9 Mar 2026
,Ukraine
In recent months, intensive logging has been taking place in Lithuania's border area with Belarus, particularly in sensitive regions along the Nemunas River, such as the Lazdijai district. Forests that have grown for centuries in these areas are disappearing due to clear-cutting, raising serious concerns among residents and environmentalists about the environmental consequences.
Clear-cutting is observed in various locations along the border zone, where even mature, valuable forests are being felled. The local community claims that such large-scale logging along the Nemunas Riverbanks has never been seen before. People fear that cutting down forests will disrupt bird habitats, reduce biodiversity, alter hydrological conditions, and increase the risk of erosion.
According to residents, clear-cutting leaves devastated areas without green cover, and changes in the microclimate could harm the entire ecosystem. “Our forests were our pride in nature. Now we see bare fields, and the birds and animals have disappeared, who knows where,” comments a representative of the Lazdijai district community.
The motivation for the logging was provided by the State Border Guard Service (VSAT). Representatives of the service explain that clearing forests in the border zone is necessary to ensure better visibility and thus more effectively combat smuggling, illegal migration, and other threats to the state.
According to border guards, logging is not carried out uniformly everywhere. Depending on the terrain and strategic needs, the width of the cleared areas along the border varies from a few dozen to even a hundred meters.
“Areas for clear-cutting are selected responsibly, taking into account where visibility is most critical to prevent crimes,”
emphasize VSAT representatives. They believe this decision is essential for national security.
Logging operations in the border area are carried out by a private company under a contract with the border guards. Although the company does not officially receive state funds for this work, it profits from selling the harvested timber. Before each logging operation, the work is coordinated with local forestry officials, and specialists make decisions regarding the most environmentally sensitive areas.
Nevertheless, these practices spark debate. The company operates legally under the agreed contract, but questions about the justification, transparency, and long-term benefits of these decisions arise within the forestry community and among residents.
One of the biggest disputes revolves around the legality of clear-cutting and its environmental impact. The Environmental Protection Department has launched an investigation to assess whether the logging violates legal regulations and whether the decisions made align with conservation interests.
The local community and environmentalists assert that such extensive forest destruction poses a threat not only to local flora and fauna but also to Lithuania's entire ecosystem. They urge authorities to seek alternative ways to strengthen border security that do not devastate centuries-old natural environments.
“Border security is important, but we must not forget nature conservation – we need to find a balance,”
note environmental representatives.
The rapidly disappearing border forests raise increasing questions about both environmental and law enforcement decisions, so broader discussions and potential changes in logging regulations are expected in the near future.
