Afforestation of unused and unproductive land in Kaunas County, Lithuania

Abstract

In Lithuania, forest covered 33.2% of the territory (2012). It has increased by 2.3% during the last 10 years due to the self-overgrown unused land and afforestation. European Union (EU) funding is allocated every year for afforestation, with priority to deciduous of mixed forests planting. Planters preferred the fertile land; while in Lithuania in 2010, there were 168.3 thousand ha of land unsuitable for agricultural purposes. This paper analyses the volume of afforested areas in former agricultural land, the species composition, compliance with soil conditions, and use of inefficient land in period 2008 - 2011 in Kaunas county with the support from the EU. Data was used from 321 investigated lots. In Kaunas County in 2008- 2011, with the EU support, there were 852.26 ha of afforested land, of which 71.5% were private land. Average planted forest area is only 2.65 ha. 83.7 % of the forests were planted in fertile lands, while in separate regions in unfertile land (score of productivity 32 and <) was planted from 10.2 to 38.4%. Very fertile lands were afforested in Kėdainiai region. 0.25% of the available, but less-favoured areas were afforested in the Kaunas County. Non-target species were planted in 9.6% of the area. Non-target species were dominated by alder, birch, oak, rowan. The biggest problems were fertile lands afforestation, small sized plots, soil characterization, and selection of target species.