Estonia - Country Profile

Status and Trends of Biodiversity

Overview

Estonia is the smallest (45,227 km2) and the northernmost of the Baltic States, located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. The main types of ecosystems are forests, mires, grasslands, inland waters, and coastal and marine habitats. The total number of species is estimated at 35,000 to 45,000, but only 24,000 species have been recorded to date... More »

Number and Extent of Protected Areas

The extent of protected areas increased from 11% to 16% of the country’s territory following the selection and protection of the proposed Natura 2000 sites. The new areas have significantly contributed to the protection of raised bogs, calcareous grasslands, wooded and coastal meadows, old natural mixed forests, natural broadleaved deciduous forests, lakes, rivers, and marine habitats... More »

Percentage of Forest Cover

The forest cover of Estonia is 51% and includes 71 distinct forest types.

National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan

Major features of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

The strategy and action plan contains 28 objectives ranging from the in situ conservation of genetic resources to a gradual reduction in the use of oil shale as an energy source in the industrial sector and the development of organic agriculture. For the successful realization of each objective, a total of 408 actions are detailed, each of which includes a priority ranking, time scale and cost... More »

Implementation of the Convention

Measures Taken to Achieve the 2010 Target

The EU Habitats and Birds Directive are being implemented in Estonia, which means that Estonia has committed to conserve at least 20% of each habitat type. In addition, there is a specific target to establish strict protection measures on at least 10% of the total forest area. However, protection of natural values, especially forests, on privately owned land is a difficult task as effective compensatory measures for land owners are still largely missing in Estonia... More »

Initiatives in Protected Areas

Under the Estonian Environmental Strategy, the government will establish, by 2010, a network of nature reserves where zones of strict protection (areas where natural resources are left out of any economic use) would increase from 1% to 5% of the terrestrial area of Estonia. Since 2004, protection measures have been taken in 451 new sites, including both the expansion of the existing protected areas and establishment of new ones... More »

Initiatives for Article 8(j)

The Ministry of Culture promotes the preservation of the Võro language and culture, associated with the rural and agricultural southeast Estonian county of Võromaa, through the Võro Institute. No other field studies related to the knowledge, innovations and practices of local communities are supported on a large scale... More »

National Contacts

Full details of national contacts »

Convention on Biological Diversity

Ms. Kadri Auvaart	CBD Primary NFP, SBSTTA NFP
Mr. Lauri Klein	CHM NFP
Prof. Dr. Ain Heinaru	ICNP ABS NFP
Ms. Ulle Reier	GTI NFP
Tartu University	ABS Competent National Authorities
Prof. Tiiu Kull	GSPC NFP
Mrs. Leelo Kukk	Protected Areas NFP

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Mrs. Tuuli Levandi

Cartagena Protocol Primary NFP, BCH NFP