In 2011 we have won the tender, announced by the Ministry of Environment, for preparation of “Landscaping guidelines for state roads and railways”. The document was published in the end of 2013.

The „Landscape Guidelines for the Roads and Railways of national significance” is a manual set to fulfil requirements of European Landscape Convention (Florence, 2000) to broaden knowledge on this subject and to integrate landscape issues into all matters that influence the state and the future of landscape. It is believed that a set of ideas and insights in both landscape and road infrastructure will help to redefine new relation between those sectors in Lithuania.

The publication is focused on the needs of road engineers and experts as well as public servants, who work in the field of roads and railways. Planners, architects, civil engineers and other specialists working in road and railway management and design will find a range of recommendations, proposals which should be assumed with responsibility. The Guidelines can be useful to specialists of institutions, who take part in the process of road and railway development: national and regional authorities, municipalities, regional departments of environment and cultural heritage protection, State park directorates, politicians, local communities. It can be interesting for students of Universities studying technical and natural sciences, land management, environmental engineering or art (architecture) programmes.

The Guidelines reveal how traditional concept of modern road is related to its functionality, safety, capacity, level of service and layout; it can be combined with the criteria and considerations concerning the landscape, manifestation of national and regional identity, cultural, ecological, aesthetical values, and at the same time ensure the better quality of life.

The Guidelines were inspired by recent changes in Lithuanian and European roadscape and general tasks to ensure sustainability of road development, to draw attention to the best practices and built positive future safeguarding the identity, diversity and vitality of Lithuanian landscape.

This publication was prepared as part of the project „The Optimization of the Landscape Protection and Management, Implementing the National Landscape Policy” carried out by the Ministry of Environment in 2011-2013 within the framework of EU Cohesion promotion policy. Having in mind the complexity of the task, the Guidelines were prepared in close relationship and collaboration with various specialists with different educational background (roads engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, traffic safety, geography, biology, etc.) and different experience in infrastructure planning, road design, environmental impact assessment, administration, etc.

The manual consist of 10 chapters and 3 annexes. It is illustrated by maps, schemes, photos and drawings. Lithuanian and world-wide experience and examples are analysed.