Environmental Protection
A healthy natural environment is directly linked to human health, quality of life, biodiversity, and the local economy. Therefore, its protection is crucial for nature, for people, and for the city.
Nature is the foundation for human quality of life and societal well-being – our daily environment, resources, and health directly depend on it. It performs essential functions: regulating the climate, maintaining water and soil cycles, ensuring biodiversity, pollinating agricultural crops, and providing opportunities for recreation and leisure.
However, human activity is placing increasing pressure on natural ecosystems. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is one of the biggest health hazards in the European Union – it causes approximately 400,000 premature deaths annually, with the highest pollution levels recorded in cities. 63% of rivers and 64% of lakes in Lithuania do not meet good ecological status criteria, most often due to pollution, excessive use of fertilizers and their entry into water bodies, wastewater discharge, and the impact of intensive economic activity.
Significant changes are also occurring in the soil – over the past few decades, the planet has lost about a third of its fertile land. Intensive land use, pollution, and climate change accelerate erosion, reduce organic matter content, and weaken the soil’s ability to store carbon. Concurrently, due to habitat loss, pollution, invasive species, and climate change, biodiversity is rapidly declining – this species extinction is largely a consequence of human activity.
Therefore, nature protection is an integral part of climate neutrality, public health, and quality of life. Protecting clean air and water, preserving biodiversity, and restoring ecosystems are essential for creating a healthy, resilient, and resident-friendly environment.
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Situation
in Tauragė
Tauragė District is characterized by high natural value – protected areas constitute approximately 24.5% of the total municipal area (the Lithuanian average is about 15%). The district includes Pagramantis Regional Park, Viešvilė State Nature Reserve, Visbarai Biosphere Polygon, reserves, NATURA 2000 sites, and natural heritage objects. The hydrographic network is also dense – over 70 rivers flow through the municipality, and there are lakes and ponds, with the most important ecological and recreational axes linked to the valleys of the Jūra and Beržė rivers.
Environmental quality monitoring is carried out according to the 2022–2027 environmental monitoring program, covering air, surface, and groundwater. In 2024, air quality studies showed that the limit values for major pollutants were not exceeded, but higher concentrations are recorded in the central part of the city due to intensive car traffic. To better inform residents, it is planned to install continuous air quality monitoring equipment and a public information system.
Surface water studies show varying urban impacts: the ecological status of the Jūra River remains good or very good, the impact of the city is more pronounced in the Beržė stream, and the Trumpė stream shows the largest quality fluctuations and clearer signs of anthropogenic pollution. Groundwater monitoring indicates that most of the studied objects do not cause significant pollution, but an increased impact on groundwater was identified in the wastewater treatment plant area. Drinking water quality generally meets requirements, although challenges remain regarding iron, manganese, and ammonium concentrations.
The situation of green spaces is also significant at the city level. The Tauragė City Greenery Strategy prepared in 2025 showed that green spaces are unevenly distributed – they are lacking in some residential areas, especially in densely built-up territories. The greatest green potential is concentrated in the Jūra River valley, and the main directions are related to street greening, public space landscaping, and strengthening green connections to improve quality of life and the city’s ecological resilience.
Projects
Tauragė City Green Space Maintenance Information Model
An innovative information model for Tauragė city green space maintenance has been developed and implemented. The project aimed to modernize and optimize the management of the city’s public spaces, particularly green areas and green spaces, by utilizing advanced geographic information system (GIS) solutions. The project was implemented in collaboration with UAB “Hnit-Baltic” and funded through GovTech Lab Lithuania.
Mission for a Climate-Neutral Municipality by 2030
In 2022, Tauragė District Municipality was included in the list of 100 European cities that, under the EU mission “100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities,” will aim to implement an experimental innovation program and become climate-neutral settlements by 2030. Learn more – Cities Mission.
Tree Relocation
2022 To preserve the pines growing in the area of the future bypass, 30 pines were transplanted. The pines, 3–4 meters high and approximately 7–10 years old, were relocated from the forest to several areas within Tauragė city: next to the children’s playground on the south side, where the sun used to be intense in summer, and between the roadway and the parking lot near residential buildings.
Forest Planting in Skaudvilė
2022 Tauragė District Municipality, together with Public Institution “Myliu mišką,” launched the campaign “Exchange a Coffee Cup for a Tree.” During this initiative, residents, businesses, and organizations of the district had the opportunity to contribute to the largest forest planting event in Tauragė District, located in Skaudvilė. Throughout the project, businesses and residents provided support for planting 7,647 saplings. During the forest planting event, the Skaudvilė community and the Tauragė District community planted as many as 1,500 saplings. The remaining portion was planted by contractors from Public Institution “Myliu mišką.”
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