Sustainable development improves people’s quality of life in line with the resilience of the environment Sustainable development is one of the most important priorities of the policies of the world, the European Union, the Baltic Sea region, and also Estonia. The aim of sustainable development is to achieve a balance between the social, economic, and environmental spheres and to ensure a full...

Protecting biodiversity contributes to the preservation of the natural goods provided by the ecosystems that are necessary for human life Biodiversity is a common asset of all people and needs to be carefully preserved and protected to ensure our good living environment. Preserving healty and cohesive ecosystems and the sustainable use of natural resources help reduce the environmental pressure...

Mushroom picking and eating began to be widely introduced in the late nineteenth century More than 7,000 species of fungi have been found in Estonia. There are about 400 species of edible mushrooms in Estonia, and about 200 species of poisonous mushrooms [1]. An Estonian still goes to the forest in the autumn to be able to make themselves a delicious sauce from fresh mushrooms and to salt...

There is probably no disease that people have not treated with plants Plants have been used to treat diseases for thousands of years. Reading folklore, it becomes clear that the old Estonians used medicinal plants to treat all kinds of diseases and conditions. The inner power of plants was expected to help with alcoholism, freckles, fright, epilepsy, nightmares, as well as cancer and smallpox [1]...

The berries are rich in vitamins and minerals and various bioactive compounds, while providing little energy Going berry-picking is a good reason to go to nature, breathe fresh air, and get to know the surroundings – it is a part of Estonian summers and autumns. Berry pickers keep alive a tradition of centuries, if not millennia old. The opportunity to pick vitamin-rich, useful, and tasty winter...

Mushroom or berry picking trips with parents or grandparents are an integral part of many of our childhoods Foraging, i.e. collecting the gifts and consumables from nature without transforming it, was the main way of life for thousands of years, along with hunting. At the same time, the gifts of nature are not only berries, mushrooms, and nuts, but also medicinal and other edible plants. The...

The development of nature tourism is based on the principles of sustainable development, nature conservation, and the preservation of rural life and cultural heritage Nature tourism is a form of tourism whose main emphasis is on observing and valuing nature. Nature tourism should not be confused with nature-based tourism (such as hunting or fishing tourism as part of active holidays), for which...

There is more and more talk of biodiversity-friendly tourism There is an increasing focus in the world on making informed choices to conserve natural resources and the environment. This also applies to the tourism industry, and includes saving and using water and energy wisely, reducing and sorting trash and waste, consuming local products, favouring environmentally friendly materials, and...

Each of us can preserve biodiversity when we move around as tourists Over the last hundred years, the tourism industry has become an important and constantly growing industry. Travelling and discovering new places is a popular hobby and recreational activity for many people. Unfortunately, there is a price for curiosity, which is also reflected in environmental problems, for example – air travel...

Tourism has become an important industry in the last century Increased travelling and recreation have a significant impact on the natural environment. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (2019), the CO 2 footprint of tourism increased by 40% between 2009 and 2013. Tourism has been figuratively compared to a fire – if you can use it, it...