During these stages, pedestrian paths, stairs, viewpoints, a pedestrian bridge, educational and recreational areas, necessary infrastructure, transport connections, and the main entrance to the park from Geležinio Vilko Street will be installed.
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In the fourth stage, pedestrian and bicycle paths with the necessary infrastructure will be installed along Ukmergės Street. These changes are currently being designed.
“This large area, next to busy traffic streets, shopping centers, and the future Multifunctional Complex with the National Stadium, is a natural oasis in the city. Once the project is implemented, it will be more accessible, enriched with educational elements, and will help to understand how Vilnius’s natural environment was formed. Moreover, the paths of the ‘Mammoth Valley’ will be connected to the National Stadium infrastructure,” explained Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas.
Vilnius is the only European capital located on the edge of the last glaciation, whose landscape was shaped by advancing ice and meltwater flows. The educational space to be established in the area near the Multifunctional Complex will highlight this geological uniqueness of Lithuania.
‘Mammoth Valley’ will consist of walking paths, viewpoints revealing images of geological phenomena important to Vilnius. Plant gardens are also planned, which will be planted according to Earth’s development periods, “pastures” – playgrounds and rest areas, an ammunition path next to historic ammunition warehouses, and a new pedestrian bridge.
“The approximately 32-hectare ‘Mammoth Valley’ can be crossed by one of the paths in about an hour. The Ice Age story here will be told not only by stands – visitors will be able to learn about the geological time scale through specially created educational experiences, such as a scale revealing Earth’s geology, paths replicating the Ice Age time scale, a mammoth footprint model, or exhibitions of boulders brought by glaciers,” says Jonas Stravinskas, Head of the Design and Construction Management Department at Vilnius Development Company.
Such projects require strong general contractor competence and individual solutions.
“We have accumulated unique project implementation experience, which will be important in ‘Mammoth Valley’ – an exceptional city space where architectural and engineering solutions must harmoniously blend into the sensitive natural environment. We appreciate the trust and partnership of Vilnius Development Company in implementing this significant project for Vilnius,” says Arvydas Markevičius, CEO of UAB “Infes,” the winner of the tender.
More than 700 new trees characteristic of the area (pines, maples, birches, oaks, rowans, etc.) will be planted in the area being arranged at this stage, with a minimum trunk circumference of 10–16 cm. About 1248 sq. m of shrub groups and 136 individual shrubs will also be planted. After the paths are installed, various herbaceous plants typical of this area will be planted along their edges to restore the forest floor.
Local plants have been selected for planting, which will help reveal Lithuanian nature. The plant groups will consist of decorative species and varieties well adapted to Lithuania’s climatic conditions, requiring no special care.
Some paths will be elevated to protect trees and reduce the impact on their root systems. 15 trees will be transplanted to other locations within the ‘Mammoth Valley’ area.
‘Mammoth Valley’ will be located in a forest area where thousands of trees grow. To install future paths and rest areas and ensure comfortable and safe movement through the area, 313 trees will need to be removed during stages I–III. Of these, 147 are invasive species – 125 ash-leaved maples and 22 black locusts, and 36 are unprotected trees. Some of the removed greenery is affected by rot, has damaged trunks, broken tops, or other damages.
Ash-leaved maples are removed in the area according to a special ash-leaved maple eradication program carried out by Vilnius City Municipality and the Pavilniai and Verkiai Regional Parks Directorates, aimed at regulating the spread of invasive trees.
A partially open space will be established in the southeastern part of the area, welcoming visitors coming from Geležinio Vilko Street or accompanying them from the park. This place is planned to form a dry valley, exhibit geological artifacts, and the comfort of the environment will be created and local biodiversity increased by representative greenery.
The Vilnius Šeškinė slopes geomorphological reserve was established in 1996 to preserve a fragment of layered sediments deposited by meltwater flows of the glacier on the slopes of the Neris valley.
The first construction works in the area are planned to begin by the end of this year and be completed by the second quarter of 2028.
‘Mammoth Valley’ will be implemented according to the project of the company “Bauland,” which won the architectural competition.
UAB “Infes” has committed to perform the works of stages I–III for 10.98 million EUR including VAT. The project is co-financed by European Union funds – they will cover 5.4 million EUR of the expenses allocated for the project implementation.
