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sale of raw material timber and non-cut forests. These
taxes are used for general public needs.
Planning and inventory data are crucial for sustain-
able forest management. In Lithuania, all private and
State forests are periodically inventoried using State
resources. The inventory and registration data are
provided to forest owners and governors free of charge.
Forest management plans are compulsory for all forest
holdings bigger than 3 hectares, and forest invento-
ries must be completed by qualified persons. Forest
management planning is a great advantage for forest
owners and governors and is also a good sign of trust for
the general public that forests in Lithuania are managed
sustainably and will be saved for future generations.
In Lithuania, people have the right to visit forests
freely, except for those forests designated as strict nature
reserves and special purpose areas (for example, border
or military zones). Visitors can gather fruit, herbs and
medical materials, other than endangered species, and
can gather nuts, berries, and mushrooms, and keep bees
in State forests free of charge.
Even in modern times, a number of private houses are
heated by firewood. Forests provide the opportunity for
people to obtain fuel for heating. Many houses are heated
by using residual forest cuttings and this fuel is regarded
as an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuel.
In recent years there has been strong public demand
for opportunities to spend leisure time in forests. People
are increasingly interested in the landscape’s attractive-
ness and suitability for recreation activities and visitors
and is taking steps to enhance education and extension services for
private forest owners in Lithuania.
FOAL has supported the development of a network of forest
owners’ cooperatives and collaborating companies. The first owners’
cooperative was founded in 1998 and within a short time others
were created as the industrial demand for roundwood and owners’
demand for forestry services rapidly increased. The network operates
on two levels. In the field, cooperatives advise local forest owners
and consolidate production volumes. Marketing take place through
roundwood trading companies that specialize in supplying the
largest buyers. FOAL has become the biggest roundwood supplier
in Lithuania because its large-scale bargaining power enables it to
achieve higher wood prices. These benefits are then passed back to
the forest owner. FOAL is very active in the national and interna-
tional forest policymaking process and it has been recognized for
its valuable contribution to the development and improvement of
national forestry.
Forests for people
In Lithuania there are four main public groups to which sustainably
managed forests bring direct or indirect benefits:
• The general public using services provided by the forests
• Private forest owners
• People working in the forestry sector
• Youth in education (Young Forest Friends)
Benefits for the general public of forest services
Forests are among the most important indigenous natural resources
in Lithuania. The State charges for usage of its forests – all State
forest governors pay 10 per cent tax to the State budget from the
Young Forest Friends feeding wild animals
Recreation path adapted for physically disabled needs
Image: Young Forest Friends
Image: Directorate General of State Forests