Proposes stricter liability for animal damage to forests
With the increasing number of animals hunted in the country's forests, the Ministry of the Environment (MoE) is proposing to strengthen the responsibility of both hunters and forest owners, urging them to hunt more animals that cause damage to forests, while others are urged to take more care to protect their property.
„For (hunters – BNS) to be more active in regulating the game population, especially in places where they cause significant damage, and for owners to be more diligent in protecting their forests“, Zbigniew Glazko, a senior adviser in the Environment Ministry's Forest Policy Group, told BNS.
Hunted animals are causing more damage every year, he said, as they are increasing in number, especially red deer and elk, which are the most destructive to forest vegetation.
„Animal densities in individual forests are already above optimal limits. Hunters want to have as many of them in their forests as possible, so they feed them extra," the ministry's spokesman stressed.
When calculating the damage caused by game to forests, the ministry therefore proposes to take into account not only the damage caused, say, this year, but also the damage caused in the past, – during the whole period of growth of forest plantations and coppices, young stands or trees growing in stands.
„So that it is not the case that (the forest owner – BNS) sees (the animal – BNS) gnawing, scratching, peeling the bark, but doesn't report it to anyone, and when the plantations are completely destroyed, then he asks for compensation for the whole loss“, explained Z. Glazko.
He said private forests do not cover large areas and owners are able to detect areas damaged by animals.
„The average private forest estate is 2.5 hectares. Not hundreds or thousands of hectares, which may be impossible to see. Animals mostly damage young forest – scrape the tops, strip young bark. Therefore, every area must be looked after after after reforestation and replanting. In forests of half-aged, mature trees, this damage is usually not present," explained the Ministry's specialist.
Z. Glazko said that there have been cases where young stands have been damaged by beasts over several years and had to be replanted.
In some cases, the ministry proposes not to calculate or compensate for damage caused by such animals to the forest, for example, when animals have cut down shoots that are not protected by repellents or fences, when hunters have been banned from hunting in a place where they have not been reported to the headman or the hunting club.
„Obliges hunters to regulate the number of game. At the same time, if the owners do not protect themselves from the beasts or prohibit hunting on their land, then they are not entitled to compensation," the MP told BNS.
Kęstutis Mažeika, chairman of the Committee on Rural Affairs, said that such obligations for both hunters and forest owners are a "step forward".
„Damage to forests is the easiest to assess, and in the future we will wait for a procedure on animal damage to crops, where it is sometimes higher“, – the head of the committee told BNS.
Damage caused by hunted animals is usually compensated by hunters to forest owners.
According to the data of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the number of moose in Lithuania will increase more than fivefold between 2005 and the end of 2024 - from 4,000 to 21,000, roe deer from 80,000 to 162,000, red deer from 12,000 to around 100,000.
Deer could be found in the forests in 2016 with 3,000, while now there are about 13,000. Wild boar numbered about 30,000 at the end of 2024.
Similar articles
Video
