Everywhere in the Estonian state forest, a felling peace is in force from mid-April to mid-June Sustainable forest management means growing, using, managing, and protecting forests in such a way as to ensure biodiversity, forest productivity, regeneration and viability, and the possibility of diversified forest use that meets ecological, economic, social, and cultural needs. Biodiversity is one of...

Biodiversity conservation also supports agriculture, forestry, and fishery Human activity has shaped the biodiversity in Europe for more than 5,000 years, since agriculture and animal husbandry first became widespread. However, the agricultural and industrial revolutions of the last 150 years have led to sharp and rapid changes in land use, agriculture, and urbanisation. As a result, we are...

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...

As at 31 December 2024, a total of 23,4% of Estonia’s area, including both land and waters, is under protection The area of protected areas in Estonia increased significantly in 2004, when the Natura 2000 network was established. As a result, the share of protected areas increased from 11% to 17% of land and then continued to increase gradually. The area of protected areas in the territorial sea...

The main databases and distribution atlases on Estonian biodiversity of the last twenty years are available from the eElurikkus portal Species distribution atlases The species distribution atlas (formerly as a book, nowadays also online) reflects the distribution of species in Estonia over a period of time and has been compiled by species groups (for example, plants, mammals, birds). Published...

Nature conservation indicators show how successful nature conservation activities have been and the good/bad status of the nature. Just as a thermometer shows us whether we have a fever or if the temperature stays within the norm, environmental indicators show the state of our communities, species, and the environment in general. Nature conservation indicators, however, show how successful nature...

The purpose of monitoring is to provide information on changes in the state of the environment in Estonia. The objective of wildlife monitoring is to determine: the changes in species abundance and distribution and in communities; the impact of land use on biodiversity (such as the impact of the increasingly intense agricultural activity on insects or birds). The purpose of monitoring species and...

The data collected in the framework of national environmental monitoring is reliable and of high quality Estonia has three levels of environmental monitoring: state, local government, and voluntary monitoring. The performance of environmental monitoring is regulated by the Environmental Monitoring Act. The state environmental monitoring is divided into 12 sub-programmes, which provide a...

The diversity and species richness of a landscape is not just a value in itself, but it also provides direct economic benefit for farmers. At first, it might seem that leaving a buffer strip between crop fields doesn’t have a direct effect on the crops. However, research has shown that the wildlife and vegetation of these buffer strips can migrate to the fields. According to an outdated belief...

One of the key reasons behind global biodiversity loss is change in land use, which includes agricultural practices that cause extensive damage to the environment. Even though we don’t want to admit this to ourselves, Estonia’s landscapes, soil and water environment and biodiversity have been seriously affected by agricultural techniques that prioritise high yields. Valuable yet vulnerable islands...