Nature conservation subsides can be applied for to restore semi-natural communities The aim of restoring a semi-natural community is to preserve the biota and landscape characteristic of Estonia. Supported activities include the removal of reeds or shrubs, the reduction of the canopy cover of forests, the breaking up of sods, and setting up stockyard fences [1]. The support is organised by the...

Subsidy rates for the maintenance of semi-natural habitats depend on the type of habitat and the way it is managed The subsidy for the management of semi-natural communities aims to increase the surface area of managed areas, improve the status of semi-natural communities and associated species, and preserve and increase biodiversity and landscape diversity [1]. Subsidy can be applied for with the...

The state pays a number of grants and compensations for the protection and conservation of nature. Some of them are operating grants, some are compensations for not managing communities In order to protect nature, several subsidies and compensations are paid in Estonia from both the state budget and European Union (EU) funds. These include operating grants (e.g. support for the maintenance of semi...

Funding for Estonian nature conservation comes mainly from the European Union funds and the state budget Funding for Estonian nature conservation comes mainly from the state budget and various European Union funds. The main sources of funding are the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EARDF), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund, and the LIFE programme...

Environmental supervision is ensuring the procedure established in legislation is followed in the use of the natural environment and resources Environmental supervision is ensuring the procedure established in legislation is followed in the use of the natural environment and resources. This is often a preventive check to prevent infringements or to detect them at the earliest possible stage. The...

Special permits are often required for activities in sensitive areas. Certain activities may be prohibited altogether The beaches and shores of water bodies and protected natural objects (national parks, nature reserves, landscape protection areas, limited-conservation areas [1] and habitats of protected species [2]) cover quite a large part of Estonia. The protection procedure of a protected...

Protection rules are legislative acts approved by the Government of the Republic or the Minister of the Environment that define the protection procedure of an area. The management plan or action plan for the protection of a habitat and species is an operational action plan for nature conservation works The protection of protected natural objects is organised mainly on the basis of two documents...

At the local government level, a protected natural object may be a landscape, valuable agricultural land, valuable natural community, a single element of the landscape, a park, a green area, or a single element of landscaping that is not protected as an individual protected natural object or located in a protected area. Only the limited management zone regime applies to an area protected by the...

An individual protected natural object is a living or non-living natural object of scientific, aesthetic, or historical-cultural value, such as a tree, spring, erratic boulder, waterfall, rapids, cliff, terrace, outcrop, cave, karst site, or a group of them, which is protected under the Nature Conservation Act Upon the entry into force of a decision on the protection of an individual protected...

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...