Change in the area of Lithuanian trees and shrubs greenery in 2002–2022

The topic of this article is relevant because in Lithuania the assessment of the area occupied by plantations and green spaces has shown that the area standards do not meet the requirements and recommendations of the World Health Organization. Green spaces are regulated differently in different countries of the European Union. Lithuania has also developed a legal framework for the protection, management and establishment of new plantations and green spaces. However, this legal framework is improving and new laws are being added to it. Comparative, analytical, as well as statistical, and logical analysis methods were used for the investigation. The data of the Land Fund of the Republic of Lithuania for 2002–2022 were used for comparative investigation. The aim of this article is to perform an analysis of the change in the trees and shrubs greenery area of Lithuania in 2002–2022. In Lithuania, for example, trees and shrubs occupied 84,687.48 ha in 2002. In 2022, the plantation area amounted to 208,609.48 ha. From 2002 to 2022 the area of tree and shrub plantations in Lithuania increased by 123,922.00 ha or 146.33%. The analysis shows that in the period between the years 2002 and 2022 the biggest increase in the area of shrubs and plantations took place in Utena County (32,715.83 ha or 395.27%), but the smallest increase in Tauragė County (2,642.93 ha or 37.69%) and Marijampolė County (4,581.39 ha or 72.25%). The development of plantation areas has been positively influenced by the creation of an appropriate legislative framework and the implementation of plantation programs in counties and municipalities.