The change of the land plots used for conservation purposes in Lithuania

Abstract

The aim of the work was to analyse the change of the land plots classified as those for conservation purposes in Lithuania from the year 2000 till the year 2007 as well as to predict perspectives of the development of such land. The statistical data on the land plots used for conservation purposes, which had been prepared by the National Land Service under the Ministry of Agriculture and by the State Enterprise Centre of Registers, were used in the work. The change of the land plots used for conservation purposes, the changes of the areas of farming lands of these lands as well as the distribution of the land used for conservation purposes in different counties were analysed and future perspectives of this land were evaluated in this work. The land used for conservation purposes is attributed to the land of Lithuanian protected areas. During the past decade the area of protected areas had increased more than three times - from 4.75% up to 15%. According to the data of the year 2007 the land used for conservation purposes made 0.64% of the total land fund, i.e. 41677 ha. The largest areas of such lands are situated in Alytus and Klaipeda counties and the smallest areas are situated in Panevezys County. According to the areas of farming lands forests predominate in the lands used for conservation purposes and agricultural farming lands and roads predominate in the smallest areas. Such situation is conditioned by the Regulations of Lithuanian Reserves, because they are established in order to preserve natural typical or unique areas of the landscape. The change of the land used for conservation purposes occurred because of the newly established protected natural and cultural heritage objects.