LiFE IP ForEst&FarmLand
In 2020 LIFE IP project ForEst&FarmLand (“Comprehensive management of forest and farming landscapes to improve the conservation status of Natura 2000 habitats and species”) was launched, involving all key players from universities, forestry sector and nature conservation as well as NGOs to jointly protect and restore Estonian landscapes and ecosystems and to improve the condition of the species and habitats in Estonian forests and agricultural lands.
The project (2020-2029) is led by the Ministry of the Environment and the total cost of the project is € 19,561,784.
On 17 February 2022, we had an award ceremony to thank outstanding managers of semi-natural meadows, those who have made a great contribution to the preserve and restore semi-natural habitats of Estonia. Among the nominees was Erik Jakob Söderberg from Pakri Island, who tells his story in English.
The story of Erik Jakob Söderberg’s return to the island where his grandmother was born speaks for itself! Together with his friend, Urmas Sepp, and a herd of 300–400 cattles, Erik takes care of the most compact and largest alvar in Estonia, located on the Pakri Islands. A total of 1098 hectares of land is being restored and maintained.
News
Yesterday we introduced agro-environmental developments on the lands of Sadala Agro
One of the largest farmers in Central Estonia, Ahti Kalde (Sadala Agro), is among the seven farmers who are testing the benefits of strips of grassland on agricultural land in cooperation with the LIFE IP ForEst&FarmLand project. Last year, he established 12-metre-wide grassland strips on 58 hectares of field, sowing a mix of native grasses and flowering plants that together cover about eight hectares of the field.
Celebrating the Semi-Natural Grasslands Day
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?