The weathering of the source material and the organisms that decompose organic material play an important role in soil formation Soil is the superficial loose layer of the earth’s crust, formed as a result of the weathering of the source material and the activity of plants and microorganisms. Soil is formed over a very long period of time by the interaction of many natural factors. Soil thickness...

About a quarter of the world’s biodiversity is located in the soil Soil consists of mineral and organic parts. The organic part of the soil consists of living organisms and organic residues at different stages of decomposition. It is estimated that only 1% of soil organisms are known and described to date. About a quarter of the world’s biodiversity is located in the soil [1]. The importance of...

Spatial planning that supports biodiversity Ecosystems offer people a variety of services, such as food, clean air, water, and a pleasant and healthy environment. The extent of the provision of ecosystem services varies from place to place. Concentration areas, or so-called hotspots, have a high potential for the provision of ecosystem services and/or are sensitive to disturbances, and these areas...

Due to its location, Estonia is on the border of the range of many species, which is why we have more species compared to the northern, western, and eastern areas According to data from the eElurikkus portal, more than 30,000 species are known in Estonia, but it is estimated that there are more than 40,000 species. The constantly updated information about them is gathered in the single database...

The species of the year receives more attention throughout the year Every year, natural scientists and environmentalists select new species to be introduced during the year. The animal of the year is selected (so far, only mammals have been selected), but also the bird, tree, fish, butterfly, orchid, moss, and fungus, as well as soil of the year. By being named the species of the year, the species...

A species protection site is a protected area established for the protection of the habitats and sites of protected species A species protection site is an area located outside of a protected area or in the limited management zone of a protected area, which is delimited according to the Nature Conservation Act and can be used in accordance with special requirements, and which is: the reproduction...

Since 2002, the Estonian national curricula have included the cross-cutting theme ‘The environment and sustainable development’ Aristokli Hrebtov, the inspector of the schools of Saaremaa and the founder of the Saaremaa Society of Friends of Nature (founded in 1913), prepared a detailed circular letter for schools, titled ‘For the preservation of nature works’, in which he called on people to...

As at 31 December 2024, there were a total of 4506 protected natural objects in Estonia. That is 51 objects more than in the previous year. In the following, the difference in the number of objects compared to 2023 is shown in brackets. The more detailed breakdown by type is as follows: nature reserves – 242 (no change ↔); landscape protection areas – 150 (no change ↔); national parks – 6 (no...