Forests for People

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Developing Estonia’s forest policy

Marku Lamp, Head of Forest Department, Ministry of the Environment, Estonia

stonia is situated in Northern Europe in the Baltic region,

and is one of the three Baltic States (along with Latvia

and Lithuania). It is bordered by Finland in the north

(across the Gulf of Finland), by Sweden in the west, by Latvia

in the south and by the Russian Federation in the east.

Located in a border area where the coniferous Euro-Siberian taiga

opens onto a European zone of deciduous forests, Estonia has 87

native and more than 500 introduced tree and bush species. Pine,

birch, spruce and aspen are the most common Estonian trees.

The largest forests can be found in north-east and central Estonia,

stretching from the north coast to the Latvian border. About 10 per

cent of Estonia is a nature reserve.

About 75 per cent of all plant species in Estonia are found on the

west coast, where the climate is more moderate. In many locations

in Estonia, for example on Hiiumaa Island and in the north east,

large tracts of the primeval forests that once covered Europe have

been preserved.

Estonian forests are home to many animals – hares, foxes and deer

are common and it is not uncommon for visitors to meet a wolf, lynx,

bear or elk. They also provide habitat for several animal species close

to extinction, such as European mink, dormouse and flying squir-

rel. The European beaver, once hunted to extinction in

Estonia, was successfully reintroduced in the 1950s.

The forest has always been an important place for

Estonian people – it was believed to be a sacred place

in Estonia’s primeval religion and people worshipped

the wood-spirits, because the forest was their essential

source for food and building materials.

Estonia regained its independence in 1991, after

being incorporated into the Soviet Union as a Soviet

Republic for about 50 years. The country’s forestry and

forest management have received influences from both

Russian and German silviculture, which in the early

20th century also shaped the structure of forest land

and land ownership. In times of Russian influence,

state-owned forestry was predominant and private

forestry was generally under German rule.

Forest policy and the national forest programme

The legal basis for sustainable development in Estonia

is provided by the Constitution of the Republic of

Estonia, which came into force in 1992. The Sustainable

Development Act was approved in 1995. According to the

Forests have an important place in Estonia’s spiritual tradition

Estonians have the right of access to forests across the country

Image: Min. Env. Estonia