Action Plan on the Conservation of Landscape and Biological Diversity for 2015–2020

Consolidated version as from 17.03.2016 Order published in: the Register of Legal Acts 15.01.2015, identification code 2015-00657 MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA ORDER ON THE APPROVAL OF THE ACTION PLAN ON THE CONSERVATION OF LANDSCAPE AND BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY FOR 2015–2020 9 January 2015 No D1-12 Vilnius Acting in accordance with point 22¹ of the Strategic Planning Methodology approved by Resolution No 827 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 6 June 2002 “On the approval of the Strategic Planning Methodology” and implementing priority measure 277 of the implementing priority measures for the Programme of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for 2012–2016 approved by Resolution No 228 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 13 March 2013 “On the approval of the implementing priority measures for the Programme of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for 2012–2016”, as well as acting with regard to paragraphs b and d of Article 5 of the European Landscape Convention, Article 6 of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the European Union Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, I hereby: 1. Approve the Action Plan on the Conservation of Landscape and Biological Diversity for 2015–2020 (appended). 2. Recommend that the municipalities, acting within their respective competence, participate in the implementation of the measures referred to in Annex 2 to the Action Plan on the Conservation of Landscape and Biological Diversity for 2015–2020 and provide for funds for their implementation. Minister of Environment Kęstutis Trečiokas 2 APPROVED By Order No D1-12 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 9 January 2015 ACTION PLAN ON THE CONSERVATION OF LANDSCAPE AND BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY FOR 2015–2020 CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS 1. The purpose of the Action Plan on the Conservation of Landscape and Biological Diversity for 2015–2020 (hereinafter “the Plan”) shall be to create conditions for the implementation of a long-term landscape and biodiversity policy based on national tradition and the requirements of European Union legal rules, international conventions, resolutions, agreements and programmes, and define the objectives, tasks and measures for the protection, planning, use and management of landscape and biological diversity until 2020. 2. For the purposes of this Plan the following definitions shall apply: 2.1. Green infrastructure means a whole of spatial and qualitative tools and technical solutions designed to improve the ecological status of an area. 2.2. Repealed as from 17.03.2016 Repeal of the point: No D1-181, 14.03.2016, published in the Register of Legal Acts 16.03.2016, identification code 2016-04960 3. Other definitions used in this Plan shall comply with the definitions given in the Law on Protected Areas of the Republic of Lithuania and other laws and legal acts. 4. The Plan provides for strategic and other objectives and tasks for the conservation of landscape and biological diversity, and the objectives and tasks for protected areas. The evaluation criteria for the objectives and tasks and their target values are provided in Annex 1 to the Plan. The implementing measures for the objectives and tasks of the Action Plan are presented in Annex 2 to the Plan. The requirements for the development of projects on landscape formation and improvement of the ecological status in areas of the nature frame and on reference landscape formation in transfrontier areas are given in Annex 3 to the Plan. The national objectives for the protection of natural habitats of Community importance are provided in Annex 4. Amendments to the point: No D1-181, 14.03.2016, published in the Register of Legal Acts 16.03.2016, identification code 2016-04960 5. The measures of the Plan will contribute to the implementation of the objectives and tasks of the National Progress Programme for the period 2014–2020 approved by Resolution No 1482 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 28 November 2012 “On the approval of the National Progress Programme for the period 2014–2020” and the National Sustainable Development Strategy approved by Resolution No 1160 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 11 September 2003 “On the approval and implementation of the National Sustainable Development Strategy”, the priority implementing measures for the Programme of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for 2012–2016 approved by Resolution No 228 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 13 March 2013 “On the approval of the implementing priority measures for the Programme of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for 2012–2016”, and the measures under the interinstitutional action plan on the implementation of the objectives and tasks of the National Strategy for Climate Change Management Policy for 2013–2020 approved by Resolution No 366 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 23 April 2013 “On the 3 approval of the interinstitutional action plan on the implementation of the objectives and tasks of the National Strategy for Climate Change Management Policy”. 6. The Plan was drawn up with account of the solutions of the Law on Environmental Protection of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on Protected Areas of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on Protected Fauna, Flora and Fungi Species and Communities of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on Wild Flora of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on Wild Fauna of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on National Genetic Resources of Plants of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on Genetically Modified Organisms of the Republic of Lithuania, the Master Plan for the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania approved by Resolution No IX-1154 of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania of 29 October 2002 “On the Master Plan for the Territory of the Republic of Lithuania”, the Description of Landscape Policy Areas of the Republic of Lithuania approved by Resolution No 1526 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 1 December 2004 “On the approval of the Description of Landscape Policy Areas of the Republic of Lithuania”, the implementing measures for the landscape policy of the Republic of Lithuania approved by Resolution No 909 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 22 August 2005 “On the approval of the implementing measures for the landscape policy of the Republic of Lithuania”, the solutions of planning documents for protected areas and the provisions of other national legal acts. European Union (hereinafter “EU”) and international legislation and documents were taken into consideration as well. The Plan also drew upon the Study on the diversity of the spatial structure of the Lithuanian landscape and the identification of its types (2006), the analysis of the current state of the national landscape management plan, the publication “Lithuania’s Environment: State, Processes and Trends” of the Environmental Protection Agency (2013), the analysis of the current state of the Lithuanian landscape and biodiversity carried out by specialists from the Ministry of Environment and the data of other reports and studies. 7. The implementation of the objectives and tasks of the Plan (especially in areas of the network Natura 2000) is supported by agri-environment programmes, fisheries sector programmes and the National Forestry Sector Development Programme for 2012–2020 approved by Resolution No 569 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 23 May 20012 “On the approval of the National Forestry Sector Development Programme for 2012–2020”. CHAPTER II OBJECTIVES AND TASKS FOR THE CONSERVATION OF LANDSCAPE AND BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY SECTION ONE LANDSCAPE PROTECTION, PLANNING, MANAGEMENT AND USE 8. The strategic objective of landscape protection, planning, management and use shall be to conserve landscape areas of various territorial levels and their ecological potential by ensuring their adequate planning, management, use and sustainable development. 9. To implement the strategic objective of landscape protection, planning, management and use, two landscape protection objectives have been identified that are set out in points 9.1 and 9.3 of the Plan. 9.1. The first objective of landscape protection, planning, management and use is ensuring targeted and sustainable landscape formation. One of the legal cornerstones in the landscape sector is the European Landscape Convention which stresses that great importance in the conservation of the diversity of landscape is attributed to the integration of provisions on landscape protection, use, management and planning in the environmental, territorial planning, agricultural, social and other policy areas with direct or indirect impact on landscape as this allows ensuring that landscape issues are excluded from the narrow sphere of public administration and that more consideration is show for landscape objectives when 4 making various decisions in other sectors. The Lithuanian landscape policy acknowledges that enhancing the national legal framework in the field of landscape protection, use, management and planning is an integral part of the implementation of the national landscape policy and the European Landscape Convention. However, the provisions of these documents have not been transposed to national legislation which makes it difficult to ensure the targeted formation of the national landscape policy and the integration of its provisions in other sectors. The Description of Landscape Policy Areas of the Republic of Lithuania approved by Resolution No 1526 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 1 December 2004 “On the approval of the Description of Landscape Policy Areas of the Republic of Lithuania” is intended for the national landscape policy formation. Implementing measures for the landscape policy were approved as part of the implementation of this Description, which by 2014 have produced significant results in the integration of the provisions on landscape management, planning and use in policies of other sectors. This plan of measures is valid until 2020; therefore it is important to provide for actions for the period of 2014–2020 which would ensure the consistent formation and implementation of the landscape policy in 2020–2035. As part of the implementation of the 2007–2013 European Union structural support priorities in the field of the conservation of biological diversity and the planning and management of protected areas, the development of a plan for landscape management of the Republic of Lithuania was launched in 2012. This document will present the principles of the concept on the use and protection of landscape in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania, identify landscape management zones in accordance with the key priorities of territorial development and the interests in the development of the urban and nature frame, establish target indicators of the optimum state (quality) of the general territorial structure of landscape undergoing formation, and foresee measures and restrictions that ensure the general ecological balance of landscape, the formation of the nature frame and the conservation of natural and cultural heritage sites. The implementation of the solutions of this plan will help to enhance, restore and create landscape of a better quality, make prerequisites for the integration of the provisions of the landscape policy of the Republic of Lithuania in strategic programmes and plans of other economic sectors and solutions of lower-level territorial planning documents and take informed decisions on the feasibility of economic activities with respect to landscape. The landscape policy implementation and integration in other sectors is greatly affected by local-level decisions. Analysis of the information on the implementation of landscape policy measures provided by the municipalities in 2012 and 2013 shows that the municipalities have a weak perception of the systematic to the benefit of landscape protection and management and are inadequately guided by the provisions of the European Landscape Convention and the Lithuanian landscape policy in their actions performed in the landscape sector. Master plans and strategic documents at municipal level often lack a clear vision on the direction in which landscape should be developed and fail to provide for the landscape features, characteristics and elements that should be subject to protection and management measures, the aims of their development or to formulate provisions on the involvement of the public in the landscape policy formation process. Formalising the local-level landscape policy would help to improve the coordination of municipal actions in the landscape sector. This would provide conditions for conserving local-level landscape areas and their ecological, aesthetic and cultural values, functions and character, restore landscape sites and values important in terms of ecology or history and degraded landscapes, and ensure rational management and consistent planning of territories, education of the public and professionals and the implementation of the provisions of the national landscape policy and the European Landscape Convention at local level. The formation of sustainable landscape is inseparable from high quality planning that is intended to ensure the maintenance of stability of landscape ecosystems, the development of the urbanisation process by restricting its extensive character and of the harmony of the landscape architectural spatial composition, and conserve natural and cultural values of landscape. The 5 analysis of municipal master plans has shown that their solutions often fail to create appropriate prerequisites for the balanced development of territories, the improvement of landscape quality and the safeguarding of landscape identity as the formation of territories of the nature frame has no scientific substantiation, specific solutions for the improvement of the ecological status of landscape are not provided for and solutions of the visual protection of landscape are absent. Following a review and adjustment of solutions of municipal master plans relating to landscape protection and management and the formation of the nature frame, better opportunities would be ensured for the improvement of landscape quality, the enhancement of its ecological, social and economic functions and sustainable development. Another important aspect is the implementation of planning solutions and the development of particular landscape management projects. The financial capability of the state and municipalities has a great influence in this sphere. The lack of funds often prevents the implementation of regional-level planning solutions and valuable landscape complexes do not undergo any maintenance, leading to the deteriorating aesthetic value of landscape. Ensuring the protection and proper management of valuable cultural landscape is of particular importance. With a view to conserving parks of particular historical, architectural, cultural, scientific, aesthetic, ecological and dendrological value on state-owned land, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania approved the Regulations on Parks of State Importance and a list of parks of state importance by its Resolution No 1239 of 25 August 2010 “On the approval of the Regulations on Parks of State Importance and the list of parks of state importance”. This list includes 32 parks in 21 municipalities. Almost all of the parks have been designated as cultural heritage sites. The parks of state importance reflect the spirit of different historical periods of Lithuania and stand out by the variety of plant species (they have more than 350 species of plants of ornamental shapes). Decision No S9(163) of the State Cultural Heritage Commission of the Republic of Lithuania adopted back in 2010 states that the governance of the protection and management of historical green areas at state and municipal levels is unsatisfactory. New green areas are developed often, while historical ones are neglected, damaged (e.g. fragmented) and even destroyed. The intensive economic development aggressively intrudes in the protected territories of the heritage of manors and their buffer zones, damages the valuable and authentic spatial structure of parks and gardens and closes the visual axes of perspectives. This results in the loss of the identity and diversity of cultural landscape and failure to ensure the protection and quality of its heritage. The continuous protection, renewal and maintenance of green areas would help to safeguard the identity and diversity of Lithuanian cultural landscape and maintain and improve its quality. The value of parks of state importance is determined by their composition, uniqueness, dendrological values and the value within the historical context of the country, as well as by a distinct relief and nearby natural water bodies (lakes, rivers and springs) These parks represent a unified composition of architecture and green areas, and their value is best seen through the application of integrated management measures. The financial capability permitting, parks of different styles rather than of the same style should be subject to management in the first place, with a view to conserving the diversity of the park structure and styles and flora species found in them and offering opportunities for the public to know them. Priority should be given to the Raudonė Castle Park of a mixed structure (Jurbarkas district municipality) and the Panemunė Castle Landscape Part (Jurbarkas district municipality) distinct for their historical and cultural heritage where the buildings of the castles have undergone restoration and been adapted to tourism, but where the improvement of the state of green areas and the protection of natural values have received little attention. Other priorities would be the Astravas Manor Estate Park of a mixed structure (Biržai district municipality), and the Gelgaudiškis Manor Estate Park of a strict geometrical structure (Šakiai district municipality) which is the most valuable one in terms of its integral value in the Suvalkija region. The municipalities perform current maintenance of these parks and have restored the manor buildings in them. However, the structure of the parks is at variance with their initial projects, and the dendrological value of the parks has deteriorated significantly. The state of the Paežeriai Manor Estate Park (Šiauliai district 6 municipality) is among the worst ones, so the timely management of this park could help to conserve its main values. The most important aspect of Trakų Vokė Park (Vilnius City Municipality) is that this park is one of the four parks created by Édouard André in the late 19th century. The palace has undergone restoration, but the structure of the park has been change and transformed significantly and the state of the green areas is poor. The palace buildings in the park of the complex, including the Sapiegos residence, the Trinitarian Monastery and the hospital (Vilnius City Municipality), are under restoration, but no attention has been devoted to improving the state of the park. Following the maintenance of the park, the territory of the palace will be subject to integrated management. The Žagarė Manor Estate Park (Joniškis district municipality) is marked by a great dendrological value, but the inadequate maintenance has resulted in the loss of many valuable plants, the change of the park plan and the transformation of the road network. A management project has been drawn up for this park, the implementation of which would help to conserve and historically restore this park and adapt it to public access. Aesthetic values of landscape represent a part of the psychological comfort, the quality of life and the identity of locations. In accordance with the analysis of the visual structure of landscape presented in the report on the current status of the National Landscape Management Plan, landscape complexes with a very high and high aesthetic potential that form particularly distinct multidimensional views only account for 14% of the territory of Lithuania, and planes with a low and very low potential make up even 42% of the area. Territories with the highest aesthetic potential are found in the Baltic and Samogitian hilly regions that abound in lakes, on the seacoast and in the deep valleys of the big rivers, while the least picturesque areas are the regions of lowland and plateau landscape. The most distinct dominating features are found in small fully or partially urbanised valleys, areas close to valleys and lake depressions, the Curonian Spit and valleys with outstanding peaks or hill forts. The protection of typical reference landscapes is guaranteed by a system of protected areas. However, the European Landscape Convention stresses that the landscape is an important part of the quality of life everywhere: in areas recognised as being of outstanding beauty as well as in areas of high quality, in degraded and ordinary areas; therefore, the aesthetic potential not only of outstanding but also of all areas needs to be taken into consideration. The implementation of projects on the enhancement of the aesthetic quality of landscape would help to highlight the diversity of Lithuania’s landscape and increase its aesthetic potential in ordinary areas. Greater attention to the visual quality of landscape determined by the nature, state and aesthetic attractiveness of landscape should be devoted to transfrontier areas which, in accordance with the Study on the diversity of the spatial structure of the Lithuanian landscape and the identification of its types, fall within 12 different landscape complexes: the urbanised agrarian plain of the Nemunas Delta (Pagėgiai), the Nemunas downstream agrarian wooded plain (Kybartai, Kudirkos Naumiestis), the Western Suduvian agrarian monticulate area with few forests (Kalvarija, Lazdijai), the wooded areas near the valleys of the Nemunas middle reaches and the Merkys lower reaches (Druskininkai), the Eišiškės wooded agrarian plateau (Eišiškės), the wooded agrarian monticulate area of the Medininkai High Plain (Medininkai, Lavoriškės), the south-western agrarian monticulate area of Švenčionys (Švenčionys), the north-eastern Aukštaičiai wodded agrarian gilly area abounding in lakes (Zarasai), the Lielupė agrarian plain (Nemunėlio Radviliškis, Joniškis, Žagarė), the Mūša plain with few forests and features of urbanisation (Mažeikiai), the Western Samogitian northern agrarian plain (Skuodas), and the urbanised wooded plain of the Baltic coast (Palanga municipality). These territories are crossed by significant international and transit routes. As a result, the landscape quality of these areas contributes to the formation of Lithuania’s image and introduces the public to the diversity of the national landscape. However, the approaches of transfrontier areas in Lithuania do not benefit from any special landscape management projects, and their potential is not exploited for promoting the knowledge of landscape by highlighting the diversity of landscapes and enhancing their aesthetic and information functions. The management of the landscape in such approaches would produce attractive tourist and transit routes and underline the picturesque landscape typical of these areas and its aesthetic values, the degraded 7 transfrontier landscapes would regain their functionality, and the information potential of the landscape as well as the social and economic attractiveness of the region would increase. Such activities should be carried out not only in the areas of border stations but also in other territories which are clearly visible from international routes and the management of which would improve the aesthetic, ecological and information functions of landscape and highlight its characteristic elements. In addition, the management of approaches in transfrontier areas would encourage the development of cross-border landscape management programmes for landscape with the same characteristics. Promoting transfrontier cooperation in the field of landscape protection, management, use and planning is one of the main objectives of the European Landscape Convention. The visual expressiveness and aesthetic potential of landscape decline due to objects of visual pollution in distinctive landscape areas sensitive to such pollution, and due to irrational urbanisation processes. Objects of visual pollution include orphan neglected buildings and landscapes damaged by mining operations (damaged land). Over the last decade, the number of unused and abandoned buildings has been on the rise and the visual state of the buildings has been declining rapidly. In 2007–2013, greater attention was paid to the removal of orphan buildings in protected areas, but the problem has been relevant also outside such areas. Collapsing buildings pose a threat to human lives and health. Each year people get injuries or are killed when visiting such buildings or during their demolition. Moreover, abandoned buildings ruin the landscape, undermine the image of the country and reduce its attractiveness for investors. The inventory of abandoned buildings taken in 2007– 2008 has produced a database with information on about 9,300 of such objects. However, the exact number of neglected and inadequately maintained buildings is not clear. The so-called orphan buildings total about 1,200. Most of then (more than 200) are located in the municipalities of Pasvalys, Molėtai, Anykščiai, Radviliškis, Vilkaviškis, Šalčininkai, Pakruojis, Ignalina, Biržai, Kelmė, Kupiškis, Raseiniai, Šiauliai, Utena, Varėna and Zarasai. The state of landscape is negatively affected by damaged and non-rehabilitated areas. With a view to improving or fully restoring the state of landscape on lands damaged by mining operations, a management plan for state-owned damaged lands 2014–2020 has been approved by an order of the Minister of Environment, which stipulates that collecting and systematising data on damaged lands need to be a priority as the areas and arrangement of these lands in the territory of Lithuania are unknown. Following an inventory of these land areas in accordance with the above plan, projects on the management of damaged lands selected by the Lithuanian Geological Survey that should be subject to maintenance in the first place will be prepared and implemented. Public participation is one of the key factors that determine the successful implementation of the national landscape policy; therefore it is very important to increase the environmental awareness and activity of the public and develop competences in the fields of landscape protection, management and use through the education and information of the population on their impact on the environment and the opportunities for choosing more environmentally-friendly processes or solutions. The laws effective in Lithuania ensure the public information and involvement procedures. However, in view of the provisions of the European Landscape Convention, Lithuania still lacks measures not only for informing but also for educating the public and for promoting public participation in the decision making process. As part of the raising of public awareness on the role of landscape, it is important to familiarise society, private organisations and government authorities with the value and functions of landscape and changes taking place, and to show the link of the human living environment and their everyday activities with the natural environment, housing and infrastructure. As a result of the more active dissemination of information on the implementation of landscape policy measures and the organisation events on the protection, management, use and planning for representatives of municipalities and other authorities concerned in 2009–2013, specialists and the public concerned have become more active and the attendance of events has increased. Activities related to raising the public awareness of the value of landscape are provided for in the implementing measures for the landscape policy of the Republic of Lithuania for 8 2005–2020. It is necessary to ensure further development of these activities and the public awareness of the value and role of landscape and educate professionals in the field of landscape protection, management, use and planning. A measure equally important for raising awareness is the preparation and issue of various publications when the public can learn about the methods of formation of different landscape types and examples of good manage practice. Illustrated publications are good aids for specialists and citizens who wish to know the best solutions of landscape management or use and apply them in practice. The priority themes where Lithuania experiences a shortage of methodological and educational publications include the visual evaluation of landscape, the application of green infrastructure tools, the maintenance of coastal areas, the problems of gardeners’ associations, and the presentation of the diversity of Lithuanian landscape and of landscape projects from other countries. Possibilities need to be provided for the public to learn about practices and methods that are more favourable for landscape. 9.2. For achieving the objective set out in point 9.1 of the Plan, the following tasks have to be implemented: 9.2.1. Integrating the provisions of the landscape policy in other policies related to landscape protection, management, use and planning; 9.2.2. Enhancing the quality of landscape planning; 9.2.3. Managing the heritage of cultural landscape and increasing the aesthetic potential of landscape; 9.2.4. Building eco-awareness through the promotion of public awareness of the value and role of landscape and the development of professionals’ competences in the fields of landscape protection, management, use and planning. 9.3. The second objective of landscape protection, planning, management and use is maintaining and enhancing the ecological stability of landscape. This objective is being pursued as the basis for the ecological stability of landscape in Lithuania as the nature frame: a coherent network of natural ecological compensation areas ensuring the ecological balance of landscape, natural links between protected areas, other areas or habitats of importance for environmental protection, also the migration of fauna and flora between them. Maintaining and enhancing this structure is of vital importance for the support of the diversity of species and the conservation of the vitality of landscape. The Communication from the European Commission on Green Infrastructure adopted in 2013 stresses that the application of natural processes should become a common practice of spatial planning. In the Lithuanian legal framework, this provision is implemented via documents on the formation and planning of the nature frame structure. The adoption of the Communication on Green Infrastructure and related documents has intensified the promotion of investments in green infrastructure and its development in the European Union. The main objectives of the European Commission in the field of green infrastructure are promoting the integration of green infrastructure in the key policy areas, improving the quality of research and data related to green infrastructure, enhancing the knowledge base of this field and encouraging related technological innovations, increasing opportunities for obtaining funding for green infrastructure projects and supporting green infrastructure projects at EU level. In Lithuania, the nature frame is formalised in the national master plan and is presented in detail in territorial planning documents at regional level. However, no single methodology has been adopted that could guide scientifically justified formation of the nature frame and ecological networks at regional and local levels. Although the nature frame is formalised in municipal master plans, the solutions that ensure the maintenance of the ecological stability of landscape, the protection of natural landscape and natural recreational resources and the environmental regulation of landscape urbanisation, technogenic and agricultural development are not implemented in practice. The enhancement and restoration of ecological functions should be mostly addressed in areas and locations problematic in terms of geoecology, such as drained lands, straightened rivers and lake shores where agricultural and urban development is irrational, as well as other ecologically 9 inadequate agricultural areas. Land drainage and river straightening have changed the structure of landscape substantially, weakened the ecological stability of areas, destroyed a large part of natural habitats in them and contributed to the loss of landscape identity. Areas marked by ecological and aesthetic sensitivity have not been managed properly and their recreational potential has not been exploited until today. In accordance with the report on the current status of the National Landscape Management Plan, such problem areas and locations cover 17.4% of Lithuania’s territory. The use of these areas should be shifted towards sustainability. These areas should make up a reserve for the formation of the nature frame and the increase of the ecological stability of landscape. Managing these territories would help to restore the ecological value of degraded areas, maintain the health and ecological stability of the environment and promote the interest of the population in the environment and its conservation problems. Scientifically justified and innovative green infrastructure development solutions put into practice would enhance the ecological compensation functions of landscape, contribute to the increased ecological stability of areas and a greater diversity of landscape, help natural habitats to regenerate, reduce landscape fragmentation and help to solve other problems related to risks for the environment due to climate change, intensive agriculture and urbanisation. The Lithuanian coastal area has a unique and vulnerable landscape and important elements of the nature frame as it is crossed by divides or international and national importance and migration routes. This area is rich in natural and cultural resources and is among the most attractive ones for recreation. Lithuania has a short (90.6 km long) coastline of the Baltic Sea. The state of the seacoast is directly dependent on the interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors. Climate change is having a great effect on the Baltic Sea coast. The Baltic Sea water level at Lithuania’s coast rises about 6.5 mm a year. If it continues to rise, alarming changes of the coastline will occur at the end of the 21st century and the water will flood a part not only of the seacoast but also of the Curonian Lagoon coast. Recently, Lithuania has succeeded in containing the negative changes in the state of the coast, and in 2007–2012 the trends of coastline transgression and buildup of deposits were observed instead of the previous regression and deposit reduction. These positive changes have been achieved as a result of the development of a legal and programme seacoast management basis and the implementation of integrated coast maintenance measures. To avoid negative trends in the coastal zone and assess the risk caused by climate change, coast management measures need to be implemented and the state of the Baltic Sea coast needs to be improved on a constant basis. The existing legal framework partially ensures the conservation of the coastal landscape, flora and fauna habitats and natural resources and the balanced use of this territory: the Law on the Coastline was adopted in 2002, a uniform territorial planning document for the terrestrial part of the coastal strip was approved by Order No D1-601 of the Minister of Environment of 28 July 2011 “On the approval of the special plan for the management of the terrestrial part of the coastal strip”, a programme on the implementation of the solutions of the above plan was approved by Order No D1-643 of the Minister of Environment of 2 September 2013 “On the approval of the programme on the implementation of the solutions of the special plan for the management of the terrestrial part of the coastal strip”, and a recreation plan for beaches is being drawn up. The timely and consistent implementation of these documents should build a basis for the protection and sustainable development of the coastal landscape and its resources. The coast of the Curonian Lagoon features valuable landscape territorial complexes and ecosystems, and is also important in terms of recreation and economy. However, the regulation of the protection of the Curonian Lagoon landscape at national and regional levels is inadequate and the provisions of existing laws fail to ensure the protection of this landscape and the sustainable use of this area. The 2014 study on the protection and use of the Curonian Lagoon coasts states that the current use does not meet the environmental and recreational needs, and human economic activities cause negative natural processes, in particular coast erosion, bog formation and overgrowth of areas suitable for recreation. Moreover, the area is developed without taking account of the needs and interests of adjacent territories, the aesthetic value of the precious landscape is declining, etc. Updating the laws in this 10 field, with account of new possibilities for the use of this area, the threats from economic activities and climate change and the conflicts over the protection of coast formation processes and the needs of the use of the coast, would help to conserve the valuable landscape of the Curonian Lagoon, its aesthetic and recreational resources and natural processes of coast formation, and ensure the sustainable use and further development of this area. 9.4. For achieving the objective referred to in point 9.3 of the Plan, the following tasks need to be implemented: 9.4.1. Providing conditions for the maintenance of the structural integrity of the nature frame; 9.4.2. Improving the state of the coasts of the Baltic Sea (the terrestrial part and the Curonian Spit) and the Curonian Lagoon. SECTION TWO CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 10. The strategic objective of the conservation of biological diversity is to halt the loss of biodiversity and the deterioration of the quality of ecosystems and their services, and where possible to restore them. 11. For achieving the strategic objective of the conservation of biological diversity, objectives of the conservation of biological diversity have been set as part of the implementation of the Plan by 2020, as laid out in points 11.1, 11.3, 11.5, 11.7, 11.9 and 11.11 of the Plan. 11.1. The first objective of the conservation of biological diversity is to achieve a favourable conservation status of protected fauna, flora and fungi species and habitat types. Lithuania is home to about 20,500 fauna, 1,800 flora and 6,100 fungi species, of which 767 species are entered in the List of list of protected fauna, flora and fungi species of the Republic of Lithuania approved by Order No 504 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 13 October 2003 “On the approval of the List of list of protected fauna, flora and fungi species of the Republic of Lithuania”, and 53 plant communities are included in the List of Plant Communities of the Red Data Book approved by Order No 237 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 30 November 1998 “On the approval of the List of Plant Communities of the Red Data Book”. Lithuania and its territory in the sea have 54 natural habitat types of Community importance and 101 flora and fauna species of Community interest. With a view to achieving appropriate protection of biological diversity, including that of protected species, it is important to make legislative improvements in this field. The protection of wild life (flora and fauna) is regulated by the Law on Wild Flora of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on Wild Fauna of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on Protected Areas of the Republic of Lithuania, and the Law on Protected Fauna, Flora and Fungi Species of the Republic of Lithuania. The provisions of these laws need to be reviewed with account of the new needs of flora and fauna protection, restoration and use and the EU and other international commitments assumed. Whereas the measures for the protection of biological diversity have to be integrated in other economic sectors and these laws provide guidance not only to nature protection professionals, attempts should be made to concentrate the key wild life issues in one law. Combining the above laws would make the quotations of wild life protection and use more comprehensible to the public. The other national laws on the conservation of protected species and measures available (breeding, reintroduction, management of habitats) are inadequate for the protection of species. Lithuania has about 20 protected species that require immediate special measures for their conservation. Plans and documents on the conservation of protected species for implementing measures to conserve specific protected species are not in place. In addition, in the decision making process on economic activities Lithuania makes insufficient use of the Protected Species Information System. Regulations on the conservation of location and habitat sites of strictly protected species have not been drawn up, and the evaluation of protected species in accordance 11 with the categories established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has not been carried out. There still remains a great threat of losing the living environment of protected species, in particular their habitats, and factors favourable to these species are deteriorating in the habitats. The process of habitat loss has especially intensified due to changes in forestry and agricultural technologies, the disappearance or change of traditional land use forms in agriculture, the disturbance of the natural hydrological regime, the development of urban infrastructure, the urbanisation of shores of water bodies and the growth of tourism infrastructure. Passive protection of habitats of species (where species are protected against direct physical destruction by means of hunting, fishing, plucking, picking etc.) is insufficient as various species are not only lost through physical destruction but they also withdraw or are eliminated or are threatened by extinction in the face of the natural change of habitats and ecosystems where conditions develop that better meet the needs of species other than protected species (e.g. due to the disruption of the natural hydrological regime, an open wetland habitat is replaced by shrubbery that is inappropriate for the breeding of protected species). Reliable data on the areas of habitats and their distribution in our country have been collected as part of the implementation of the project “Inventory of natural habitats of Community importance, identification of criteria for the favourable conservation status and development of a monitoring system” (hereinafter “the project”). Based on these project data, national conservation objectives for natural habitats of Community importance have been defined in Annex 4 to the Plan. Amendments to the point: No D1-181, 14.03.2016, published in the Register of Legal Acts 16.03.2016, identification code 2016-04960 11.2. For achieving the objective referred to in point 11.1 of the Plan, the following tasks are foreseen for implementation: 11.2.1. Improving the legal regulation in the field of conservation of protected species; 11.2.2. Improving and maintaining adequate natural conditions in habitats of protected species. 11.3. The second objective of the conservation of biological diversity is to develop research on biological diversity and ecosystems and use the data from this research for integrating aspects of ecosystems and biological diversity in the public policy sectors. The formation of a conservation policy for biological diversity and the adoption of national legislation lack systematic research (especially long-term research) and data on biological diversity and ecosystems. The traditional method of conservation of biological diversity often applied in practice, i.e. conservation of separate species or individual areas valuable in terms of biodiversity, is not effective enough. Europe and the world seek to protect landscapes and habitats and other important elements of biological diversity valuable on a national scale, and keep record of, protect and restore destroyed or weakened ecosystem functions. Lithuania has legally and spatially formalised a system of the nature frame, but the development of this frame and the enhancement or restoration of its ecological functions may be limited due to the insufficient scientific knowledge on biological diversity, the causes of loss, conservation practices and their effectiveness, and services delivered by ecosystems. In this respect, it is important to evaluate the state of ecosystems, their capacity to deliver services and the quality of ecosystem services provided, and to establish and maintain a system for collecting and updating scientific information on important biodiversity and the state of ecosystems. Climate change is posing a threat to services provided by ecosystems and biological diversity. Identifying the impact of climate change in Lithuania is made difficult by the insufficient research on the impact on landscape, ecosystems and biological diversity. One of the reasons is that studies have to be long-term and span more than a few years, so that multiannual data and observations would allow identifying the impact of climate change on biological diversity and ecosystems. Seasonal changes in the abundance of populations and migration time and routes of individual fauna species observed over the last few decades may be associated with climate change. For this reason, 12 research on biodiversity, flora and fauna and the designation of protected areas, in particular their management, have been conducted in part by taking account of natural processes and links with climate change. The existing wild life monitoring system operates in accordance with approved programmes and methodologies, but it is unstable in the long-term perspective and is highly dependent on funding. The greater part of measures designed for the evaluation of the state of wild life under the State Environmental Monitoring Programme for 2011–2017 approved by Resolution No 315 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 2 March 2011 includes observations only for the evaluation of the state of species and habitats of Community importance and of the concentration sites of bird migration. With a view to implementing EU requirements and international obligations and meeting the needs and expectations of society, special attention should be devoted to research on protected species, including species protected at national level, and their habitats, natural habitats and invasive species, as well as to studies related with the adaptation of species, habitats and ecosystems to climate change. The protected species information system in place should be improved with new technological functions. The data on location and habitat sites of protected species collected using the state environmental monitoring data collection tool BIOMON should also be provided by computerised means and stored and published on the protected species information system. Amendments to the point: No D1-181, 14.03.2016, published in the Register of Legal Acts 16.03.2016, identification code 2016-04960 11.4. For achieving the objective referred to in point 11.3 of the Plan, the following tasks are foreseen for implementation: 11.4.1. Developing the knowledge base on the state and services of ecosystems, by formulating data information prerequisites for the maintenance, restoration and improvement of ecosystems and the quality of their services; 11.4.2. Increasing the effectiveness of wild life monitoring and data collection. 11.5. The third objective of the conservation of biological diversity is to slow down and/or halt the spread of invasive species. This objective is being pursued as invasive species cause ecological problems that are among the most threatening ones for the whole biodiversity. New arrivals and species intentionally or unconsciously transferred by humans most often are able to reproduce themselves with great speed, adapt to the local natural conditions and this way change the established ecological relations in ecosystems. They are not demanding for habitats and are resistant to environmental pollution and pesticides, and often spread due to human activities. Invasive species are particularly dangerous to small ecosystems with low biodiversity as they can destroy local species or oust them from their usual habitats, cause damage to agriculture, forestry, fisheries and water bodies, alter the landscape or become a hazard to human health. At present Lithuania has no accurate data on the number, spread, abundance, the speed and pathways of the spread of invasive species, and pathways of their entry into the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. Research on invasive species in Lithuania is very much dispersed, exclusively fundamental and rarely applicable in practice. A shortage of scientists and scientific knowledge is felt when assessing the impact of invasive species on biological diversity, ecosystems and human health. There are at least eight invasive species that require special measures to regulate their abundance. To take such actions, appropriate documentation needs to be prepared first, i.e. action plans for the regulation of invasive species (their entry and spread, prevention of entry, regulation of abundance and destruction). The existing Lithuanian legal acts on the prevention and management of invasive species are guidance documents to a great extent, but they do not lay down a duty for land owners to destroy invasive species. Nor there is any system of criteria for assigning alien species to invasive ones, or any methodologies for evaluating the damage caused by invasive species to biological diversity, the economy and human health. No information system has been developed for data exchange among 13 science, decision makers and controlling authorities. The control on the pathways of entry of invasive species is inadequate. Trade in invasive species (internet trade, trade in ornamental plants etc.), inadvertent import (entry of invasive species in water (ballast water), movement with freight (by road, rail and air), planned introduction (forestry, agriculture, bioenergy) and tourism are subject to weak controls. Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species (OJ 2014 L 317 p. 35) provides for the appointment of authorities in charge of the implementation of the Regulation, the introduction of border control for invasive alien species, the preparation of an action plan on the control of pathways for the entry of invasive alien species, the establishment of penalties for infringements of the Regulation, the drawing up of a report on the implementation of the Regulation and its submission to the European Commission and other obligations. To achieve appropriate implementation of this Regulation, the existing national legislation needs to be reviewed and amended, where appropriate, and new national laws have to be adopted. 11.6. For achieving the objective referred to in point 11.5 of the Plan, the implementation of one task is provided for: Enhancing the effectiveness of regulation of the abundance of invasive species. 11.7. The fourth objective of the conservation of biological diversity is to ensure the proper conservation, restoration and use of wild flora and fauna. The Law on Wild Flora of the Republic of Lithuania and its implementing acts adopted in 1999 are still in force. However, they are outdated and the regulation they stipulate is inadequate for the conservation, restoration and use of wild flora and the control of the abundance of invasive species. The state of the fish communities has been improving gradually, but it is still unsatisfactory. In recent years, the salmon stock has increased 10 times, but similarly to the stock of sea trout it has stayed below 50% of the potential river productivity. The stocks of Atlantic sturgeons that disappeared in the early 20th century have not been restored yet, while the eel and the common nase are declining rapidly. The lakes witness the decrease of carnivorous fish and the growth of cyprinids and low-value fish. To improve the existing situation, fish stocking plans (programmes) for state owned and non-leased lakes are drawn up and between 50 and 200 mln. juvenile fish of various valuable and endangered species are released into inland water bodies every year. Fish stocking is also conducted by users of fishing areas, and operations for improving fish migration conditions are carried out on a constant basis. In 2015–2020, these operations should be continued by additionally enhancing controls on the use of wildlife, improving fishing methods and gear, abandoning damaging fishing practices, ensuring rational fish restocking in inland water bodies and regulating the abundance of the great cormorant population and its habitats. The timely implementation of these tasks is necessary to ensure the sustainable functioning of inland water body ecosystems. The environmental authorities constantly receive many reports on injured and distressed wild animals or those in an unsuitable environment, including protected species. In addition, there are cases of confiscation of wild animals where the rules on the acquisition and keeping of or trade in wild animals are violated. Lithuania only has a few organisations that care for wild animals, but they have inadequate funds and conditions for the keeping of such animals. It is important to achieve conditions in Lithuania suitable for wild animals that need help and/or care and treatment. 11.8. For achieving the objective referred to in point 11.7 of the Plan, the implementation of the following tasks is provided for: 11.8.1. Creating legal prerequisites for the proper conservation, restoration and use of wild flora; 11.8.2 Increasing the fish stocks in inland water bodies through favourable conditions for their reproduction, migration and spanning, and stocking some of the fish species; 14 11.8.3. Providing adequate help and care for injured and distressed wild animals, those in an unsuitable environment or confiscated wild animals. 11.9. The fifth objective of the conservation of biological diversity is to preserve the genetic resources and their diversity by providing conditions for the use of the collected gene pool and its results in selection, research and production. Genetic resources are an important part of biological diversity and a great national asset, the conservation of which for the future generations is vital. The existing equipment and tools for the restoration and conservation of plant genetic resources are depreciated, which may lead to problems with their functionality and effectiveness and with ensuring conditions appropriate for the storage of plant genetic resources in the future. Lithuania has no research on the establishment of the genetic identity of plant genetic resources as technological means need to be acquired for this purpose. A priority list of the in situ conservation of wild counterparts of cultured plants should be compiled, areas distinct for the diversity and abundance of wild counterparts of cultured plants should be identified and measures to increase the effectiveness of in situ conservation should be provided for. Based on European practices, a scientific national programme and an action plan on the conservation of wild counterparts of cultured plants need to be prepared. In 2010, the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted, which Lithuania signed in 2011 thereby expressing the intention to ratify this Protocol in the future. With a view to making adequate preparations for the ratification and implementation of the Protocol, Regulation (EU) No 511/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on compliance measures for users from the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization in the Union (OJ 2014 L 150 p. 59) has been adopted at EU level. This Regulation covers the designation of authorities to be responsible for the application of this Regulation, the control on the performance of duties by users of genetic resources, the evaluation of collections of reliable genetic resources, the establishment of penalties applicable to infringements of this Regulation, the cooperation of the member states with the European Commission, other member states and stakeholders, the application of complementary measures (information of stakeholders, training etc.), the preparation and submission of a report on the implementation of the Regulation to the European Commission, and other obligations. The Nagoya Protocol regulates in detail the conservation and utilisation of genetic resources. To implement the Regulation properly and prepare for the ratification and implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, the existing national legal acts should be reviewed and, where appropriate, amended or new laws should be adopted. 11.10. For achieving the objective referred to in point 11.9 of the Plan, the implementation of the following tasks is provided for: 11.10.1. Creating legal and technical conditions for the conservation of genetic resources and the wild counterparts of national cultured plants; 11.10.2. Ensuring the fair and correct use of genetic resources. 11.11. The sixth objective of the conservation of biological diversity is to ensure safe performance of activities that involve the use of living modified organisms (genetically modified organisms) (hereinafter “GMOs”), and to prevent GMOs from spreading in the environment or damaging ecosystems. Irrespective of whether they are released in large or small quantities for experimental purposes or as commercial products, GMOs can multiply in the environment and cross state borders, thus affecting other countries as well. The impact on human health and the environment from such releases can be irreversible. Due to the lack of research, assessments of GMOs threats in Lithuania are incomplete and fail to consider their socio-economic impact. Genetically modified plants are not cultivated in Lithuania; however, a spontaneous risk of GMOs spread is possible. According to the control data available, no GMOs was detected and no cases of GMOs spread in the environment were identified before 2014; however, unforeseen or 15 illegal transboundary movements can occur that may have impact on the conservation of biological diversity. Therefore, appropriate legal actions, including emergency measures and damage compensation procedures, should be provided for. GMOs risk supervision and control carried out in Lithuania is insufficient. The world is witnessing the growing number of emerging new GMOs development methods and new technologies that help to conduct tests of genetic modification with greater accuracy and speed. In view of that, the GMOs legal basis and GMOs methods need to be revised to comply with the European Union requirements. Moreover, the effectiveness of GMOs control should be enhanced and continuous monitoring of GMOs should be carried out. The section on monitoring of the state of wild life of the State Environmental Monitoring Programme for 2011–2017 approved by Resolution No 315 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 2 March 2011 “On the approval of the State Environmental Monitoring Programme for 2011–2017” states that biological diversity has to be protected against the possible spread of GMOs in the environment. However, the current data on the GMOs impact on Lithuania’s biological diversity that would allow developing a dedicated monitoring system are insufficient. The present knowledge on the nature and magnitude of the risk from the use of GMOs is not fully accurate. The risk assessment criteria should be reviewed and updated accordingly and the possible effects of GMOs on the environment for 2014−2020 should be carried out, and GMOs monitoring plans and methodologies need to be drawn up and approved by a legal act. The EU authorities are discussing a draft regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council aimed at establishing a legal basis in the European Union legal framework that allows the member states to restrict or ban in their whole territories or parts thereof the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (hereinafter “GMOs”) authorised at EU level. In order to implement this regulation properly after its approval by the EU authorities, Lithuania will have to review the existing national legislation and adopt new national laws on genetically modified organisms. The development and efficient implementation of this policy are influenced not only by coordinated activities of public authorities, but also by public participation in the discussions and implementation of decisions on GMOs. The public activity is determined by the perception of the importance of biosafety, objective knowledge and detailed and intelligible information on GMOs development and use. According to the data from surveys carried out by the Ministry of Environment, the Lithuanian public lacks information on GMOs, which requires enhancing public education and information in this respect: in 2007, 44% of the respondents stated that their information on GMOs was not sufficient; in 2009 the number of such respondents stood at 43%, in 2010 at 50% and in 2012 at 56.3%. 11.12. For achieving the objective referred to in point 11.11 of the Plan, the implementation of the following tasks is provided for: 11.12.1. Enhancing the environmental risk assessment, management, risk monitoring and control of GMOs; 11.12.2. Raising public awareness on the safe use of GMOs by encouraging the public to participate in decision making on the use of GMOs and their release to the environment; 11.12.3. Integrating biosafety provisions in the policies of other sectors. SECTION THREE PROTECTED AREAS 12. The Plan set outs an additional objective that will help to implement the strategic objectives in the field of the conservation of landscape and biological diversity. This objective is defined in point 12.1 of the Plan. 12.1. The objective for protected areas is to ensure good status and proper use and management of landscape and biodiversity as well as of natural and cultural values, and adapt them to visiting (especially in state parks). 16 The restoration of independence was followed by relationship changes in all the fields. Land reform is still under way, new public and private interests and priorities of protection and use are emerging, the needs of land use, construction and recreation are changing, visitor flows are increasing, changes in the natural and anthropogenic environment are taking place, and the legal framework is undergoing improvement. Changes of economic and social needs demand more rapid changes and updating of the planning documents for protected areas. These documents have to be subject to substantial reviews every 10 years. Failure to amend the planning documents on protected areas in due time poses a threat to natural and cultural values. Moreover, the proper conservation and use of these areas cannot be ensured. No land plots for conservational use have been formed in state strict reserves yet, and such plots have not received state registration in the Immovable Property Register. Natura 2000 areas can only be managed in accordance with nature management or other planning documents. Under the EU directives and other legal acts, Natura 2000 areas are required to have nature management plans. In addition, these plans should be updated every 10 years for responding to the changing state of protected areas and species in due time and ensuring conservation in the future. In about 15% of Lithuania’s Natura 2000 areas, the prerequisites for conservation are only set by the nature management plans. The emergence of private ownership reduced the need for farming, especially in small areas. The survival of open habitats (grassland, wetland and sand) has come under a great threat as Lithuania is in the forest zone. Following the cessation of agricultural activities, open spaces grow over with forest quickly. To safeguard open grassland and wetland, immediate specific management measures need to be implemented. The protected areas have some sites where the state is deteriorating due to the inadequate use, extensive farming (grazing, haymaking), natural successive processes in nature, spread of invasive species, non-regulated visiting and lack of an outdoor information system (people come to places where visiting is prohibited or restricted), absence of nature management operations etc. Due to the lasting unavailability of possibilities for managing natural and cultural valuable sites and landscape complexes that see intensive flows of visitors, the state of some of them has become unsatisfactory. Moreover, after taking the public needs and the purposes of designating protected areas into consideration, these areas have to be adapted to visiting. Not all national and regional parks and state nature strict reserves and reserves offer the necessary and attractive information to visitors on the protected values and visiting possibilities, and not all visitor centres are equipped with indoor/outdoor expositions. There are no appropriate conditions for the educational activities involving schoolchildren and young people or for staying longer in a protected area either. Visitors and residents should have possibilities to cross rivers or long lakes, and nature or educational trails need to be provided. These measures would be necessary both for visitors of protect areas and their residents, especially for those who perform maintenance and take care of open spaces, such as grassland, pastures, etc. The public lacks information on the landscape and biological diversity and natural and cultural values of protected areas, their exceptional value, visiting and activity possibilities. Furthermore, there is no active participation of communities and the local population in protected areas. The use of information technologies that need to ensure continuous and high-quality dissemination of information on protected areas to Lithuanian and foreign visitors is ineffective. Most of the state reserves were established more than a decade ago, but no detailed evaluation of changes in the state of protected values has been carried out since then. In addition, the Lithuanian state has assumed new international obligations, and the form of ownership and the natural and economic environment have undergone changes. Therefore it is necessary to update the information on the values protected in reserves, evaluate their state and, where appropriate, modify the boundaries and/or regulations of reserves. The existing methodologies, measures and equipment are not sufficient for the effective evaluation of the state of protected areas and the importance of their values, and for monitoring. 17 The state parks safeguard the country’s most valuable landscape complexes, but they lack a systematic assessment of the state of landscape that would build the basis for the preparation of new planning documents of better quality for state parks and the planning of landscape management operations. This problem arises when designating new protected areas or natural heritage sites. There is a shortage of tools and equipment for effective and quality monitoring of landscape, biological diversity, visitor flows and implementation of nature management plans; therefore substantiating, analysing and systematising data and providing the results to the public are made difficult. The directorates of protected areas monitor species of Community importance under the State Environmental Monitoring Programme. A protected areas information system has been put in place, which systematises data on the location and habitat sites of protected species. Also a biological diversity monitoring system has been developed that, however, has no link to the above system. This prevents including the wild life monitoring data in the common system that would allow analysing monitoring data and providing information on the state of protected valuable sites and landscape to various authorities and the public. 12.2. For achieving the objective referred to in point 12.1 of the Plan, the following tasks have to be implemented: 12.2.1. Creating prerequisites for the conservation of landscape, biological diversity and natural and cultural values of protected areas, primarily of state parks; 12.2.2. Maintaining the most valuable parts and sites of protected areas, and adapting protected areas to environmental education and training and the dissemination of information on protected areas; 12.2.3. Enhancing the effectiveness of the monitoring and evaluation of the importance and state of valuable sites in protected areas, and ensuring high-quality data collection. CHAPTER III IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN 13. The Plan shall be implemented in accordance with an action plan drawn up for seven years and covering the implementing measures of all objectives and tasks of the Plan. The responsible actor and the implementation period shall be specified for each action. 14. The Plan shall be implemented with state budget allocations, European Union financial support and other funds. 15. The implementation of the Plan shall be coordinated by the Ministry of Environment. 16. Participants in implementing the Plan shall include the Ministry of Environment, the State Service for Protected Areas, enterprises of state-owned forests, the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Environmental Protection Service, the directorates of protected areas, public establishments and the Lithuanian Zoological Garden. Amendments to the point: No D1-181, 14.03.2016, published in the Register of Legal Acts 16.03.2016, identification code 2016-04960 17. The actions provided for in the Plan shall be incorporated into the annual action plans of the listed institutions. 18. The participants involved in the implementation of the Plan on a partnership or other basis may include municipalities, enterprises of state-owned forests and other national authorities concerned with the conservation of landscape and biological diversity, as well as non-governmental organisations, research and educational establishments if they contribute their material, human and intellectual resources to the implementation of actions provided for in the Plan, take over and maintain the property created in the process of implementation of the actions, ensure the continuity of the actions envisioned or otherwise support their implementation. Amendments to the point: No D1-181, 14.03.2016, published in the Register of Legal Acts 16.03.2016, identification code 2016-04960 18 19. The public shall be informed of the implementation of the Plan by publishing interim reports in 2017 and 2020 and the final report in 2023 (upon completing the implementation of EU funded actions having 2023 as the deadline). Based on the interim reports, the non-implemented objectives and tasks and their evaluation criteria shall be reviewed and, where appropriate, amendments to the Plan shall be drawn up. 20. The competent authorities referred to in the annexes to the Plan shall, within 1 month from the end of each year, submit a written report on the achievement of the actions and criteria of the Plan to the Ministry of Environment. 19 Action plan on the conservation of landscape and biological diversity for 2015−2020 Annex 1 EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN ON THE CONSERVATION OF LANDSCAPE AND BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY FOR 2015–2020, ANT THEIR TARGET VALUES No Task Evaluation criteria Values of evaluation criteria Authority responsible for implementation of criteria 2013 2020 1. LANDSCAPE PROTECTION, PLANNING, MANAGEMENT AND USE 2. Strategic objective: To conserve landscape areas of various territorial levels and their ecological potential by ensuring their adequate planning, management, use and sustainable development 3. Ratio of natural and semi-natural areas (forests, other green areas, wetland, water bodies, natural grassland and pastures, unused land) to urbanised areas (built-up areas, roads), gardens, arable land and damaged areas. 49.2:50.8 (2014 data) 60:40 Ministry of Environment 4. Number of landscape areas whose state has improved, units 0 43* Ministry of Environment 5. First objective of landscape protection, planning, management and use: Ensuring targeted and sustainable landscape formation 6. Implementing actions of the landscape policy of the Republic of Lithuania implemented, units 8 18 Ministry of Environment 7. Integrating the provisions of the landscape policy in other policies related to landscape protection, management, use and planning Number of proposals for the inclusion of landscape protection, management, use and planning provisions in national legislation (laws, resolutions), units 0 4 Ministry of Environment 8. Enhancing the quality of landscape planning Number of revised planning documents at municipal level, supplemented by a chapter on landscape, units 0 30* Ministry of Environment 9. Managing the heritage of cultural landscape and increasing the Number of prepared and implemented projects designed for the management of parks of state 0 18* Ministry of Environment 20 No Task Evaluation criteria Values of evaluation criteria Authority responsible for implementation of criteria 2013 2020 aesthetic potential of landscape importance and the enhancement of the aesthetic quality of landscape, units 10. Building eco-awareness through the promotion of public awareness of the value and role of landscape and the development of professionals’ competences in the fields of landscape protection, management, use and planning Number of organised events on landscape themes in 2014–2020, units; number of publications issued before 2020, units 0 8, 6 Ministry of Environment 11. Second objective of landscape protection, planning, management and use: Maintaining and enhancing the ecological stability of landscape 12. Documents and recommendations related to the formation of the nature frame and activities there prepared, units 0 3 Ministry of Environment 13. Providing conditions for the maintenance of the structural integrity of the nature frame Number of projects on the enhancement of the structure of the nature frame and the management of areas implemented, units 0 15* Ministry of Environment, municipalities 14. Improving the state of the coasts of the Baltic Sea (the terrestrial part and the Curonian Spit) and the Curonian Lagoon Width of the Baltic Sea coast beach, metres 50–70 50–80 Ministry of Environment 15. CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 16. Strategic objective: To halt the loss of biodiversity and the deterioration of the quality of ecosystems and their services, and where possible to restore them 17. Share of species of Community importance with a favourable conservation status found in Lithuania, percent 54 68 Ministry of Environment 18. Share of habitats of Community importance with a favourable conservation status found in Lithuania, percent 24 48 Ministry of Environment 19. First objective of the conservation of biological diversity: To achieve a favourable conservation status of protected fauna, flora and fungi species 21 No Task Evaluation criteria Values of evaluation criteria Authority responsible for implementation of criteria 2013 2020 and habitat types 20. Area of habitats of protected species that benefited from investments for the maintenance and restoration of their favourable conservation status, ha 0 1150 Ministry of Environment 21. Improving the legal regulation in the field of conservation of protected species Number of legal instruments that ensure the conservation of protected species prepared, units 25 40 Ministry of Environment 22. Number of data on location and habitat sites of protected species entered in the Protected Species Information Base, units 1500 100 000 Ministry of Environment 23. Improving and maintaining adequate natural conditions in habitats of protected species Number of protected flora and fauna species where measures were applied for the conservation of their habitats, units 23 37 Ministry of Environment 24. Second objective of the conservation of biological diversity: To develop research on biological diversity and ecosystems and use the data from this research for integrating aspects of ecosystems and biological diversity in the public policy sectors 25. Number of studies, assessment and methodologies on the evaluation of the state of biological diversity and ecosystems prepared, units 17 25 Environmental Protection Agency Ministry of Environment 26. Number of proposals for the inclusion of biological diversity conservation provisions in national legislation (laws, resolutions) of other sectors, units 1 4 Ministry of Environment 27. Developing the knowledge base on the state and services of ecosystems, by formulating data information prerequisites for the maintenance, restoration and improvement of ecosystems and the Number (units) of ecosystem services whose state and capacity to deliver services were evaluated at national level 0 20 Environmental Protection Agency Ministry of Environment 22 No Task Evaluation criteria Values of evaluation criteria Authority responsible for implementation of criteria 2013 2020 quality of their services 28. Number (units) of ecosystem services for which economic evaluation was carried out at national level 0 20 Environmental Protection Agency Ministry of Environment 29. Increasing the effectiveness of wild life monitoring and data collection Number (units) of flora and fauna species subject to monitoring 120 130 Environmental Protection Agency Ministry of Environment 30. Third objective of the conservation of biological diversity: To slow down and/or halt the spread of invasive species 31. Number of areas in which measures to regulate the abundance of invasive species was implemented, units 71 120 Ministry of Environment 32. Enhancing the effectiveness of regulation of the abundance of invasive species Number of invasive species with their abundance subject to regulation, units 6 12 Ministry of Environment 33. Fourth objective of the conservation of biological diversity: To ensure the proper conservation, restoration and use of wild flora and fauna 34. Number of permits granted for special fishing a year, units 100 100 Environmental Protection Agency 35. Number of permits granted for the use of protected species a year, units 50 50 Environmental Protection Agency 36. Creating legal prerequisites for the proper conservation, restoration and use of wild flora Number of legal instruments to improve the conservation, restoration and use of wild flora prepared, units 0 5 Ministry of Environment 37. Increasing the fish stocks in inland water bodies through favourable conditions for their reproduction, migration and spanning, and stocking some of the fish species Number of water bodies subject to fish stocking, units; number of stocked fish, mln. units 150 0.5 thou. 800 3.5 mln. Ministry of Environment 38. Providing adequate help and care Number of wild animals that received help or 600 800 Ministry of 23 No Task Evaluation criteria Values of evaluation criteria Authority responsible for implementation of criteria 2013 2020 for injured and distressed wild animals, those in an unsuitable environment or confiscated wild animals care, treatment or temporary storage, units a year Environment 39. Fifth objective of the conservation of biological diversity: To preserve the genetic resources and their diversity by providing conditions for the use of the collected gene pool and its results in selection, research and production 40. Number of objects designated as genetic resources, units 3931 5000 Ministry of Environment 41. Creating legal and technical conditions for the conservation of genetic resources and the wild counterparts of national cultured plants Number of genetic plots established for the conservation of wild counterparts of cultured plants, units 0 4 Ministry of Environment 42. Ensuring the fair and correct use of genetic resources Number of legal instruments aimed at regulating the use of genetic resources prepared, units 0 3–5 Ministry of Environment 43. Sixth objective of the conservation of biological diversity: To ensure safe performance of activities that involve the use of GMOs, and to prevent GMOs from spreading in the environment or damaging ecosystems 44. Number of economic entities engaged in the limited use of genetically modified microorganisms, units 3 a year 5–10 a year Ministry of Environment 45. Enhancing the environmental risk assessment, management, risk monitoring and control of GMOs Number of legal instruments to enhance the assessment and management of GMO risks to the environment and human health, units 3 6 Ministry of Environment 46. Number of research studies carried out, units 0 3 Ministry of Environment 47. Raising public awareness on the safe use of GMOs by encouraging the public to participate in decision making on the use of GMOs and their release to the environment Share of the public believing to be informed of genetically modified organisms, percent 52 (2012 data) 95 Ministry of Environment 24 No Task Evaluation criteria Values of evaluation criteria Authority responsible for implementation of criteria 2013 2020 48. Number of public information measures on genetically modified organisms implemented, units 4 Up to 30 Ministry of Environment 49. Integrating biosafety provisions in the policies of other sectors Number of legal acts drawn up and proposals submitted for the integration of biosafety provisions in programmes of other sectors, units 4 12 Ministry of Environment 50. PROTECTED AREAS 51. Objective: To ensure good status and proper use and management of landscape and biodiversity as well as of natural and cultural values, and adapt them to visiting (especially in state parks) 52. Number of documents prepared and conservation and management actions, methodologies, information dissemination and training projects implemented 203 540 State Service for Protected Areas 53. Creating prerequisites for the conservation of landscape, biological diversity and natural and cultural values of protected areas, primarily of state parks Number of documents prepared, units 0 (2014 data) 67* State Service for Protected Areas 54. Maintaining the most valuable parts and sites of protected areas, and adapting protected areas to environmental education and training and the dissemination of information on protected areas Number of landscape complexes, natural and cultural values and Natura 2000 areas maintained, infrastructure installed for visitors, technical sets for environmental education and training acquired, and projects on information provision and publicity implemented, units 201 (2014 data) 400* State Service for Protected Areas 55. Enhancing the effectiveness of the monitoring and evaluation of the importance and state of valuable sites in protected areas, and ensuring high-quality data collection Number of technical and software sets and databases acquired, and programmes and methodologies prepared, units 2 (2014 data) 73* State Service for Protected Areas 25 * The value of the evaluation criteria will be achieved in 2023, following the implementation of measures with EU support in the period 2015–2023. 26 Action plan on the conservation of landscape and biological diversity for 2015−2020 Annex 2 IMPLEMENTING MEASURES FOR 2015–2020 UNDER THE ACTION PLAN ON THE CONSERVATION OF LANDSCAPE AND BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY FOR 2015–2020 No Description of measure Implementati on period, years Funds needed LTL/EUR ‘000 Responsible actors 1. Strategic objective: To conserve landscape areas of various territorial levels and their ecological potential by ensuring their adequate planning, management, use and sustainable development 2. Objective: Ensuring targeted and sustainable landscape formation 3. Task. Integrating the provisions of the landscape policy in other policies related to landscape protection, management, use and planning 4. To prepare a draft law amending the Law on Environmental Protection, integrating the key landscape policy provisions 2016 0 Ministry of Environment 5. To approve a programme on the implementation of the National Landscape Management Plan solutions 2015 0 Ministry of Environment 6. To implement the solutions of the National Landscape Management Plan 2015–2023 0 Ministry of Environment, municipalities 7. To organise the participation of landscape experts and professionals in the formation of landscape policy provisions in 2020–2035 2016–2019 0 Ministry of Environment 8. To prepare draft implementing measures of the national landscape policy for 2020–2035 2019 50 /14 481 Ministry of Environment 9. To prepare descriptions of landscape policy areas for 10 municipalities 2015–2023 400/115 848 Municipalities 10. Task. Enhancing the quality of landscape planning 11. To prepare methodological guidelines for the content and structure of the landscape chapter of master plans 2015 0 Ministry of Environment 12. To amend or revise master and special plans of 2023 9 000 /2 606 580 Municipalities 27 municipalities or their divisions, with a view to enhancing landscape conservation, management and use and ensuring the formation of the nature frame 13. Task. Managing the heritage of cultural landscape and increasing the aesthetic potential of landscape 14. To prepare and implement management projects for 8 parks of state importance 2023 15 000/4 344 300 Municipalities, Vilnius Academy of Arts, directorates of protected areas 15. To prepare and implement projects for the formation of 10 reference landscapes in transfrontier territories 2023 17 000/4 923 540 Municipalities 16. To remove orphan buildings that distort landscape 2015–2023 12 500/3 620 250 Municipalities 17. To prepare a methodology for identifying visual pollution of landscape complexes and sites 2015 20/5 792 Ministry of Environment 18. Task. Building eco-awareness through the promotion of public awareness of the value and role of landscape and the development of professionals’ competences in the fields of landscape protection, management, use and planning 19. To organise seminars on landscape themes 2015–2020 Ministry of Environment 20. To organise a competition to select landscapes that the reflect ethnocultural regions, with a view to contributing to the events dedicated to the year of ethnographic regions 2015 13/3 765 Ministry of Environment 21. To organise a cycle of lectures for employees of educational establishments on the inclusion of landscapes themes in curricula 2016–2020 45/13 032 Ministry of Environment 22. To prepare and issue the publication “Landscape Diversity” 2016, 2019 60/17377 Ministry of Environment 23. To prepare and issue a publication that introduces landscape projects of foreign states presented to the Council of Europe for the landscape award 2017 55/15929 Ministry of Environment 24. To prepare and issue a guide on the management of areas of gardeners’ associations 2016 45/13 032 Ministry of Environment 25. To prepare and issue a publication on recommendations for green infrastructure planning and application in practice 2016 70/20 273 Ministry of Environment 26. To prepare and issue a publication on recommendations for the management of coastal areas of water bodies 2016 35/10 137 Ministry of Environment 28 27. To prepare and issue a publication introducing the Lithuanian landscape diversity in an illustrated form 2018 85 /24 618 Ministry of Environment 28. Objective: Maintaining and enhancing the ecological stability of landscape 29. Task. Providing conditions for the maintenance of the structural integrity of the nature frame 30. To amend the Regulations on the Nature Frame approved by Order No D1-96 of the Minister of Environment of 14 February 2007, with a view to introducing more comprehensible regulation of the structure of the nature frame, principles of its formation and the nature of activities to be developed 2016 0 Ministry of Environment 31. To prepare a methodology for the planning and formation of the nature frame 2017 40/11 585 Ministry of Environment 32. To prepare a draft amendment to the Law on Green Areas and amendments to the related implementing regulations 2015–2017 0 Ministry of Environment 33. To prepare and implement projects on the improvement of the formation and ecological status of landscape in areas of the nature frame (including green infrastructure projects) designed to maintain the ecological balance of landscape, ecosystem stability, renaturalisation of areas, management of areas damaged by erosion, support and increase of landscape and biological diversity (at least 30 projects) 2023 26 000/7 530 120 Municipalities 34. Task. Improving the state of the coasts of the Baltic Sea (the terrestrial part and the Curonian Spit) and the Curonian Lagoon 35. To implement the Coastal Strip Management Programme 2015–2020 18 516/5 362 604 Municipalities of Klaipėda City, Klaipėda district and Palanga City, Directorate of Curonian Spit National Park, Directorate of Coastal Regional Park 36. To implement a programme on the implementation of the solutions of the Special plan for the management of the terrestrial part of the coastal strip 2015–2020 0 Ministry of Environment 37. To draw up an amendment to the Special plan for the management of the terrestrial part of the coastal strip 2017 0 Ministry of Environment 29 (approving new boundaries of the coastal strip by a resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania) 38. To prepare a draft amendment to the Regulations on the protection and use of the seacoast 2016–2017 0 Ministry of Environment 39. To prepare a programme on the protection and use of the Curonian Lagoon coast 2018 0 Ministry of Environment 40. Strategic objective: To stop the loss of biodiversity and the deterioration of the quality of ecosystems and their services, and where possible to restore them 41. Objective: To achieve a favourable conservation status of protected fauna, flora and fungi species and habitat types 42. Task. Improving the legal regulation in the field of conservation of protected species 43. To prepare a legislative initiative on the development of a Law on Nature Protection through the integration of the laws on Wild Flora, Wild Fauna, Protected Areas, Protected Fauna, Flora and Fungi Species and provisions of other legal acts 2018 30/8 689 Ministry of Environment 44. To update the legal basis on the conservation of protected species, by establishing a duty for authorities that take decisions on the feasibility of economic activities to use the Protected Species Information System 2015 0 Ministry of Environment 45. To draw up regulations on location and habitat sites of species subject to strict protection 2016–2017 585/169 428 Ministry of Environment 46. To carry out evaluation of protected species in accordance with IUCN categories 2016–2017 160/46 339 Ministry of Environment 47. To prepare and publish an updated issue of the Lithuanian Red Data Book 2017 200/57 924 Ministry of Environment 48. To evaluate the state of species protected under EU and national law (including the inventory of habitats for the following species: Cucujus cinnaberinus, Osmoderma barnabita, Graphoderus bilineatus and Unio crassus) 2016 700/202 734 Ministry of Environment 49. To prepare conservation and action plans for species protected under EU and national law 2016 830/240 385 Ministry of Environment 30 Species for which conservation plans are in the process of development: fen orchid (Liparis loeselii), Thesium ebracteatum; Osmoderma barnabita; violet copper (Lycaena helle); Baltic grayling (Oeneis jutta); Graphoderus bilineatus, Unio crassus; broad-fingered crayfish (Astacus astatus); Northern crested newt (Triturus pristatus); European fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina); black grouse (Tetrao tetrix); Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo); Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata); fat dormouse (Glis glis)). Species for which action plans are in the process of development: lady’s slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) (3 action plans); marsh saxifrage (Saxifraga hirculus) (3 action plans); American pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens) (3 action plans); fen orchid (Liparis loeselii) (3 action plans); Thesium ebracteatum (3 action plans); Osmoderma barnabita (3 action plans); violet copper (Lycaena helle) (3 action plans); Cucujus cinnaberinus (3 action plans); Baltic grayling (Oeneis jutta) (3 action plans); Maculinea teleius (3 action plans); Unio crassus (3 action plans); broad-fingered crayfish (Astacus astatus) (10 action plans); Northern crested newt (Triturus pristatus) (3 action plans); European fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina) (3 action plans); European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) (3 action plans); osprey (Pandion haliaetus) (3 action plans); capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) (revision of 3 action plans); great snipe (Gallinago media) (2 action plans); Eurasian golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) (2 action plans); black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) (3 action plans); Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) (3 action plans); Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata) (3 action plans); fat dormouse (Glis glis) (3 action plans) 50. To prepare a study that would evaluate and present 2023 480/139 018 State Service for Protected Areas 31 definite proposals of conservation measures for sites where areas important for the conservation of habitats or birds have been or are to be designated 51. Task. Improving and maintaining adequate natural conditions in habitats of protected species 52. To implement actions plans on the conservation of species protected under EU and national law 2020 6 320/1 830 399 Ministry of Environment 53. To organise construction of an enclosure for European bisons in Dzūkija National Park 2017 8 000/2 316 960 Ministry of Environment Directorate of Dzūkija National Park 54. To implement the conservation measures provided for in the European bison conservation plan approved by Order No D1-675 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 21 September 2015 “On the approval of the European bison (Bison bonasus l.) conservation plan and the repeal of Order No D1-836 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 10 October 2014 “On the approval of the European bison (Bison bonasus l.) conservation plan”” 2020 7 000/2 027 340 Ministry of Environment 55. To organise the breeding of protected species (European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis), capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo), European fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina)) and their release to the environment (includes the preparation of breeding documents, supervision and acquisition of the necessary equipment and premises) 2016 5 000/1 448 100 Ministry of Environment, Lithuanian Zoological Gardens, directorates of protected areas, State Service for Protected Areas 56. Objective. To develop research on biological diversity and ecosystems and use the data from this research for integrating aspects of ecosystems and biological diversity in the public policy sectors 57. Task. Developing the knowledge base on the state and services of ecosystems, by formulating data information prerequisites for the maintenance, restoration and improvement of ecosystems and the quality of their services 58. To map ecosystems and their services, and evaluate the state of ecosystems and their services 2015–2017 3 176/919 833 Environmental Protection Agency Ministry of Environment 59. To carry out the economic evaluation of major ecosystem services at national level, and identify ecosystem restoration priorities 2017–2021 4 520/1 309 082 Environmental Protection Agency Ministry of Environment 60. To prepare a study that evaluates the impact of various 2015–2020 1 000/289 620 Ministry of Environment 32 sectors on biological diversity 61. To prepare a study that evaluates the sensitivity of biological diversity and ecosystems to the impact of climate change and their possibilities for adaptation to climate change 2015 70/20 273 Ministry of Environment 62. Task. Increasing the effectiveness of wild life monitoring and data collection 63. To prepare a draft amendment to the State Environmental Monitoring Programme that would devote greater attention to wild life monitoring 2016–2017 0 Ministry of Environment Environmental Protection Agency State Service for Protected Areas 64. To define criteria for the favourable conservation status of natural habitats of Community importance, and prepare a methodology for the monitoring system 2015 600/173 772 Ministry of Environment 65. To integrate the monitoring programme BIOMON for species of Community importance in the Protected Species Information System 2016–2019 2 000/289 620 State Service for Protected Areas 66. To prepare methodological documents for monitoring of species of Community importance that require the designation of Natura 2000 areas for their conservation 2016–2017 2 000/579 240 Environmental Protection Agency Ministry of Environment 67. To initiate the development of an information system on inland fisheries 2015–2020 500/144 810 Ministry of Environment 68. Objective: To slow down and/or halt the spread of invasive species 69. Task. Enhancing the effectiveness of regulation of the abundance of invasive species 70. To evaluate the state of invasive species in Lithuania 2016–2020 700/202 734 Ministry of Environment 71. To implement Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species, and update national laws on the management of invasive species 2015–2020 0 Ministry of Environment 72. To implement Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species 2015–2020 0 Ministry of Environment 73. To prepare action plans for the regulation of 2016 450/130 329 Ministry of Environment 33 abundance in invasive species 74. To implement measures for the regulation of abundance in invasive species 2020 4 000/1 158 480 Ministry of Environment 75. To organise the development of a unified invasive species information system 2015–2018 1 900/550 278 Ministry of Environment 76. Objective. To ensure the proper conservation, restoration and use of wild flora and fauna 77. Task. Creating legal prerequisites for the proper conservation, restoration and use of wild flora 78. To update national laws on the conservation, restoration and use of wild flora 2015–2017 0 Ministry of Environment 79. Task. Increasing the fish stocks in inland water bodies through favourable conditions for their reproduction, migration and spanning, and stocking some of the fish species 80. To organise fish restocking in inland water bodies 2015–2020 10 000/2 896 200 Ministry of Environment 81. To organise the installation of fish passes and the removal of obstacles to natural migration 2015–2020 1 000/289 620 Ministry of Environment 82. Task. Providing adequate help and care for injured and distressed wild animals, those in an unsuitable environment or confiscated wild animals 83. To prepare a feasibility study on adequate help and care for injured and distressed wild animals, those in an unsuitable environment or confiscated wild animals 2015 30/8 689 Ministry of Environment 84. To develop a system of help and care for injured and distressed wild animals, those in an unsuitable environment or confiscated wild animals 2016–2020 The need for funds will be evaluated in the feasibility study on adequate help and care for injured and distressed wild animals, those in an unsuitable environment or confiscated wild animals Ministry of Environment 85. Objective: To preserve the genetic resources and their diversity by providing conditions for the use of the collected gene pool and its results in selection, research and production 86. Task. Creating legal and technical conditions for the conservation of genetic resources and the wild counterparts of national cultured plants 87. To prepare a draft amendment to the Law on National Genetic Resources of Plants, with a view to providing conditions for the accumulation and collection of seed 2017 0 Ministry of Environment 34 samples of the rarest plant species and those subject to potential extinction 88. To prepare and implement a programme and action plan on the conservation of the wild counterparts of national cultured plants (based on the practice of European states) 2017–2020 400/115 848 Ministry of Environment 89. To organise the renewal of the material basis for the conservation, restoration and renewal of plant genetic resources and the establishment of their genetic identity 2018 3 600/1 042 632 Ministry of Environment 90. Task. Ensuring the fair and correct use of genetic resources 91. To prepare laws implementing the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, and Regulation (EU) No 511/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on compliance measures for users from the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization in the Union 2016 0 Ministry of Environment 92. To ratify the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization 2017 0 Ministry of Environment 93. Objective. To ensure safe performance of activities that involve the use of live genetically modified organisms (hereinafter “GMOs”), and to prevent GMOs from spreading in the environment or damaging ecosystems 94. Task. Enhancing the environmental risk assessment, management, risk monitoring and control of GMOs 95. To prepare a programme and actions plan on the national GMOs environmental risk assessment and management and GMOs risk monitoring and control 2015–2020 1500/434 430 Ministry of Environment (GMO Expert Committee) Vilnius Regional Environmental Protection Department under the Ministry of Environment of the Republic Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos aplinkos ministerijos Vilniaus regiono aplinkos apsaugos 35 departamentas) 96. To prepare methodologies for GMOs risk monitoring (based on the practice of European member states and with account of Lithuania’s geographical conditions) 2016–2020 900/260 658 Ministry of Environment (GMO Expert Committee) 97. To establish a GMMs and GMOs laboratory 2016–2020 4 400/1 274 328 Vilnius Regional Environmental Protection Department under the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuanian (Lietuvos Respublikos aplinkos ministerijos Vilniaus regiono aplinkos apsaugos departamentas) 98. Organise staff training and international consultations 2018–2020 200/57 924 Vilnius Regional Environmental Protection Department under the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos aplinkos ministerijos Vilniaus regiono aplinkos apsaugos departamentas) 99. Task. Raising public awareness on the safe use of GMOs by encouraging the public to participate in decision making on the use of GMOs and their release to the environment 100. To inform the public on biosafety 2015–2020 40/11 585 Ministry of Environment 101. To organise the updating of the GMOs information system in accordance with the requirements for information systems 2015–2020 150/43 443 Ministry of Environment 102. Task. Integrating biosafety provisions in the policies of other sectors 103. To update and draw up new laws in the field of GMOs, taking account of amendments to EU legislation and international obligations 2015–2020 0 Ministry of Environment 104. To submit proposals for the inclusion of biosafety provisions in the policies, programmes, strategies and action plans of the agricultural sectors 2015–2020 0 Ministry of Environment 105. Objective: To ensure good status and proper use and management of landscape and biodiversity as well as of natural and cultural values, and adapt them to visiting (especially in state parks) 106. Task. Creating prerequisites for the conservation of landscape, biological diversity and natural and cultural values of protected areas, 36 primarily of state parks 107. To prepare strategic planning documents (nature management plans, etc.) and special territorial planning documents (plans of boundaries, planning diagrams) for protected areas 2023 11 000/3 185 820 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas 108. To evaluate the state of state-owned reserves and protected values (based on research data, to amend regulations, make proposals on the revision of the existing boundaries of reserves or the designation of new reserves, etc.) in accordance with the previously developed methodology 2023 3 500/1 013 670 Ministry of Environment State Service for Protected Areas 109. To prepare feasibility studies on the designation of natural values as natural heritage sites and the designation of new protected areas, evaluate the state of landscape in state parks, carry out studies and prepare landscape structure schemes, develop projects for regulating activities in protected areas or their parts with the largest number of contradictions and conflicts 2023 1 500/434 430 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas 110. To form and register land parcels for nature strict reserves with the Register of Immovable Property 2023 500/144 810 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas 111. Task. Maintaining the most valuable parts and sites of protected areas, and adapting protected areas to environmental education and training and the dissemination of information on protected areas 112. To maintain natural and cultural values (natural and cultural sites, landscape complexes, reserves, etc.) and adapt protected areas to visiting 2023 80 000/23169601 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas 113. To install infrastructure for visitors (educational trails, routes, connections between tourist routes, observation towers and eco-camping sites, and develop outdoor information systems) 2023 75 000/21 721 501 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas 114. To install visitor centres with indoor/ outdoor expositions, and thematic expositions 2023 25 000/7 240 500 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas 115. To install nature schools in protected areas 2023 20 000/5 792 400 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas 116. To maintain Natura 2000 areas (at least 30 areas, 2023 32 000/9 267 841 State Service for Protected Areas 37 including the acquisition of lacking technical means) Directorates of protected areas 117. To label and install elements of the outdoor information system in nature strict reserves, state reserves and Natura 2000 areas 2023 2 200/637 164 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas 118. Using various means, to introduce the exceptional value of protected areas, activity opportunities in protected areas, activities of visitor centres and their services for Lithuanian and foreign visitors 2023 5 000/1 448 100 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas 119. Task. Enhancing the effectiveness of the monitoring and evaluation of the importance and state of valuable sites in protected areas, and ensuring high-quality data collection 120. To prepare methodologies for the evaluation of the state of protected areas, and recommendations for the management of habitats of species of Community importance 2023 6 000/1 737 720 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas 121. To develop ecological education at the directorates of protected areas by preparing training programmes for nature teachers and acquiring part of equipment required for the implementation of the programmes 2017 4 000/1 158 480 State Service for Protected Areas 122. To prepare recommendations for the management of areas of the European ecological network Natura 2000 2017 1 000/289 620 State Service for Protected Areas 123. To acquire hardware and software packages with a view to speeding up the collection of data on the state of landscape and natural and cultural values, and increasing the effectiveness of monitoring in protected areas 2023 5 000/1 w448 100 State Service for Protected Areas Directorates of protected areas Amendments to the Annex: No D1-181, 14.03.2016, published in the Register of Legal Acts 16.03.2016, identification code 2016-04960 38 Action plan on the conservation of landscape and biological diversity for 2015−2020 Annex 3 REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTS ON LANDSCAPE FORMATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE ECOLOGICAL STATUS IN AREAS OF THE NATURE FRAME AND PROJECTS ON REFERENCE LANDSCAPE FORMATION IN TRANSFRONTIER AREAS, AND FOR LANDSCAPE FORMATION CHAPTER I GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1. The requirements for the development of projects on landscape formation and improvement of the ecological status in areas of the nature frame and projects on reference landscape formation in transfrontier areas, and for landscape formation (hereinafter “the Methodological Guidelines”) shall govern the development of projects on landscape formation and improvement of the ecological status in areas of the nature frame and on reference landscape formation in transfrontier areas (hereinafter “landscape management projects”) funded by the European Union and/or the state. 2. The following legislation on landscape protection shall be taken into consideration in activities related to landscape formation: 2.1. The European Landscape Convention; 2.2. Recommendation CM/Rec(2008)3 (6 February 2008) of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the guidelines for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention; 2.3. The Law on Protected Areas of the Republic of Lithuania; 2.4. The Law on Green Areas of the Republic of Lithuania and its implementing regulations: 2.4.1. The Standards of detached recreational green areas and the Procedure for the determination of standards (areas) of attached green areas, approved by Order No D1-694 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 21 December 2007 “On the approval of the Procedure for the determination of standards of detached recreational green areas and standards (areas) of attached green areas”; 2.4.2. The Procedure for the development of projects on the establishment and management of detached and attached green areas, approved by Order No D1-719 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 29 December 2007 “On the approval of the Procedure for the development of projects on the establishment and management of detached and attached green areas”; 2.4.3. The Model Regulation on the protection and management of detached green areas and the Model Regulation on the protection and management of attached green areas, both documents approved by Order No D1-62 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 29 January 2008 “On the approval of the Model Regulation on the protection and management of detached green areas and the Model Regulation on the protection and management of attached green areas”; 2.4.4. The Rules on the inventory and accounting of green areas and plants, approved by Order No D1-5 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 8 January 2008 “On the approval of the Rules on the inventory and accounting of green areas and plants”; 2.4.5. The Procedure for the expert evaluation of the state of plants, approved by Order No D1-673 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 14 December 2007 “On the approval of the Procedure for the expert evaluation of the state of plants”; 2.4.6. The List of criteria for designating trees and shrubs growing outside the forestry land as subject to protection, approved by Order No 206 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 12 March 2008 “On the approval of the List of criteria for designating trees and shrubs growing outside the forestry land as subject to protection, and the designation of trees and shrubs as subject to protection”; 39 2.5. The Law on Construction and its implementing regulations; 2.6. The Special conditions of land and forest use, approved by Resolution No 343 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 12 May 1992 “On the approval of the conditions Special conditions of land and forest use”; 2.7. The Description of Landscape Policy Areas of the Republic of Lithuania approved by Resolution No 1526 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 1 December 2004 “On the approval of the Description of Landscape Policy Areas of the Republic of Lithuania”; 2.8. The Regulations on the Nature Frame, approved by Order No D1-96 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 14 February 2007 “On the approval of the Regulations on the Nature Frame”; 2.9. The National Landscape Management Plan approved by Order No D1-703 the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 2 October 2015 “On the approval of the National Landscape Management Plan”. 3. In developing landscape management projects, the latest studies and research in the field of landscape and data of the information systems (data from information files of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Lithuanian Geological Survey, the National Land Service, etc.) shall be taken into consideration. CHAPTER II PRE-PROJECT ARRANGEMENTS 4. Prior to the development of a landscape management project, a programme of public participation in landscape formation, a document ensuring the publicity of the proposed activity and public involvement, shall be drawn up presenting summary information on the proposed activity and its objectives and tasks, explaining the problems to be addressed, identifying implementing actions and their priority, introducing methods, means and practices of consultations with the public and professionals and providing further important information. 5. The programme of public participation in landscape formation shall be approved by a municipal legal act. Prior to the approval of this programme, the following conditions that ensure publicity shall be met: 5.1. Prior to approval, the programme of public participation in landscape formation shall be published on the website (access from the home page) specifying the date, place and time when the programme will be presented to the public; 5.2. The programme of public participation in landscape formation, including an invitation to attend its public presentation, shall be sent (in written or electronic format) to the eldership(s) in the territory of which the activity is to be carried out, the Environmental Protection Agency, the directorates of state strict reserves, state parks and biosphere reserves (if the area is located in or borders on a protected area designated by the state), the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture (if the area has cultural heritage sites or borders on an area of a cultural heritage site, a cultural strict reserve, a historical national park or a cultural reserve), the State Border Guard Service under the Ministry of the Interior (where the formation of reference landscape in a transfrontier area is carried out), local communities and other non-governmental organisations (registered entities) operating in the area. The government authorities shall be requested to present requirements within their respective competence for the management of the landscape in a particular area; 5.3. A public presentation dedicated to public consultation on the programme of public participation in landscape formation shall be organised. The date of public consultation shall not be earlier than 10 calendar days after the publication of the programme on the website of the municipality and its dispatch to the eldership(s), local communities, other persons and institutions concerned as referred to in point 5.2. The public presentation shall provide answers to the follow relevant questions: 5.3.1. Does the public approve of the proposed activity in principle? 40 5.3.2. Is a competition for the selection of an idea needed (with account of the publicity of the place where the project will be implemented)? 5.3.4. How would the public like to participate in the process of development and implementation of the landscape management project? 5.3.5. Will an independent assessment of the concept of the landscape management project be carried out and who could do this? 5.4. Following the public presentation, the programme of public participation in landscape formation shall be revised and supplement with account of reasoned proposals from the public and other institutions, and shall be approved by a municipal legal act. Prior to approval, the programme of public participation in landscape formation may be presented to the municipal council. 6. An approved programme of public participation in landscape formation shall contain the following: 6.1. General information on the area subject to management: providing a general description of the landscape in the area; characterising the valuable features of the landscape; evaluating the exceptional nature of the area in the region and the country; specifying the regulation on the use of the area; and defining the ecological, cultural and aesthetic importance of the area as well as the value attributed to the subject area by the public and the local population; 6.2. Presentation of the objectives and tasks of landscape management: identifying the problems to be addressed by the project, and characterising the objectives and targets of the landscape management project to be developed and implemented; 6.3. Requirements for landscape management (legal requirements related to the management of a particular area, solutions of territorial planning documents, studies and other research papers that shall be taken into consideration when developing and implementing landscape management projects, and required research); 6.4. A plan of cooperation with the public (specifying how a dialogue with the public will be carried out throughout the period of development of the landscape management project, what means are appropriate and will be implemented in order to achieve the set objectives and target groups, how much time and resources will be devoted to the implementation of those means, how the public will be informed on the results of cooperation, and how the public opinion was taken into account or was not considered, etc.). 7. An approved programme of public participation in landscape formation shall be published on the website of the municipality and sent to the eldership(s) (where the activity is to be carried out), registered local communities and other natural and legal persons who participated in public consultation. Along with the approved programme of public participation in landscape formation, persons who participated in public consultation may receive competent explanations on why some of the proposals made were not taken into consideration. 8. Where an idea for landscape management is selected through competitions of project ideas, a programme of public participation in landscape formation shall be approved by a municipal legal act prior to announcing a competition for project ideas. CHAPTER III DEVELOPMENT OF A LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PROJECT 9. Landscape management projects shall be drawn up as separate documents in accordance with the solutions of territorial planning documents, specifying the details. 10. Where an activity is carried out in a green area, the requirements for analysis of the current state defined in these Methodological Guidelines, as well as the requirements referred to in Chapters IV and V hereof shall be evaluated in projects on the establishment and management of detached and attached green areas. 11. Where construction is to be developed in an area, a technical building design shall be prepared in cases and in accordance with the procedure defined in the Law on Construction of the Republic of Lithuania. 41 12. The functions of managers for the development of landscape management projects may be assumed by architects, landscape architects and managers for the development of green area projects who have been certified under the procedure defined by the Ministry of Environment. 13. Upon approval of a landscape management programme, the municipality (hereinafter “the organiser of the development of the landscape management project”) shall issue a legal act containing the decision on the development of the landscape management project wherein the objectives and tasks as well as other requirements shall comply with the programme of public participation in landscape formation. 14. The development of a landscape management project shall consist of the following stages: 14.1. Analysis of the current state; 14.2. The development and public presentation of the concept of the landscape management project; 14.3. Detailed characterisation of the solutions of the landscape management project; 14.4. Harmonisation and publication of the solutions of the landscape management project; 14.5. Approval of the landscape management project. 15. The organiser of the development of the landscape management project and the harmonising institutions shall approve the solutions of each stage in writing. 16. When concluding a contract with the developer of a landscape management project, the organiser of the development of the landscape management project shall provide the developer with: 16.1. The approved programme of public participation in landscape formation; 16.2. The plans of the boundaries of the area under design; 16.3. Data from the Register of Immovable Property and the Cadastre of Immovable property and, where necessary, other cadastral and register data; 16.4. The material of research and studies (if such research and studies were carried out in the area). 17. At the stage of the current state analysis, the existing natural and cultural situation of the area shall be analysed in detail. The analysis of the current situation shall include: 17.1. A characteristics of the solutions of the regulation on the use of the area and the planning documents: specifying the land use practice, protection status and requirements and restrictions for the development of activities in the area as set out in the planning documents; 17.2. Analysis of the general nature of the landscape: 17.2.1. Describing the general nature and state of the landscape in accordance with the solutions of the National Landscape Management Plan or other territorial planning documents (where landscape morphology analysis has been carried out): specifying the natural character of the landscape, the nature of the landscape by the degree of anthropogenisation (type of anthropogenisation), the nature of landscape use, the type of the visual structure, etc., and providing inserts of appropriate drawings; 17.2.2. Characterising the nature frame and its geo-ecological potential (reliable, limited, weak, damaged, severely damaged), if it was evaluated in the planning documents, specifying the nature frame management directions provided for in the planning documents, and describing the context of the area within the nature frame structure of the region (where the area is part of the nature frame); 17.2.3. Carrying out a general analysis of the relief: describing the relief (geomorphological landforms: hills, undulations, plains, etc.) and the nature of its forms (hilliness, waviness, abundance of valleys, etc.), and specifying their morphometric indicators (heights, lengths and angles of inclination of slopes) and the soil composition; 17.2.4. Carrying out an evaluation of the visual properties of the landscape: defining the visibility of the landscape (the expression of the vertical and horizontal spatial division), identifying the valuable aesthetic features of the landscape, identifying and describing the observation points present in the area and their position in relation to the key objects, and objects in the neighbourhood; also photographs of the visual values of the landscape can be made; 17.2.5. Identifying elements of the landscape structure that need to be preserved unchanged; 42 17.3. Analysis of the hydrological conditions: 17.3.1. Specifying the names, areas, flow rate, volume and biological diversity of rivers, springs and other surface water bodies present in the subject area, and characterising other hydrological properties of a water body and the area: total bed length, windings of banks or shores, water surface area, depth and gradient, amplitude of water level fluctuations, floods, freshets and their frequency and height, law water seasons, ice formation, damming risk, etc., shallow groundwater level and its fluctuations, hydrogeological conditions of the area such as the geological cross-section with soil filtration properties, and atmospheric water runoff conditions (water logging, bog formation processes, wetlands); 17.3.2. Specifying the width of the buffer strip and zone established for a surface water body (where surface water bodies are present in the subject area); 17.4. Analysis of the soil: identifying and characterising the soil composition, structure, porosity, fertility, acidity, colour, compression, level of contamination, etc.; 17.5. Analysis and studies of biological diversity: describing the biological diversity of the area including local species and natural habitats. If the area contains protected species, their ecological needs shall be defined and measures that could improve their survival conditions shall be specified. Inventory of the plants and evaluation of their state shall be conducted (including street plants where the area crosses or borders on streets) in accordance with the Rules on the inventory and accounting of green areas and plants (providing an inventory card of green areas and plants and a brief characteristics of a green area); 17.6. Analysis of the urban structure: evaluating the development of the area and its engineering and transport infrastructure facilities, and describing the buildings present in the area and their intended purpose; 17.7. Other studies may be carried out as well, with account of the exclusive features of the area such as historical, archaeological, engineering-geological and other; 17.8. Representing graphically the main conclusions of the current state analysis on a topographic plan not older than 3 years (Scale 1:500–2000). The topographic plan shall be revised during the development of a landscape management project, if new objects exist that may have an impact on the choice of solutions. The drawing of the current state shall show the relief, hydrographic and hydrotechnical features, flora, land covers, buildings and their elements, urbanised territories, rainwater sewer and drainage system and the general utilities. 18. The evaluation of the current situation shall be attended by at least one specialist with at least 3 years of experience in the field of landscape research and analysis, i.e. who for at least 3 years conducted morphological and/or aesthetic and/or ecological and/or technogenic and/or social or other studies of landscape. 19. At the stage of the current state analysis, a meeting may be organised with the public for finding out the elements, values and functions of the area important for society, and other public involvement activities may be carried out that are provided for in the programme on public participation in landscape formation. 20. The analysis of the current state of a landscape management project shall be approved by the harmonising institutions in writing. 21. At the stage of development of the concept of a landscape management project, a conceptual design shall be drawn up that expresses the key ideas of the solutions of the landscape management project. 22. The concept of a landscape management project shall include: 22.1. Graphic representations of solutions of proposals; 22.2. Cross-sections at the characteristic points of the area; 22.3. Visualisation of the area within the context; 22.4. Textual descriptions supporting the design solutions. 23. The scale of the graphic drawings of a landscape management project shall be such as to enable the clear expression of the design idea. The drawings may be submitted in the following formats: pdf, jpg, gif, tif or png. 43 24. The concept of a landscape management project shall be made available to the public. The fact of its development shall be announced on the website of the municipality, and separate communications shall be sent to the institutions harmonising the project, municipalities, local communities and property owners who are located in the neighbourhood or whose property may be affected by project solutions, and persons who have publicly expressed their wish to receive such information. The deadline by which and the place where the public may submit proposals for the project concept shall be specified. 25. The project concept shall be publicly displayed and its public discussion shall be held not earlier than after 10 calendar days from such display. A report on public discussion shall be drawn up, specifying which proposals were taken into consideration and providing an informed explanation on why some of the proposals were rejected. 26. Other public involvement activities provided for in the programme on public participation in landscape formation shall be carried out. 27. The concept of a landscape management project shall be approved by the harmonising institutions in writing. 28. At the stage of the detailed characterisation of the solutions of a landscape management project, textual and graphic solutions of the landscape management project as well as its estimate and technical specifications (at the request of the organiser of the development of the landscape management project) and a description of the maintenance (operation) of the area after upkeep shall be drawn up. 29. The textual solutions of a landscape management project shall include explanatory notes clarifying the graphic solutions and a description of the maintenance (operation) of the area after upkeep. 30. The foreseen area management solutions shall be based on theoretical knowledge, take the ecological needs and requirements into account, enhance the aesthetic potential, be economically rational and consider the importance of the area in the spatial structure of the urbanised territory. 31. The description of the maintenance (operation) of the area after upkeep shall provide for actions and measures necessary to ensure continuous maintenance of the area and support of the longevity of results. The content of the description shall include the specific features of the maintenance of plants (cutting, pruning, replanting, fertilising, watering, etc.), the specifics of the maintenance of buildings and installations (painting, renovation, etc.), the funds needed for the minimum maintenance of the area, a brief analysis of the area maintenance in emergency natural situations, and an account of other individual needs of every maintenance of the area. 32. The graphic solutions of an approved landscape management project shall include: 32.1. A plan of the current situation (Scale 1:500–2000, selected depending on the size of the area); 32.2. A schematic drawing of solutions of the landscape management project at a scale of 1:500–2000. The drawing shall contain information that allows perceiving the ultimate picture of the area after upkeep. The drawing shall feature the following textual and graphic elements: 32.2.1. the name, address, boundaries and size of the area subject to management; 32.2.2. areas left, conserved or restored for the functioning of natural ecosystems (plant areas, strips, natural covers, water bodies); 32.2.3. solutions for rainwater collection and drainage, restoration of the hydrological regime and re-use of rainwater; 32.2.4. solutions for relief formation and slope reinforcement (a description of measures proposed against erosion, wash away, etc.); 32.2.5. existing land covers, those subject to destruction and reform, and newly installed land covers (natural and artificial); 32.2.6. existing urbanised territories, those subject to destruction and reform, and newly installed urbanised territories (support walls, elements of urbanised territories); 32.2.7. plants to stay in place or be removed, or new plants; 32.2.8. an insert showing how the area connects with the plants, green areas, path systems, etc. in the neighbourhood of the area subject to management; 44 32.2.9. adjacent roads, streets, pavements, paths, parking facilities and their covers; 32.2.10. other spatial objects relevant for the area subject to management; 32.3. A plan of the area relief (altitudes of the parcel) (Scale 1:500–2000). The plan shall show the relief and its elements (horizontals, isobaths, zero level of the relief), existing and designed altitudes, gradients and levels, reinforced slopes, rainwater conduits, support walls, stairs, existing and designed paths and their covers, access roads, characteristic relief points and other elements. The description of relief formation solutions shall contain an explanation of how the solutions match the basic nature of the landscape and adjacent territories, the volume of soil in cubic metres to be removed or spread over, the measures planned against erosion and wash way, and solutions for rainwater collection and drainage; 32.4. A plan of plants (Scale 1:500–2000). The plan shall contain symbols showing plants to stay in place and to be removed, valuable plants (in dendrological, historical, associative or other aspects), plants subject to transfer or re-planting and new plants, indicate places in which the natural layer of vegetation will be restored, and present a summary table of plants with plant characteristics (state, height, width, etc.) and means necessary for plant maintenance; 32.5. A consolidated plan of the utility systems of the parcel (Scale 1:500). The plan shall show the routes of the utility networks, areas and characteristics of different covers, cross-sections of grounds, stairs and support walls and other typical details. Where the conditions are complicated, transverse profiles with a network arrangement diagram, the symbols and other data shall be provided; 32.6. In some (uncomplicated) cases the said drawings may be combined as one drawing. 33. The graphic representations of the topographic spatial data sets shall be based on Order No 45 of the Director of the State Geodesy and Cartography Service under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 19 June 2000 “On the approval of Technical Guidelines Regulation GKTR 2.11.03:2014 “The set of topographic spatial objects and symbols of topographic spatial objects””. The colour and graphic marks of the solutions shall be explained in the tables. The textual and graphic solutions shall be presented on a digital medium, the possible document formats being pdf, jpg, gif, tif or png. Hard copies of solutions of a landscape management project may also be provided. 34. The stage of harmonisation and publication of a landscape management project shall include: 34.1. Harmonisation of solutions of the landscape management project in writing with: 34.1.1. the chief architect of the municipality where the activity is carried out, who shall evaluate whether the proposed activities are not at variance with the landscape quality objectives set out in the territorial and strategic planning documents and whether the project has been discussed with the public; 34.1.2. the Environmental Protection Agency which shall evaluate whether the proposed activities will have no negative impact on the landscape and adjacent areas; 34.1.3. the directorates of state strict reserves, state parks and biosphere reserves, if the area is within or borders on a protected area designated by the state; 34.1.4. the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, if the area contains cultural heritage sites or borders on the territory of a cultural heritage site, cultural strict reserve, historical and national park or cultural reserve; 34.1.5. the State Border Guard Service under the Ministry of the Interior, where the activity of reference landscape formation in a transfrontier area is carried out; 34.2. Publication of solutions of a harmonised landscape management project on the website of the municipality or their public display at the premises of the eldership; 34.3. Presentation to the public after not less than 10 calendar days from the publication of solutions of a harmonised landscape management project on the website of the municipality or their public display at the premises of the eldership. The presentation shall be attended by representatives of the institutions that harmonised the project; 34.4. Other public involvement and information activities provided for in the programme on public participation in landscape formation. 45 35. A landscape management project that was harmonised and publicised at the stage of approval shall be approved by a municipal legal act. 36. An approved landscape management project shall consist of the following documents: 36.1. Information on the organiser of the development of the landscape management plan and the developer; 36.2. a conclusive drawing of the current state analysis and its description; 36.3. explanatory notes substantiating the graphic solutions; 36.4. the graphic solutions; 36.5. approvals (for the landscape management project solutions) received from the harmonising institutions; 36.6. a report on public discussion; 36.7. an estimate and technical specifications of project implementation (as requested by the organiser of project development); 36.8. a description of the maintenance (operation) of the area after upkeep; 36.9. other documents specified in the contract. CHAPTER IV SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE ACTIVITY OF LANDSCAPE FORMATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE ECOLOGICAL STATUS IN AREAS OF THE NATURE FRAME 37. The activity of landscape formation and improvement of the ecological status in areas of the nature frame shall be aimed at implementing concrete measures of landscape formation that contribute to the improvement of the ecological status of areas located within the nature frame (designated in the master plans of municipalities or their divisions) and the restoration and highlighting of their functions and values: 37.1. Measures for the improvement of the ecological status shall be designed to: 37.1.1. reduce landscape fragmentation (creation of detached or attached green areas, reform of existing green areas, planting of plant groups or strips, and planting of vegetation on roofs and walls); 37.1.2. improve the survival conditions for species (protection of rare species and local flora and fauna, destruction of invasive species (Sosnowsky’s hogweed, etc.), formation or renewal of landscape elements important for the migration of particular species, maintenance of existing green areas and plant groups and safeguarding of plant health); 37.1.3. renaturalise and restore ecosystems and natural processes (application of technical means with a view to reducing the impact of land drainage and providing conditions for bog formation and the recovery of streams or their sections and natural waterways), and maintain sites damaged by erosion; 37.2. Measures for the restoration and highlighting of landscape functions and values shall be designed to: 37.2.1. improve the state of valuable landscape sites (identified in the territorial and/or strategic planning documents or distinguished by the public during public discussion as having exceptional value). This shall include the conservation, restoration and representation of the landscape and its separate elements (protection of natural and cultural sites of the landscape, restoration and maintenance of the relief, opening of panoramas and perspectives and improvement of the aesthetic state of the area); 37.2.2. enable the public to know and use the landscape, and provide information on the valuable sites present in the area. 38. The activity shall be implemented on the nature frame in an area of at least 2 ha (the area may be fragmented rather than continuous). 39. The activity of landscape formation and improvement of the ecological status in areas of the nature frame shall be carried out in areas outside of forests of state importance, state parks (except for cities located in them), state reserves, strict reserves and cultural heritage sites (except 46 for green areas, in particular cultural heritage sites and green areas within the territory of a cultural heritage site). Priority shall be given to: 39.1. Areas of industrial and warehousing facilities, which under the planning documents are to be converted into common use, residential or recreational areas; 39.2. buffer zones and shore buffer strips of rivers, lakes and reservoirs included in the cadastre of the Republic of Lithuania, in which the hydrological regime and/or morphological conditions have been subject to damage or change (surface water bodies affected by land reclamation, and water bodies with eroded slopes); 39.3. a system of green areas or a part thereof; 39.4. reserves designated by municipalities. 40. The activity carried out in an area shall comply with the solutions of the master or special plan of the municipality or its division. 41. Where the activity is carried out in a (detached or attached) green area, the Law on Green Areas and its implementing regulations shall be followed in addition to these Methodological Guidelines. 42. In describing the objectives and targets of project development, the following shall be provided: a general characterisation of the landscape in accordance with the solutions of the National Landscape Management Plan and an insert of an appropriate drawing; solutions of the effective master and/or special territorial planning documents with explanations on how they relate to the project and an enclosure of their graphic representation; a brief description of the ecological importance of the area, and a graphic representation of the relations of the nature frame components of the area with adjacent areas. 43. When carrying out activities related to landscape formation on the nature frame, the following requirements shall be complied with: 43.1. Efforts shall be made to preserve the characteristics typical of the area and prevent damage to natural landscape structures and ecosystems; 43.2. Up to one-third of the total area subject to management (excluding surface water bodies) shall be left for the development of natural ecosystems, i.e. the area shall not be subject to continuous cultivation, natural landscape formation processes and naturally growing green areas of goof ecological status shall be preserved, and in separate sections natural shores of water bodies and other natural surfaces shall stay unchanged; 43.3. The entirety of green areas and plants in the area shall be formed so that it combines with green areas and plants outside the area subject to management; 43.4. Where a river section is being maintained, maintenance operations shall be carried out so as to ensure the ecological integrity of migration corridors: operations shall be commenced or continued from an existing natural (or renaturalised) site and fragmented management of bank sections shall be avoided. Maintenance operations shall cover a section not shorter than 1 km; 43.5. When maintaining territories of regulated rivers and their buffer strips, attempts shall be made to convert them to green links that help to retain or restore the vitality of the environment, meet the needs of migrating birds and connect areas important for biological diversity; 43.6. Land areas at confluences (meeting points of rivers) shall stay natural. The definite distance shall be determined during the analysing of the hydrological regime of a river; 43.7. The guiding documents for the management of surface water bodies and their shores shall include Order No D1-1038 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 16 December 2014 “On the approval of the description of the requirements for the management of surface water bodies”, and the Recommendations for the implementation of the requirements laid down in Annex 2 to the Description of the requirements for the management of surface water bodies approved by Order No D1-1038 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 16 December 2014 “On the approval of the description of the requirements for the management of surface water bodies”, approved by Order No AV-83 of the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of 1 April 2015 “On the Recommendations for the implementation of the requirements laid down in Annex 2 to the Description of the requirements for the management of surface water bodies approved by Order No D1-1038 of the Minister of Environment of the 47 Republic of Lithuania of 16 December 2014 “On the approval of the description of the requirements for the management of surface water bodies””; 43.8. Efforts shall be made to plant vegetation and conserve plants in an area of at least 40 percent (including existing plants); 43.9. Perennials shall be planted; 43.10. Invasive plant species subject to destruction shall be entered on the List of invasive species of organisms in Lithuania approved by Order No D1-433 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 16 August 2004 “On the approval of the List of invasive species of organisms in Lithuania and the repeal of certain orders of the Minister of Environment”. The control and destruction of invasive species shall be carried out in accordance with the Procedure for the control and destruction of invasive species approved by Order No 352 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 1 July 2002 “On the approval of the Procedure for introduction, reintroduction and translocation, the Procedure for the control and destruction of invasive species, the composition and the regulations of the Invasive Species Control Council and the Programme of Reintroduction and Translocation”; 43.11. A notice of the intent to destroy invasive species in the territory of a municipality shall be sent to the Ministry of Environment; 43.12. In conducting construction and other operations, the fertile layer of the soil shall be preserved. The removed earth shall be used for the planting of vegetation, reinforcement of slopes and improvement and rehabilitation of soils; 43.13. No artificial steep slopes (steeper than 10 degrees) shall be formed; 43.14. In urbanised areas, plant compositions may be grown on walls, roofs and other structures; 43.15. Solutions for the use of rainwater in the formation and maintenance of landscape elements shall be provided for; 43.16. With a view to removing objects (such as wagons, non-used construction waste, containers and other movable objects) that diminish the aesthetic value of landscape, cooperation with the owners of those objects shall be maintained; 43.17. Installing waterproof artificial covers in humid or flooded places or sites with difficult access shall be avoided. Wooden trails that would enable the public to know and observe the landscape of the area may be installed instead; 43.18. The area shall be equipped with an outdoor information system that presents its landscape and provides information on its ecological values, for the conservation of which fragment of the natural landscape (not subject to upkeep or cultivation) shall be left. The information shall be put up at the main entrances to the area or by specific objects, but in all cases it shall match the area landscape visually, in particular it shall not surpass the ecological and aesthetic landscape values in the area by its dimensions or colour solutions. 44. Applying measures against erosion, the following principles shall be observed: 44.1. Sections of shores where slopes higher than 1 metre are eroded and/or where erosion can cause danger to buildings or installations may be subject to reinforcement. In slope reinforcement, priority shall be given to natural materials and practices; 44.2. Rock shall only be used to reinforce sections of river banks that are rocky in nature; 44.3. Heavily eroded steep slopes may be reinforced using integrated methods. The height of rock pavements shall comply with the scale of the valley. Straight lines and regular rock mosaics shall be avoided; 44.4. Land works, clearcutting and stump removal shall be prohibited on stable river slopes that are steeper than 10 degrees and covered with trees and shrubs. Where removing trees from slopes is necessary, removing tree stumps is not recommended but it is advisable to cut them at ground level and reinforce slopes by planting shrubs with a strong root system typical of Lithuania between stumps; 44.5. To stop lateral erosion (meanders), naturally growing tree and shrub systems shall not be changed, in particular stumps of naturally growing trees with a root system that provides natural reinforcement to banks shall be left; 48 44.6. When planting vegetation in reformed river valleys, plants of local species shall be used by adapting them to natural growing conditions. Alien species should only be planted on small plots and should not be dominant; 44.7. Modifying both river banks (i.e. reinforcing, levelling out, lowering or covering them) on the same section shall be avoided. CHAPTER V SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVITIES ON THE FORMATION OF REFERENCE (MODEL, REPRESENTATIVE) LANDSCAPE IN TRANSFRONTIER AREAS 45. The activity shall be implemented in the landscape of transfrontier approaches, i.e. an area visible (the field of view of up to 1 km) from trunk and local roads (listed in point 2) that cross the state border of the Republic of Lithuania. The distance between an area subject to management and the state border shall be not more than 10 kilometres. 46. The activity of reference landscape formation in transfrontier areas may be carried out by local and trunk roads: 46.1. which, in accordance with the National Landscape Management Plan, are located within areas assigned to landscape visual structure types V3H3, V3H2, V3H1, V3H0, V2H3, V2H2, V2H1, V2H0 and V1H3: Panevėžys region (local road 122); Utena region (trunk road A6); Vilnius region (trunk road A3, locals roads 103 and 110), Alytus region (trunk road A4, local road 135), Marijampolė region (trunk road A5, local road 184); and Klaipėda region (local road 167); 46.2. which have international road border crossing points at the external European Union borders (with Russia and Belarus): Tauragė region (trunk road A12), Marijampolė region (trunk road A7), and Vilnius region (trunk road A15). 47. The activity being implemented shall comply with solutions of the master plan of a municipality or its division and the landscape quality objectives provided for therein, and elaborate on solutions of the special and detailed plans (if these are drawn up for the area). 48. The implementation of the activity of reference landscape formation in transfrontier areas shall pursue the aims of increasing the ecological full value of transfrontier areas and the aesthetic attractiveness of their landscapes, utilising trunk roads for landscape observation and knowledge and the introduction of local values and contributing to the enhancement of the landscape information potential of these areas (increase of landscape visibility, protection and management of plants, restoration and maintenance of the relief, display of outdoor information on the landscape and other measures for improving visual landscape quality). 49. With a view to avoiding fragmented management and enhancing the aesthetic quality of the whole landscape visible from the roads referred to in point 41, and as part of the implementation of measures to improve aesthetic landscape quality, visually untidy transfrontier areas outside the boundaries of the area subject to management shall be identified, proposals for the improvement of their aesthetic quality shall be provided and cooperation shall be maintained with business representatives and owners of private facilities and land on the implementation of these proposals. 50. The description of the objectives and targets of project development shall include: a general characteristics of the landscape in accordance with solutions of the National Landscape Management Plan, and inserts of appropriate drawings; solutions of the valid master and/or special territorial planning documents with explanations on how they are related to the project, and an enclosed excerpt of their graphic representation; and an identification of landscape complexes, elements or features to be represented or highlighted. 51. The guiding requirements for the activity of reference landscape formation in transfrontier areas shall be as follows: 51.1. Views forming the identity of the area (important landscape observation points, panoramas and perspectives) and landscape values present in the area shall be identified and characterised, and panoramic pictures shall be made. While preparing the descriptions, the key elements forming the landscape composition shall be distinguished, and natural and cultural 49 dominant sites, other forming elements, scale, typical, lines, colours and textures, observation angles and associative and other values shall be identified; 51.2. Measures for enhancing aesthetic landscape value shall be provided for, which should also increase the individuality, compositional harmony and meaningfulness of the landscape and contribute to the maintenance or restoration of the ecological balance of the area (opening of picturesque and valuable panoramas, maintaining good status of agricultural areas, buildings, infrastructure and plants, regulating commercial advertising, grass cutting, covering visually aggressive objects with vegetation, and maintaining damaged areas). Choosing such measures, it should be evaluated whether they harmonise with the surrounding landscape, comply with the historical character of the region and contribute to the maintenance of ecosystem stability and restoration, honouring of the heritage and highlighting of associative landscape elements; 51.3. Important local ecological, historical, cultural, symbolic, associative and memorial landscape elements (separate trees or alleys, springs, small rivers, hills and stones of exceptional shapes or origin, crosses, fences, other historical signs, etc.) that enhance the picturesque and memorable character of the landscape shall be highlighted and conserved; 51.4. Measures for increasing the identifiable and informative features of the landscape shall be provided for (installation of observation points and information boards on the landscape and valuable features of the region, renovation and equipment of small landscape architecture structures, adaptation of existing recreational grounds and public spaces for the honouring of the landscape, etc.); 51.5. Integrated projects shall be pursued, involving the coordination of investments and measures designed to improve the aesthetic and ecological quality of the landscape, increase the competitiveness and attractiveness for the region for tourists and investors, and renovate buildings and engineering infrastructure and restore its functionality. 52. Works for the installation of observation sites (observation points) shall include: 52.1. An analysis of the valuable features of the landscape to be observed: specifying the valuable aspects of the area (immanent, ecological, historical and cultural, economic, aesthetic, etc.), providing individual features of the landscape and indicators of the valuable landscape components: the relief including its scale and nature, height and visible specific formations; water bodies including their scale and nature, size and abundance of formations; vegetation including its height, species, spatial structure and abundance of formations (e.g. continuous wooded areas, separate plants, plant groups, etc.); buildings including their size, spatial structure and types, abundance of formations, historical and cultural value, materials used, the ratio of areas covered with plants and buildings (types of visually dominating areas); 52.2. Preparation of a general description of the observation site: address, general name, photographing point coordinates, absolute altitude above sea level, brief characteristics of the visible landscape and the direction of an observable panorama with respect to the cardinal points; 52.3. Making of professional pictures of the view opening from an observation site (noting the date and hour, weather conditions and photographing height and direction); 52.4. Formation and installation of observation grounds. Where possible, such grounds shall be installed by adapting and utilising the engineering and transport infrastructure existing in the area; 52.5. Installation of access paths (where no such paths exist); 52.6. Installation of information boards using the descriptive, graphic and visual (photographic) material of observation sites. Information boards shall be erected so as to visually comply with the landscape by their dimensions and colour solutions, and not to dominate over the ecological and aesthetic landscape values present in the area. 53. In developing management projects for reference landscape formation in transfrontier areas, it shall be recommended to use the following publications issued by the Ministry of Environment: the Landscape formation guidelines for state roads and railways, the Methodology for identifying visual pollution of natural landscape complexes and objects, and the Methodology for the management of green areas and plants. Insertion of the Annex: No D1-181, 14.03.2016, published in the Register of Legal Acts 16.03.2016, identification code 2016-04960 50 51 Action plan on the conservation of landscape and biological diversity for 2015−2020 Annex 4 NATIONAL CONSERVATION NETWORKS OF NATURAL HABITATS OF COMMUNITY IMPORTANCE No Habitat name Target habitat area for conservation, ha Total in the country Of which in the network of areas important for habitat conservation 1 1130 Estuaries 7 611 7 449 2 1150 Lagoons 31 963 30 893 3 1170 Reefs 46 104 18 819 4 2110 Embryonic shifting dunes 205 138 5 2120 White dunes 824 509 6 2130 Grey dunes 846 659 7 2140 Dunes with Empetrum nigrum 56 56 8 2170 Dunes with Salix repens ssp. argentea 22 16 9 2180 Wooden sea dunes 4 805 1 897 10 2190 33 31 11 2320 Dry sand heaths 60 60 12 2330 Inland dunes with open grasslands 464 178 13 3130 Lakes of low mineralisation with vegetation communities of Littorelle-teauniflorae 357 313 14 3140 Lakes with chlorophyta communities 9 788 7 969 15 3150 Natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition communities 4 423 2 486 16 3160 Natural dystrophic lakes 1 785 1 171 17 3190 Lakes of gypsum karst 15 10 18 3260 River rapids with Batrachian communities 1 0811 9531 19 3270 Rivers with muddy banks 22 19 20 4030 Heaths 926 674 21 5130 Juniper formations 100 80 22 6120 Sand calcareous grasslands 151 33 23 6210 Steppe grasslands 2 619 618 24 6230 Species-rich Nardus grasslands 186 73 25 6270 Species-rich bentgrass formations 21 996 2 067 26 6410 Molinia meadows 560 167 27 6430 Eutrophic tall herb communities 1 678 482 28 6450 Alluvial meadows 14 198 5 913 29 6510 Mesophyte hay meadows 31 169 5 101 30 6530 Wooded meadows 894 87 52 31 7110 Active raised bogs 12 395 11 460 32 7120 Degraded raised bogs 6 125 3 337 33 7140 Transition mires and quaking bogs 6 432 3 494 34 7150 Depressions on peat substrates of the Rhynchosporion 142 140 35 7160 Non-calcaerous springs and springfens 384 198 36 7210 Fens with Cladium mariscus 78 73 37 7220 Petrifying springs with tufa formation 16 12 38 7230 Alkaline fens 938 589 39 8210 Calcaerous rocky slopes 112 22 40 8220 Siliceous rocky slopes 392 162 41 8310 Caves 12 12 42 9010 Western Taiga 56 826 21 455 43 9020 Broad-leaved and mixed forests 16 154 3 658 44 9050 Herb-rich forests with Picea abies 29 647 6 399 45 9060 Coniferous forests on glaciofluvial eskers 795 311 46 9070 Wooded pastures 437 177 47 9080 Deciduous swamp woods 51 331 15 488 48 9160 Hornbeam forests 14 528 4 647 49 9180 Forests of ravines and slopes 8 128 2 791 50 9190 Dry oak woods 259 50 51 91D0 Bog woodland 49 422 27 160 52 91E0 Alluvial forests 28 058 6 253 53 91F0 Riparian elm forests 278 134 54 91T0 Lichen Scots pine forests 7 186 2 017 1 Length of a habitat in kilometres 2 Number of habitats in units Insertion of the Annex: No D1-181, 14.03.2016, published in the Register of Legal Acts 16.03.2016, identification code 2016-04960 Amendments: 1. Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, Order No D1-181, 14.03.2016, published in the Register of Legal Acts 16.03.2016, identification code 2016-04960 On the amendment to Order No D1-12 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 9 January 2015 “On the approval of the Action Plan on the Conservation of Landscape and Biological Diversity for 2015–2020”