Estonia West Estonian Archipelago

Ecological characteristics:

The West Estonian Archipelago is located in the southern part of the Boreal forest zone of the Northern hemisphere, where the south-taiga forest subzone changes into spruce- hardwood subzone. Phytogeographically, belongs to the Euro-Siberian region of the Holarctic realm. First and foremost the archipelago represents the ecosystems that have been formed on the coastal formations of diffe- rent developmental phases of the in the last ten thousand years. The distinctive features and diversity of nature in the West Estonian islands is mainly influenced by the geographical position, young age of the area, lime- © West Estonian Archipelago BR richness of soils and centuries of human activity. Long coastal line where we can find both low and dune beaches, Declaration date: January 1990 low bays with small islets and holms and thousands of Surface area: 15600 sq. km (including sea areas) years of land use has formed the structure of the islands` Administrative division: Counties of , forests, meadows, arable land and pastures, the result of and Läänemaa which is a mosaic landscape and diverse nature of the islands. Terrestrial habitats contain pine forests, mixed spruce and deciduous woodlands, juniper and coastal mea- Human activities: dows, swamps and peat bogs. The forests (spruce, pine or birch forest on plains with thin soils) are population about 43000. Main activities of particular interest. Parts of the area are designated as food industry (fishing industry, dairy wetlands considered important according to Ramsar speci- industry, bakery); forestry and timber fications. Valuable ecosystems consist of the shallows of industry; plastic industry; electronics the Baltic sea , islets, lagoons, Grasslands (coastal, alvar, industry; trade; transportation; tourism alluvial or marshy), woodlands and wooded meadows.

Protection classification:

the biosphere reserve has no special legal status in Estonia. The core areas of the biosphere reserve belong to the legal system of protected nature areas.

© West Estonian Archipelago BR Contact information:

Dr Toomas Kokovkin, MAB focal point, Vabrikuväljak 1, Kärdla, Hiiumaa, 92411 ESTONIA e-mail [email protected]