At the Seimas, a protest against deforestation: those present demand changes

People carried placards with the inscriptions: “S. Gentvilai, STOP Genocide of Lithuanian forests!”, “Against the background of a warming climate – NO to the destruction of Lithuanian forests!!! Let us not cut the branch on which we are sitting…”, “God will destroy those who destroy the earth. Bible, Book of Revelation 11.18”.

The organizers of the rally “Whose Forest?” claim that Lithuanian forests are not properly protected.

Will protest until change happens

One of the organizers of the rally, the organizer of cultural events “Transcendental Spirit”, artist Kasparas Bagdonas told BNS that he will hold protests until forests are properly protected and clear-cutting is stopped.

“If they don’t hear it this time, they will hear it during the next protest, which we are already planning and organizing. If he doesn’t hear through another, he will hear through yet another. Our intention is to organize at least one protest a month until some changes happen. We plan not only to protest, but also to go to logging sites, to record which trees are cut down,” K. Bagdonas told BNS.

Lukas Balandis / BNS photo/Protest against deforestation

People gathered near the Seimas sing Lithuanian folk songs and play folk instruments. According to K. Bagdon, this protest format was chosen because most of its organizers are artists.

“Artists, event organizers, musicians, computer scientists, technologists, designers have joined the organization of this rally, and this is just our expression of resistance,” said K. Bagdon.

The artist said that the songs and music will continue until Friday evening, 20:00, and the largest number of people will gather around 17:00, when the main program of the event will begin: “This is the tip of the iceberg, a modest beginning.”

When we destroy the forest, we destroy ourselves

“I came because, to put it mildly, there is a genocide against nature. (…) I talked to the foresters, and they claim that one other plant is infected somewhere, but not the fields”, said Alvydas Augustinaitis, 55-year-old energy engineer participating in the rally, to BNS.

Schoolgirl Rugilė Sitaitė said that the deforestation policy serves the interests of business, not nature, and society.

VIDEO: At the protest against the felling of trees: criticism of the environment minister, hopes for stricter control of felling

“I don’t like what is happening to our forests and our forests. (…) I think that maybe we will achieve the goal of not cutting down our forests and forests, so that our forests and forests are not sold to anyone,” the 18-year-old girl told BNS.

Psychologist, wellness specialist Justina Maslauskaitė said that the forest is a part of the soul and body of every Lithuanian, so when we destroy the forest, we destroy ourselves.

Lukas Balandis / BNS photo/Protest against deforestation

It is destroying forests, those forests which have been extremely important to Lithuanians since long ago and we all lived in them, breathed in them and today we go there to take a breather when things are difficult and we are tired of the city. If we destroy ourselves, I think we are destroying ourselves,” the 42-year-old woman told BNS.

According to the organizers, it is planned to cut down more than 4,000 trees during sanitary felling this year. hectares of forest.

Unfriendly forestry

Lina Paškevičiūtė, chairperson of the Environmental Protection Coalition, told BNS that most of Lithuania’s forests are now focused on clear cutting – such forestry, according to her, is unfriendly to nature.

“We don’t see the statistics, (…) what is the area of ​​the stand. The point here is not whether the forest is increasing or decreasing, the point here is what kind of forest it is. Now more than 80 percent Lithuanian forests are oriented towards this type of forestry – I planted, grew, and cut clearings. This is forestry that is unfriendly to nature and unfriendly to the recreational environment,” L. Paškevičiūtė explained to BNS.

According to her, the Minister of the Environment, Simonas Gentvilas, does not provide such statistics – it is not the area of ​​the forest that is important, but what kind of forest it is.

Lukas Balandis / BNS photo/Protest against deforestation

“Now they say “you don’t survive, they will restore the forest”, but what will they restore – will they plant Christmas trees with oak in the forest? So when will that forest be suitable for recreation? After 50 years?” said L. Paškevičiūtė.

The minister tries to dispel the myth

Environment Minister Simonas Gentvilas says he wants to disprove the myth that forests are cut too intensively in Lithuania. However, the minister admits that sanitary logging in protected areas could be more sustainable.

“In Lithuania, 70% of trees are cut down. of annual growth and Lithuania is a sustainable farming country. “There is twice as much forest area in Lithuania than in the interwar period, three times more wood has been accumulated and in Lithuania every year a third of the increase is left for future generations, which means that the area of ​​forests in Lithuania is increasing every year,” the minister told reporters on Friday.

“I want to loudly refute the myth that there is too intensive crossing in Lithuania”, added S. Gentvilas.

After the Ministry of Environment announced on Tuesday that the eight sanitary clearcuts started in the genetic reserves of Punias šilo have been suspended, the non-governmental organization Baltic Environment Forum said on Wednesday that the clearcuts have already been completed.

The Ministry has initiated amendments to the Forest Felling Rules, which would more strictly regulate clear sanitary felling. They are expected to be approved in early December. The aim of the rules is to prevent the entire area from being cut down after the pest has established itself in the forest, but only the trees that are no longer alive.

At the beginning of October, members of the public reported the felling of trees in the plot of Šimoniai forest, which falls within a valuable natural area protected by law. In response, the ministry suspended two logging permits, and the Special Investigation Service launched a pre-trial investigation.