithuanian forest resources”.
Forest land in Lithuania covers one third of the country’s area — 2 202,000 hectares. In order to achieve ecological equilibrium and decarbonisation, the country’s forest cover must reach 35 %, or 2 286 thousand hectares, by 2030. However, the audit found that it increased on average by only 0.04 % or 3,000 hectares per year between 2016 and 2020. If forest cover continues to increase at this rate, the set target will be reached only in 2047.
The natural development of forests also contributes to the achievement of forestry objectives. There are 15.5 hectares of wild trees in Lithuania, with an average age of more than 20 years. They must be included in the Forest State Register as a forest area in a timely manner so that it is properly maintained and protected in order to limit harvesting.
“Forests help to stabilize climate, prevent soil erosion, protect groundwater and surface waters. In our country, forests absorb an average of 18 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. The valuable biodiversity must be protected, as it ensures ecological balance. However, our audit shows that there is insufficient care for forests," says Arvydas Laurinkevičius, Principal Public Auditor-Audit Team Leader of Performance Audit Department 3.
It was estimated that the number of damaged trees should not exceed 16 % in 2020, but over 5 years the number of trees damaged by forest diseases, pests or other factors has increased by 6.4 percentage points to reach 23.1 %.
In order to protect forests and their biodiversity, the forest manager must detect the violation in a timely manner, the State Forest Service — to identify the causes of the violation, to assess the risk of the formation of hotspots of mass spread, to recommend preventive or destructive measures.
In order to protect endangered, vulnerable, rare plant and animal species and their habitats, a Natura 2000 network of European protected areas has been set up. In Lithuania, only 26 % of the estimated forest habitat area is included in this network, and an additional 100,000 hectares of forest habitats to be protected should be added.
The protection of habitats should be carried out in accordance with specific, clear and measurable conservation objectives. However, the audit shows that as many as 93.8 % of the conservation objectives set by the Ministry of the Environment are abstract and there is no monitoring of their implementation. This may result in the loss of rare, endangered or vulnerable species of birds, animals, plants or habitats.
The National Audit Office has issued recommendations to ensure conservation of forests and their forest habitats of the European Community interest. The implementation of the recommendations of the National Audit Office should ensure ecological stability, protect rare animals, birds, plants from extinction, and protect self-created forests.