Green Wave initiative

The Green Wave initiative in Vilnius aligns with global efforts to combat climate change, following commitments made at the COP26 climate summit to reduce deforestation by 2030. This community-driven project aims to increase the city’s tree canopy cover, promote afforestation, and enhance urban spaces with greenery.

The initiative's ambitious goal is to plant over 100,000 trees, 10 million shrubs, and 300,000 climbing vines across Vilnius, transforming the city's streets into a more sustainable and livable environment.

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The Green Wave initiative, launched in 2021, relies on the participation of residents to plant or donate trees to the municipality, who can benefit from specialist assistance in the afforestation process. The residents of Vilnius are also invited to plant next to their homes, workplaces or in the areas of the city of their choice. Vilnius Municipality provides all the support and expert advice necessary for such activities. Although the "Green Wave" term is no longer used, the sustained support from the Municipality has remained unwavering.

The initiative encourages active citizen participation through various activities:

• Seedlings as gifts: every year, Vilnius City donates thousands of bush seedlings to residents who wish to enhance their community yards.
• Voluntary community planting events: each spring, citizens can join organised tree-planting events in various micro-districts across Vilnius. Specialists from Vilnius City Parks select the best locations, ensuring the effectiveness of these efforts.
• Green roofs and fences: the initiative extends beyond streets, incorporating green rooftops and fences.
• Sustainable grassland mowing: in 2022, Vilnius has adopted a no-mow meadow strategy, allowing grass to grow naturally in select areas. This approach reduces air pollution, prevents soil erosion, retains rainwater, and provides a habitat for various plant and animal species The policy changes every year. Theyleft most of the areas unmowed and received backlash from the residents; in 2023 it was changed to the “particular area, e.g. neighborhood yards, mowing”, leaving the road pavements unmowed. In summer 2025 they started mowing most of the areas, again.
• Biodiversity conservation in drylands: recognising the ecological importance of deadwood, the city has adopted a policy of leaving some fallen trees in parks to support over 5,000 organisms that depend on decomposing wood.
• Creation of the Batoras Forest-Park: this area, earmarked for afforestation in the city’s master plan, is already seeing the creation of walking paths and the planting of hundreds of trees, with plans for 2,000 trees in total. This ongoing project highlights Vilnius's commitment to creating green spaces that enhance urban biodiversity and the quality of life for its residents.
• Creation of Christmas Forest: the greening initiative(s) continues to grow, and healthy spruce/fir trees are planted after being used as Christmas trees by people.
• The Greenness Index Calculator: the city is the first in Lithuania to offer a tool for assessing the environmental impact of designed spaces. This allows architects to evaluate the eco-efficiency of projects, from the ratio of hard to permeable surfaces to the absorption of rainwater.

The Green Wave initiative is making progress toward its ambitious goals. As of 2022, 36,000 trees, 78,000 shrubs, and 3,000 vines/creepers have been planted, contributing to a healthier urban ecosystem. Additionally, the Lazdynai swimming pool now has Vilnius' first large-scale green roof (1,000 m²) planted with a variety of species, contributing to biodiversity and reducing air pollution. 

8,200 climbing plants have also been distributed to schools and kindergartens to create greener, healthier environments that shield against noise and pollution.

• A key driver of success has been broad stakeholder involvement. The municipality recognised that it could not achieve these goals alone, so it engaged businesses, educational institutions, and local citizens. Organising free events where residents plant trees together has proven to be an effective way to foster community participation and environmental stewardship.
• The transition from the "Green Wave" branding to broader, ongoing planting initiatives has kept the momentum going, ensuring continued engagement.
• Another factor contributing to the success of the initiative has been the focus on dense, high-quality greening. By choosing a diverse range of plants and improving soil quality, the city has been able to create spaces that function well ecologically.
• The financial backing—such as the 2 million euros allocated for planting initiatives this year—has provided the necessary resources for the projects to scale and reach their full potential.

• Regulatory and bureaucratic barriers when navigating existing urban regulations and long-established practices that sometimes conflict with innovative greening efforts
• The shift from the "Green Wave" term to more general seasonal planting initiatives has required constant adaptation to ensure that the projects fit within existing frameworks while still addressing new environmental goals.
• Planting trees and shrubs in unconventional spaces (e.g. middle of streets or near underground infrastructure) has required careful planning and negotiation.
• While the Municipality takes responsibility for post-planting care, there is still room for improvement in creating a more sustainable maintenance model that could involve local communities, requiring a long-term strategy
• Balancing innovation with traditional urban practices remains a challenge, but the Municipality continues to refine its approach
• Aligning city contractors with greening goals, as planting projects involve complex logistics and require continuous coordination

• Over 36,000 trees, 78,000 shrubs, and 3,000 vines had been planted by 2022, visibly transforming the urban landscape
• Residents participate in large numbers during annual community planting events, supported by free seedlings and municipal expertise
• The Greenness Index Calculator enables assessment of environmental impact, encouraging sustainable urban design
• Biodiversity has increased through measures such as no-mow zones, green roofs, and the conservation of deadwood habitats
• Dedicated municipal funding (€2 million in one year) has ensured the scale and continuity of activities

• Integrate urban greening into long-term planning documents and spatial development strategies
• Facilitate active citizen involvement by providing tools, materials, and simple processes to join in
• Involve a wide range of partners early on, including schools, businesses, NGOs, and technical experts
• Adopt digital tools to monitor ecological impact and guide greening choices
• Maintain flexibility in branding and structure while keeping long-term goals consistent
• Establish sustainable maintenance practices that involve communities alongside municipal contractors​​​​​​​

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