Lithuanian private forest sector uniteds 234,600 private owners having 764,000 ha of private forest. This is 33% of total forest area in Lithuania and it is going to increase to 40% in the future. Average size of private forest holding is 4.5 ha. Holdings with the area up to 3 ha account 58% of the total number of private forest holdings in the country. About 55% of private forest owners live in rural areas. Usually newly established private forest owners want to gain from the forest financial benefits, and do not think about management and maintenance of their forest holding under the principles of sustainable forest management. Several surveys of private forest owners indicated that the main problem identified by the forest owners themselves is a lack of knowledge and experience in private forestry.

The objective of the project is inform and educate private owners of forest and land on the principles of sustainable forest management and biodiversity protection.

20 (twenty) one-day seminars on the topic will be organized in 10 districts of Lithuania: Alytus, Anyksciai, Birzai, Jurbarkas, Panevezys, Raseiniai, Siauliai, Silale, Trakai and Vilnius. About 500 participants are expected gain new knowledge about biodiversity protection and forest management. A handbook called ?Private forestry? (2,000 edition) will be published as well. At least 50% of its content will be devoted for the management of biodiversity.

Radio broadcasting, internet page and articles in newspapers will increase the access to wider society.

The grantee Public Organization Forest Study Center will work in close partnership with the network of private forestry ?United Forests? in terms of distribution of private forestry know-how, as well as with the General State Forest Enterprise, which will provide facilities for seminars in all regions. Moreover, Forest Study Centre will jointly work with Lithuanian Ornithological Society in developing information materials on biodiversity protection measures in private forests.