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The Pakarklė forest, which is only a few tens of kilometers from Kaunas, is in danger of extinction because the entrepreneurs wanted to establish a gravel quarry here. Will they be able to take advantage of loopholes in the law?
Forest funeral
The Pakarkl bosque Forest extends in the Kaunas district between the villages of Vilkija, Jaučakiai and Naujienos. It is also bordered by the Paštuva Botanical Reserve, which is why the locals often call Pakarklė forest simply Paštuva. In addition, near this forest there is another protected natural corner: the Karklė Ichthyological Reserve.
In order to draw attention to the plans to destroy part of the Pakarklė forest, the indifferent community organized a protest campaign “Forest Funerals” this week. In the rest area, people placed wreaths and lit candles. The locals fear that there will not be a more beautiful corner of nature and they will be replaced by a gravel quarry.
“We want to preserve the forest. We are responsible for this place. Now we collect signatures so that there is no quarry. We invite you to discuss and preserve the corner of nature. We ask both the elderly and the municipality to preserve the forest. . We even prepared a request for no quarry, “said Monika Sadauskaitė-Pocė, president of a community.
He noted that the forest is important not only for the people living in the surrounding settlements, but also for tourists. The latter come from both Kaunas and other Lithuanian cities to admire the natural forest. According to her, the forest also receives foreign visitors, so she would like to preserve it and not turn it into a gravel quarry.
“The vision of our community and the Rizgoniai company do not coincide at all. They intend to cut down trees: initially almost 8 ha, but they have the ambition to expand to almost 50 ha. We are really intimidated by such plans,” said the community leader. .
Now there is a garbage dump, the logging has already started, although there is actually a very sensitive natural space here.
The locals have noticed that various companies are simply digging quarries, but when resources are depleted, they are not replanting, so they do not want such activities to take place in the Pashtuva forest. In addition, community members noted that there are also heritage objects and ancient burial sites in the Pakarklė forest.
During the organized funeral in the forest, a coffin was placed and flowers were brought to the grave. There was even a funeral march. People also brought posters to the protest, “Visit the recreational forest quarry”, “Restore the status of a recreational forest”, “Don’t kill nature” or “Duobkasys – UAB” Rizgonys “.
Unique place
The organizers of the campaign pointed out that the Pakarklė forest is a unique place. There are only two such massive forests on the right bank of the Nemunas: Kulautuva and Pakarklė. These areas are protected by the Natura 2000 program.
“This is the northern slope of the Nemunas, where there are no more fauna and flora in Lithuania. The forest terrain is interesting, many people visit here. Only about 400 ha of Pakarklė state forest remain, about 100-120 It has been explored for The quarry will destroy the forest.
The biological, geological and possibly hydrological balance of the entire massif will be irreversibly altered. Without further investigation, it is a crime to carry out this project. We have nature reserves, key forest habitats and Natura 2000 all around us. The boundaries of the Karklė Ichthyological Reserve were also changed, because otherwise they would not have been able to carry out excavations here. Furthermore, the forest will not be suitable for recreation due to pollution and noise, and conditions for the local population will deteriorate significantly, ”said the locals.
Adolfas Paleckis, who has worked as a forester for several decades, also told Kauno Diena about the uniqueness of the Pakarklė forest.
“Until this forest was classified in the second category, no logging was done. As a result, specific species of flora and fauna can be found here. There are not so many valuable forests around Kaunas, so now it would be a misunderstanding destroy everything. A forest like this will never be here again, “said A. Paleckis.
He noted that the company “Rizgonys” is no longer properly managing the territory of the planned quarry. “Now there is a garbage dump, the logging has already started, although it is actually a very sensitive natural place here. I see sea eagles flying here, other rare birds occur. Of course, the quarry itself does not fall into the protected area, but here It is very close. Only here are the borders officially drawn, but the birds do not care so much if that piece of forest enters the protected area or not, they fly where it suits them. Having finished with that forest. I spoke with the ranger, nor I even knew there was something here. It seems like it would be kept especially secret, “wondered A. Paleckis.
Value: According to A. Paleckis, the Pakarklė forest has many valuable natural features. Photo by Justina Lasauskaitė
Attacked the photographer
Upon reaching the Pakarklė forest area, where a gravel quarry is planned, the locals showed the surroundings to the photographer of “Kauno diena”. But suddenly heavy machinery got in his way.
The man behind the wheel of the tractor introduced himself as the owner, blocked the road and demanded that the photos be deleted, otherwise he would not let go.
Afterward, Rizgoniai representatives softened their tone and recounted the plans over the phone.
Vytautas Maslauskas, director of the Rizgonys company, told Kauno Diena that geological investigations were carried out in the Pakarklological forest, during which the objective is to determine what the gravel resources are. According to him, whether there will be a quarry in the forest will become clear only after receiving responses from various institutions.
“A few months ago, we carried out a detailed geological exploration, validated the resources, now we developed an environmental impact assessment program and submitted it for your consideration. People are unhappy that we are cutting down forests, but now is the time for us to I don’t know all the institutions and communities. We have an area of 8 ha there, it has almost 1 million cubic meters of gravel. There will definitely be no impact on the forest itself, because 8 ha is a small area near the road, other objects they are much further away, “he explained. V. Maslauskas.
He pointed out that the company has another quarry in the town of Quves, but it is already finishing excavating it, so it is exploring new places.
“A geological investigation has just been carried out in the Pakarklė forest, nothing else is happening,” said the Rizgoniai chief.
The director disagrees
The representatives of the State Forestry Company (SFE) do not support Kauno Diena for the emergence of a quarry in the Pakarklė forest, since such an object is more suitable for open country territories than for forests. However, the SFE is still awaiting the findings from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The SFE were of the opinion that the forest should and should remain a forest, but acknowledged that they do not decide what will be done with the forest areas.
“The SFE carries out complex forestry activities in the state forests entrusted to it and is not the organizer of this planned economic activity – subsoil use. After the environmental impact assessment procedures of the planned economic activity, the conclusion on the quarry’s compliance with the legal requirements will be adopted by the EPA. In this case, the Lithuanian Geological Survey decides on the planned issuance of a sand / gravel quarry permit and the conversion of forest land to other uses. you must prepare a plan for the use of the subsoil for these decisions. ” SFE representatives said.
The old reserve, a really beautiful forest, is a sensitive area where streams flow.
There is only one clear fact that the SFE is awaiting the conclusions of other institutions on the impact of the quarry in the forest on the environment. Until then, no logging will be possible.
“The forest is not being prepared for the opening of a quarry. In accordance with the procedure established by law, the UAB Rizgonys has only carried out mineral exploration. However, logging is not carried out and cannot be carried out until also, if the Lithuanian Geological Survey does not issue a permit for the exploitation of the quarry or the organizers of the use of the quarry refuse to plan such activities and procedures. of exploitation are canceled “, – reasons that could suspend the exploitation project, representatives of the SFE.
The municipality opposes but sees loopholes in the law
The Kaunas District Municipality is in favor of preserving a valuable forest, as the issue is sensitive both in terms of assessing public opinion and the potential impact on the environment. However, there is a legitimate concern that employers will take advantage of loopholes.
“At the moment, we are still waiting for the answers from all the responsible institutions, because there is an area of state forest. The old reserve, a really beautiful forest, is a sensitive area with streams. In addition, there are remnants of ancient settlements, near the Holocaust memorial, so we really understand that Lithuania needs gravel, construction is underway, but everything must be used rationally, not destroying nature, “said Edmundas Mališauskas, adviser to the mayor of Kaunas district.
He noted that Rizgonys is dismantling the Quves quarry, but that there are no signs of recovery, although current laws state that it must be properly remedied when the excavation is completed.
Safety must first be ensured so that there are no steep slopes. There are several ways to manage a disused quarry. The area can be adapted to the needs of society, trees have been planted, etc., but this is not visible in the Kves quarry, which is being dismantled.
“The quarry occupies a very large area and it looks like the craters of Mars.
He said there were also loopholes in current laws. Small quarries, which are less than 1 ha, are not subject to high requirements, so they can germinate almost anywhere in your private areas. According to the adviser to the mayor of the Kaunas district, one of these small quarries is already in the village of Naujienos. When he went to see him, E. Malishuskas was hit by heavy machinery.
Furs – For unexpected guests, heavy machinery gets in the way of their careers. Photo of the Kaunas district municipality.
“I saw an ad that the excavation was already there, so I stopped while driving across the country. He almost attacked me with bulldozers. The problem is that small quarries do not need such detailed environmental impact assessments, so entrepreneurs can take advantage of that. laws, but legality and justice from the point of view of society are different things “, – noted the councilor to the mayor of the Kaunas district.
“Kauno diena” recalls that at the beginning of the year the Kaunas District Municipality did not approve the establishment of another quarry. Then the company “Ekostruktūra” intended to build a gravel quarry near Kulautuva, in the picturesque rural areas of Virbaliūnai.
This time, the district council indicated that the planned economic activity would have a negative impact on the communities of Kulautuva city, Virbaliūnai village and other surroundings, whose quality of life would be negatively and irreversibly affected due to noise, air pollution and landscape change. It was also argued that the sand and gravel quarry would destroy the exceptional tourist and recreational value of the Kulautuva tourist area, the uniqueness of the recreational environment, would have a negative impact on public health and the activities of the Kulautuva Rehabilitation Hospital of the Clinics of Kaunas, as well as affecting the existing heritage sites in said settlement.
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