IGNALINA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY Address: Laisvės ave. 70,
LT-30122 Ignalina
tel. (8~386) 5 20 96
fax (8~386) 5 31 48 e-mail info@ignalina.lt IGNALINA The district covers 150,500 ha in the northeastern part of the country, bordering Belarus and Latvia, and comprises 12 local municipalities with a population of 25,600. It has poor agricultural potential. The other main occupations are construction, trade and public services. The district enjoys beautiful scenery, with over 200 lakes covering 11,540 ha,  connected by narrow streams and beautiful upper reaches of rivers. The forest cover in the district is greater than the national average, with nearly 51,000 ha under woodland. Most of the forest cover consists of fir and pine groves, 33,700 ha of which are under the administration of the Ignalina Forest Station and the Aukštaitija (Highlands) National Park. Part of the forest land has been privatized, and yields 38,000 m3 of timber per year. The district abounds in wildlife: fish, wild animals, mushrooms, berries, etc. With good scenic resources, the district has a strong tourism potential; 58% of the Aukštaitija (Highlands) National Park lies within its boundaries, and tourists are attracted by the beauty of the environment. The park contains almost all the species of flora and fauna found in the country.  There is a great variety of species: 78 kinds of protected plants grow in the park and 45 rare bird species are also found there. The Park administration is at Paluše where a tourism and recreation centre has been set up.
Tourists are welcome all year round. Most of them stay at the Recreation Centre at Paluše or in campsites. The Centre organizes boating excursions on all the adjacent lakes and also tours in the park, including visits to the quaint Museum of Beekeeping in Stipeikiai, Mount Ledakalnis, ancient villages, historic defence earthworks and ancient burial mounds. A pathway, lined with totem-like oak sculptures of local historic and legendary motifs, has been constructed along the edge of Lake Lusiai. A memorial museum, Rojus ("Paradise"), can be seen in Dukste. A national Winter Sports Centre has been established at Lake Žaliasai, including a roller-skating track, two mountain-skiing runs and a 40-m high ski jump. Concerts, exhibitions, international folk festivals and other events are organized at the Ignalina Community Cultural Centre.
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