The results of wild capitalism greed: the landscape of Lithuania and people's living conditions are definitely not changing for the better

"Environmentalists are worried about the changes in the landscape of Lithuania: it used to resemble a mosaic, but now it is turning into a whole, uniform area of ​​land, similar to steppes. 

 

The report on the state of the environment prepared by the European Environment Agency indicates that one of the main reasons for the loss of biodiversity and the breakdown of ecosystems in Europe is an excessively intensive agricultural activity, reports the Ministry of the Environment.

 

 Due to it, the diversity of the landscape in agro-ecosystems is also disappearing, and the barrier functions of ecological compensation are weakening. At the same time, the quality of the soil deteriorates, as mechanical erosion of the fertile soil layer increases due to plowing in the hilly landscape, there is a risk of wind caused erosion, as well as erosion caused by water.

 

As in many other regions of the EU, the areas of fields sown with monocultures are expanding in Lithuania, and meadows are being plowed up. 

 

Streams straightened during the Soviet era (more than 90% of natural water courses were changed) and their valleys and vegetation were not given the opportunity to return to a more natural state, because the aim is to constantly renew the melioration systems.

 

The areas of perennial meadows are rapidly decreasing in Lithuania: in 2015 668 thousand ha. of them were declared, and in 2021 - only 601 thousand ha. Meadows are turned into arable land. And when natural meadows are plowed, ecological relationships formed over decades are destroyed, sensitive and rare species that have established themselves in highly specialized ecological niches disappear, natural habitats of wild pollinators and enemies of plant pests are lost.

 

 The condition of meadow habitats is also deteriorating. According to the Habitats Directive 2019 report, there is not a single type of meadow habitat of European Community importance in Lithuania, whose conservation status would be assessed as favorable. This is also caused by the abandonment of meadows, then they are covered with bushes and trees, they are no longer suitable for many species of insects and birds typical of meadows, the species composition of the habitats changes, and they degrade. Therefore, extensive grazing or mowing is necessary to maintain natural grassland habitats.

 

One of the widely used indicators of the biodiversity status of agricultural land is the rural bird population index. The last report prepared by Lithuanian ornithologists shows that in 2016-2018 during the period, the populations of even 10 bird species decreased, one increased and three more remained stable. Of course, the impoverished landscape is not the only reason, but it certainly contributes to the loss of bird species common to the rural landscape.

 

 In the national landscape management plan in Lithuania, 4 problematic environmental landscape areas have been identified, which cover about 17 percent of territories of the country. Most of them are located in agricultural areas - this is the major part of Suvalkija, the whole of Northern Lithuania, the lower Nemunas and separate parts of the Central Lithuanian Plain. 

 

The most impoverished, ecologically inferior areas of the natural framework are concentrated in these areas, as well as water bodies squeezed by arable fields. In them, soil erosion must be better managed, landscape mosaicism must be increased, only well-thought-out renovation of drainage systems based on modern solutions should be carried out. Special attention should be paid to the restoration of natural watercourses.

 

For degraded areas of the agricultural landscape, where agricultural land accounts for more than 80 percent from the area of ​​the entire territory, and where there are negative changes in the state of soil, surface and underground water, biological diversity, the aforementioned document proposes means of spontaneous or artificial restoration.

 

 In the highlands, in order to restore eroded soils, the conversion of arable to non-arable agriculture is proposed, the use of soil-improving measures that enrich the organic matter of the soil is encouraged, and the areas of meadows and pastures are expanded. In the plains, where wind erosion is relevant, it is proposed to divide the monoculture fields into smaller ones, increase the areas of perennial meadows, plant trees - protective strips of the fields.

 

Restoration of landscape elements is a long-term work. It is very important to educate farmers on what kind of economic activity contributes to the preservation of the landscape, and to increase their environmental awareness. If you start applying measures to improve the landscape earlier, you will win because favorable conditions for farming will be created sooner. In addition, the quality and aesthetic appearance of the living environment of farmers and their families will improve.

 

In the new financial period of the Common Agricultural Policy, Lithuania will especially promote the preservation and restoration of landscape elements. For this, the Lithuanian Agriculture and Rural Development 2023-2027 the strategic plan envisages the preparation of eco-schemes, with the help of which farmers will be rewarded for nature-friendly farming focused on improving the environment and landscape."