THE CHANGE OF NATURAL LANDSCAPE IN LITHUANIA Giedrė Ivavičiūtė Vytautas Magnus University Kaunas Forestry and Environmental Engineering University of Applied Sciences Klaipėda State University of Applied Sciences [email protected] The object is the natural landscape of Lithuania. The aim is to carry out a research of the changes in the natural landscape of Lithuania during the years 2004 - 2019. Tasks to be resolve: 1. To characterize the present state of the natural landscape of Lithuania. 2. To research the components of natural landscape of the Republic of Lithuania, and their changes. 3. To investigate the changes of natural landscape area in the republic of Lithuania during the years 2004-2019. The landscape of Lithuania is a mosaic territorial and spatial structure created by the natural factors that have occurred since the last glacial period and the human economic activity that started 4-5 thousand years ago. Analyzing the natural features of the Lithuanian landscape it was found that the country is dominated by clayey plains (55.2 % of the territory). In Lithuania, natural frame areas cover about 60-65 % of the country's area. This corresponds to a geo-ecologically optimal proportion between areas that are heavily used and nature-sustaining. The share of natural frame areas in individual municipalities varies, for example, in Joniškis, Pakruojis, Pasvalys municipalities - 35-40 %, Varėna, Zarasai - up to 75-80 % of their total area. Most of the district municipalities have 55 to 65 % of their area covered by natural frame. There are 6 state parks in country, which cover 0.29 % of the Lithuania, 514 reserves, occupying 2.42 %, and 684 state protected natural heritage objects. There are 3 restoration sites in the country, 35 state parks, which make up 9.08 % of the country's territory, 32 biosphere polygons (3.62 %) and 566 Natura 2000 sites (1.94 %). Changes in the components of the natural landscape The natural landscape consists of the following natural components: forests, water bodies, wetlands. Forests 48,28 50 42,91 45 Alytus 35,83 40 34,88 Kaunas 33,06 35 29,86 28,51 Klaipėda 26,74 26,25 Marijampolė 30 21,5 25 Panevėžys 20 Šiauliai 15 Tauragė Telšiai 10 Utena 5 Vilnius 0 percent In Lithuania forest area covers 33.07 %. As stated by the data of 2019, forests area cover 2,158,949.68 hectares. After examination the present status of the forests in Lithuania, it has been confirmed that the forested counties are Alytus (48.28 %), Vilnius (42.91 %) and Telšiai (35.83 %). It has been established that the least forested is Marijampolė county (21.50 %). Pine forests 3.9 0.9 Spruce forests 6.8 6.3 35.4 1.8 Birch forests 2 Oak-woods Forest of ash trees Black alder groves 22.1 White alder groves 20.8 Asp groves Others In Lithuania coniferous species make up 56.20 %, here predominate pine forests (35.40 %). 2250000 2220512,18 2198472,38 2200000 2178958,04 2126433,89 2150000 2123005,08 2167497,97 2115214,69 2128909,88 2130209,55 2158949,68 2100341,64 2126206,95 2100000 2120463,15 2125768,76 2050000 2038046,55 2000000 2026100 Forests area in 1950000 Lithuania 1900000 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 In 2004, in country forests covered an area of 2,026,100.00 hectares. Between 2004-2019 the forest area developed by 132,849.03 hectares (6.15 %). 34,5 34,01 Forest coverage of the 34 33,67 Republic of Lithuania 33,38 33,5 33,2 33,07 33 32,56 32,5732,57 32,61 32,63 32,4 32,48 32,52 32,5 32,17 32 31,5 31,0331,21 31 30,5 30 29,5 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 It was determined that the forest area in Lithuania during the years 2004-2019 increased from 32.03 % to 33.07 %. The forest area has developed due to the enforcement of the forest development program, the stimulation of plantation forests, the stimulation of forests reclamation, attendance in the Rural Development Program and etc. Water bodies The entire territory of Lithuania is located in the Baltic Sea basin. The country's hydrographic network consists of rivers, channels, lakes and ponds, the coast, the Baltic Sea and artificial impassable surface water bodies. According to the data of February 2019 registration of cadastral objects of rivers, lakes and ponds of Lithuania, the largest area of the territory of country is covered by lakes - 884.56 km2, Curonian Lagoon covers 413 km2, riverbeds cover 332 km2 and ponds - 236 km2. 12 10,49 Alytus 10 Kaunas 7,51 Klaipėda 8 Marijampolė 6 4,59 Panevėžys Šiauliai 3,21 2,49 3,15 3,2 4 2,6 Tauragė 2,34 2,33 Telšiai 2 Utena Vilnius 0 percent The largest area of water bodies is found in Klaipėda county (54,784.49 ha), where water bodies make up 10.49 % of the total area of the county. Water bodies are also abundant in Utena county (54026.25 ha or 7.51%). 267000 265868,26 266000 Water bodies of the Republic of Lithuania 264901,43 265000 264450,61 264465,49 264000 262640,55 263578,36 263000 262199,77 262463,91 262496,67 262526,48 262157,1 262000 262506,63 262355,94 262538,75 262248,19 262028,08 261000 260000 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 In 2004, water bodies made up 4,01 % of the total area of Lithuania and occupied 262,199.77 ha. In 2019, water bodies made up 4.07 % of the country territory. During the interval of years 2004-2019, the area of water bodies developed by 3,668.49 hectares (1.38 %) and by 2019 occupied 265,868.26 ha. Wetlands Most of Lithuania's wetlands are of lake origin. There are three types of wetlands in Lithuania: low moors, transitional moors and bogs. Most of Lithuania is dominated by low moors. They make up 71 % of all wetland area. Bogs occupy 22 %, transitional moors - 7 %. 2,97 3 2,65 Alytus 2,5 Kaunas 1,97 Klaipėda 2 1,65 Marijampolė 1,24 Panevėžys 1,5 1,02 0,94 0,94 Šiauliai 0,81 1 Tauragė 0,33 Telšiai 0,5 Utena 0 Vilnius percent Analysis of wetlands in Lithuanian counties revealed that the majority of wetlands are situated in Alytus County, where wetlands make up 2.97 %, Utena (2.65 %) and Vilnius (1.97 %) counties. 160000 145477,45 140000 141790,86 119868,64 117167,69 116379,34 120000 114323 121373,81 118248,44 116260,34 116162,63 113238,98 94487,25 100000 85728,48 80000 91923,33 Area of wetlands of 70862,25 60000 the Republic of 66055,8 Lithuania 40000 20000 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 In Lithuania, in 2004, wetlands made up 2.23 % of country and covered 145,477.45 hectares. In 2019, wetlands made up 1.45 % of the country territory. The area of wetlands in 2004-2019 decreased by 50,990.20 hectares (35.05 %) and in 2019 covered 94,487.25 hectares. The wetland area was shrinking due to natural processes, climate change and human activities. The change of natural landscape 2560000 2550146,34 2533785,24 2540000 2524322,73 2529152,01 2520000 2504525,77 2504725,52 2501175,5 2505987,28 2519305,19 2500000 2483872,55 2497331,522502679,4 2505453,78 2505759,36 2480000 2460000 2441865,49 2440000 Natural landscape of Lithuania 2420000 2433777,22 2400000 2380000 2360000 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 In 2004, the natural landscape of country cover 37.27 % of the total area of Lithuania and occupied 2,433,777.22 ha. In 2019, the natural landscape made up 38.59 %. In 2004-2019, the natural landscape of Lithuania increased by 85527.97 hectares or 3.39 %. The increase of the natural landscape of Lithuania was impacted by the progress of the forest area. Conclusions 1. Lithuania is dominated by rustic landscape (75 % of Lithuania). Larger areas of the natural landscape are preserved in the eastern and southeastern part of the country, in the western part of the Samogitian Heights, in the areas of the great deltas and do not exceed 15 % of the territory of Lithuania. About 10 % of the territory is occupied by a rapidly expanding urban, urbanized landscape. 2. Between 2004-2019 the forest area of the country developed by 132,849.03 hectares (6.15 %). 3. During the interval of years 2004-2019, the area of water bodies developed by 3,668.49 hectares (1.38 %) and by 2019 occupied 265,868.26 ha. 4. The area of wetlands in 2004-2019 decreased by 50,990.20 hectares (35.05 %) and in 2019 covered 94,487.25 hectares. 5. In 2004-2019, the natural landscape of Lithuania increased by 85527.97 hectares or 3.39 %. The increase of the natural landscape of Lithuania was impacted by the progress of the forest area. Picture - alkas.lt..