The Žuvinto, Žaltycio ir Amalvo pelkės wetlands in southern Lithuania form one of the country’s most important Natura 2000 sites, covering more than 18,000 hectares of marshes, lakes, and surrounding forests. This vast landscape is a refuge for numerous EU-protected bird species, including aquatic warbler, wood sandpiper, Eurasian bittern, little crake, and spotted crake.
The wetlands play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity, filtering water, and storing carbon. Yet they are under pressure from land drainage, pollution, and changing rainfall patterns. To counter these threats, the European Commission is funding a project through the LIFE Programme that supports Lithuania’s National Water Sector Plan. The initiative focuses on restoring water bodies, improving management of water resources, and reducing surface water degradation. Solutions developed through this project are intended to be shared and implemented across river basin districts throughout the country.
This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, acquired on 5 September 2024, captures the Žuvinto, Žaltycio ir Amalvo pelkės wetland areas in vivid detail. The satellite data makes it possible to monitor seasonal changes in vegetation, shifts in water levels, and impacts from human activity with precision.
By combining EU conservation policy with high-resolution satellite monitoring, Lithuania is working to safeguard these fragile ecosystems. The Žuvinto, Žaltycio ir Amalvo wetlands are not only a sanctuary for rare birds but also a vital part of Europe’s broader strategy to protect water quality and resilience in the face of environmental change.
Featured image credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery
