Naujienos

Mr. Arturas Daubaras, the Chief of State Environment Protection Inspection informed, that " the illegal logging of wood in private forests decreases by 58 % in last 6 month compare with the same period of year 2004".Total volume of illegally logged wood in private forest comprises 7.7 thous. m3.

State environment protection inspectors determined 421 cases of breaching of existing legislation on forest management and wood procurement in private forest trough first half of the year 2005, what is significantly lower then in previous period. Total number of cases, when administrative punishment where applied for various violations in forest reached 2274. Sum of penalties issued is equal to 505.3 thous.LTL.

Ministry of Environment recognizes, that this positive result was achieved by joint efforts- both, by better control of forests and by more active participation of private forest owners in protection and care of their property.

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Other relevant info:

By 1 January 2004, total forestland area was 2.069.100 ha and covered 31.7% of the country. Share of state forests in total forest area is 52,9% (1,093,700 ha). Private forest area in line with restitution process is expanding and reached 675,000 ha (or 32.6%) from total forest area, as of 27 November 2004 . Area of forests reserved for Restitution accounts 14,5% (300,400 ha).

During the recent years roundwood supplies from private forest were consistently increasing in Lithuania. Currently private forests account for 40% of total roundwood supply in Lithuania, i.e. more than 2 mill.m³/yr. There are more than 232,000 forest owners in Lithuania and the average size of private forest holding is very small (4,6 ha). This determines difficulties in sustainable supply of roundwood from private sector.

Removals in private forests are growing in line with forest land restitution. During 1995- 2005 the area of restored private forest land has quadrupled to 684,500 ha (32,8% of Lithuania’s forest area). While fellings volume has increased by 3,5-fold to 2,5 mill.m³. In addition, about 1,5 mill.m³ of potentially available for cutting wood annually remains “untouched” due to felling restrictions in forests reserved for restitution (almost 300,000 ha or 14 % of total forest area).

Cooperation and consolidation of private forest owners is strengthening. Forest Owners’ Association of Lithuania (FOAL) supports the development of the network of forest owners’ cooperatives and other umbrella companies. These companies act under FOAL umbrella and provide all forestry related services, including trade in roundwood. FOAL umbrella companies employ more than 130 skilled specialists which advice and offer to forest owners the full range of services in management of their forest property.