What is the Estonian nature conservation development plan? The nature conservation development plan until 2020 was adopted in 2012 and it defined the most important development directions in the fields related to nature conservation. The main objectives of the development plan are to promote nature education, to preserve the diversity of nature, and to preserve the functioning of the ecological...

In Estonia, nature conservation is organised by several agencies of the Ministry of the Environment The Ministry of the Climate is responsible for organising environmental and nature conservation, performing tasks related to land and spatial databases, organising the use, protection, reproduction, and accounting of natural resources, ensuring radiation protection, performing tasks related to...

The first nature reserve in Estonia and the Baltics was established in 1910 under the leadership of Artur Toom Early nature conservation It is difficult to accurately determine the beginning of the history of Estonian nature conservation. It is believed that sacred natural sites (for example, sacred groves, springs, rocks) have been worshipped in Estonia for thousands of years [1]. The principles...

It was only after World War II that nature conservation was beginning to be systematically addressed in the world Humans cannot do without nature. We get everything we need for life from nature (water, air, food, clothes, etc.); nature also processes waste products and is necessary for the mental well-being of humans. Man has been protecting nature for millennia: the creation of small confined...

Most of the species that once existed on Earth are extinct The concept of extinct biodiversity includes species that have disappeared from the planet. Most of the species that at some point existed on Earth (99.9%) are extinct. Many of them have disappeared as a result of mass extinctions due to sudden global environmental changes. At the same time, the extinction of species for various...

The North Estonian Klint is a symbol of Estonia Estonia is known for its geological sights. It could be said that the most beloved natural monuments are the North-Estonian Klint or North-Estonian limestone bank, the Taevaskoda with its Devonian sandstone cliffs, the erratic boulders, and the meteorite craters. In addition, there are other significant geological sights, such as the Silurian klint...

At the same time, a cultural monument can also be a protected natural object In addition to traditional species protection, nature conservation also focuses on maintaining the integrity of habitats and promoting people’s awareness of nature. The aim of nature conservation is to preserve the diversity of nature, or biodiversity. The legal basis for nature conservation is the Nature Conservation Act...

Memories of ancient sacred groves and trees were preserved in folklore until the beginning of the twentieth century Folk religion is the experience-driven belief of groups of people for which no separate institution has been created. Assumptions about the ancient religion of the Estonian tribes can be made on the basis of archaeological finds, linguistic history, and individual written sources. It...

Landscapes of memory are place-lore collected in Estonian national parks The landscape of memory brings together place-lore, stories, and legends that can be associated with a specific place on the map. Residents of the immediate area have identified themselves through that legacy for centuries and shaped the so-called us-and-them feelings, which are important for the survival and self...

The greatest threat to the sacred sites is forgetting they exist A sacred natural site is an internationally used term which, as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), means areas of land or water having special spiritual significance to peoples and communities [1]. Based on the above, sacred natural sites in Estonia are defined as things or areas without significant...