Žemaitija has long been considered one of the most mysterious regions of Lithuania – forests shrouded in lowland mists, streams sinking in swamps, and centuries-old oaks here still protect not only biological diversity but also the living memory of the nation. It is precisely the biologically valuable and mature forests of Western Lithuania and their protection that have become one of the main priorities of the non-governmental organization “Sengirės fondas” this year.
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Currently, three forest plots are already protected in Žemaitija, covering more than 30 hectares. The first, the 6.08 ha Šilininkai forest in the Šilutė district, was purchased back in 2023. The latest plots, supplementing the forests protected in Western Lithuania, have been preserved in the Kretinga and Telšiai districts. The latter, the Venių forest, was purchased with public funds from the 2025 personal income tax support.
Moreover, an important direction of the foundation’s activities this year is to protect fertile deciduous forests of groups III–IV, which today are among the most vulnerable and least protected from intensive logging.
“The forests of Žemaitija have a special aura – the woods here still breathe the old Lithuania. Mature deciduous forests are among the most vital and richest ecosystems in our country. If we want to preserve future old-growth forests for future generations, we must preserve the remaining most valuable – mature, naturally formed, and old – forests that lack sufficient protection. Deciduous trees – oaks, maples, aspens – create an extraordinarily rich web of life that forms over centuries,” says Rimantė Paulauskaitė-Digaitienė, head of the “Sengirės fondas.”
The forest rich in Žemaitian fairies in the Telšiai district
This May, the 14.48 ha Venių forest in the Telšiai district, purchased with public personal income tax support, belongs to forest group IV and therefore has no official protection from logging. Under the care of the “Sengirės fondas,” this plot with all forms of life will live for hundreds of years.
The forest is in a hollow, so part of it is watery – channels wind through the forest, there are swamps and puddles, and a stream runs through the center of the plot, where beaver dams are also located. Such a complex terrain resembles the dark Žemaitija forests mentioned in legends, where mythical creatures live that can mislead visitors among the swamps.
Additionally, the protected plot features mature trees – oaks, maples, aspens, spruces – and lively (dead) wood. This forest has many signs of wildlife – woodpeckers, moose, wild boars, beavers, cranes, and traces of beaver activity have been found.
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Foundation scientist Dr. Zita Rasuolė Gasiūnaitė, visiting the forest, met several of its inhabitants – the pine marten, hazel grouse, beaver, dormice, sea eagles, owls, great and blue tits, the bullfinch, blackbirds, the black woodpecker, the great spotted woodpecker, cranes, whooper swans, and owls.
Another old-growth forest will thrive on the river slopes of the Kretinga district
In April, the “Sengirės fondas” purchased a 10 ha plot in the Alksnos forest, Kretinga district. These Žemaitija lands are special for their historical and cultural heritage – hillforts, burial mounds, and settlements where people lived from the 1st millennium BC.
This mature patch of Žemaitija forest was purchased thanks to the conscious mobilization of society – the announcement was shared by a foundation supporter, and the purchase was financed by the company “360 Mind.”
The mixed forest, classified as group II, is part of the Kartenalė entomological reserve. On the plot, along the riverbanks, there are oaks over 60 years old. Maples, white alders, birches, spruces, and aspens also grow here. Steep slopes are carved by riverbeds, and a “Natura2000” area and a habitat of European Community importance have been designated there.
This protected forest also has plenty of lively wood, animal trails, signs of deer activity, and black woodpecker markings. Near the plot, species registered in the Lithuanian Red Book are found: birds, animals, beetles, lichens, and various plants typical of old forests.
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