Does Vilnius municipality really only have a few employees caring for its trees?

Concerns over the condition of trees in Vilnius have led to criticism of the city’s municipal government, with residents noting the frequent removal of long-standing trees in the city center and demanding more attention to the issue, LRT.lt reports.

A claim circulating among activist groups on social media suggests that only five people in Vilnius municipality are responsible for the city’s trees. The statement was made by arborist and tree conservation activist Ligita Poškutė, who referenced the work of the municipality’s Environmental Protection Programs and Green Space Management Division.

“There is no will, no care, no responsibility. Tree maintenance is the last priority for the municipality. Even public transport gets some attention. With trees, we just use what we inherited from Soviet times and keep going,” Poškutė told LRT.lt.

She argued that while cities like Vienna or Paris have thousands of people managing green spaces, Vilnius has only five employees responsible for all urban trees outside forests. Ideally, she said, each eldership (local administrative unit) should have at least one specialist monitoring tree health. Poškutė and other experts have long highlighted issues such as the health of mature trees, damage from winter salt spreading, and poorly executed construction and road repair work.

According to the Vilnius municipality’s website, the Green Space Division employs 16 people, though not all are directly responsible for trees—some handle administrative tasks. The municipality confirmed to LRT.lt that four specialists manage tree-related tasks across assigned elderships. For example, one specialist oversees trees in Western Vilnius, covering Justiniškės, Viršuliškės, Pilaitė, Karoliniškės, and Lazdynai, while another handles the Old Town, New Town, Žvėrynas, Naujininkai, and Grigiškės areas. These two also share responsibility for Vilkpėdė and Paneriai.

Another engineer monitors trees in Fabijoniškės, Šnipiškės, Pašilaičiai, and Šeškinė, while a fourth covers Antakalnis, Naujoji Vilnia, and Žirmūnai. The municipality states that two additional employees work on urban development projects, issue permits, and inspect construction sites, while another two oversee compliance with green space maintenance contracts, ensuring timely watering, pruning, and expert assessments.

This brings the total to at least eight full-time positions directly or indirectly involved in tree care. Additionally, five more employees plan tree planting in public spaces, advise road builders and designers, and coordinate construction and utility network installations. The municipal company Vilniaus miesto parkai manages the city’s parks, and a few specialists work in forests.

Poškutė counters that, beyond the four eldership specialists, the work of others cannot be effective if only two people are involved. “How many construction projects happen at once? Can they even control anything? They just issue permits—there’s no oversight. When violations are reported, like roots being damaged, two people can’t possibly monitor everything,” she said.

The municipality emphasizes that while four employees directly manage trees across 19 elderships, several others contribute to tree-related issues, including permits, planning, and park management. Critics, however, insist that more dedicated specialists are needed.