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By preserving, maintaining and managing Estonia’s most diverse natural landscapes – semi-natural grasslands – we value Estonian traditions, culture and heritage. Haven’t our customs, our songs, our stories and our lifestyle as a whole been inspired and sustained by the diversity and beauty of the nature around us?

The Environmental Board has launched a call for tenders to restore more than 400 hectares of high-biodiversity semi-natural grasslands in protected areas in Estonia, including 86 hectares of coastal meadows that are important for the conservation of species. The coastal meadows will be restored with funding from the LIFE IP ForEst&FarmLand project.

This year, three farms have taken a big step towards diversifying the agricultural landscape with the support of our project. Aivar Mikkus from Kirbla OÜ created strips of grassland on a 20 ha field, Kalmer Visnapuu from Piira farm on a 46 ha field, and Sander Hiire from Mäemõisa OÜ on a 32 ha field.

Wetlands – areas that are permanently wet or at least partly covered by water for part of the year, including wet woodlands, shallow water bodies or flat seashores – are some of the world’s most important ecosystems, providing nature’s benefits and a place for recreation for people, as well as habitats for many species of plants, fungi and animals.

A study commissioned by the Environmental Investment Centre and the Estonian Private Forest Union (Eesti Erametsaliit) working group on the revising of private forest measures, titled

Just like last year, in addition to the basic subsidies, landowners can apply for an additional grant to assess the value of their land. This does not require landowners who maintain semi-natural grasslands to make any changes to their maintenance practices, but does require filling in an assessment form about the land, which helps to see the natural values of the maintained area.