Aegna Hiking Trail

AEGNA 1 AEGNA HIKING TRAIL AEGNA ca 6 km 16 LEMMIKU HIKING TRAIL LANDSCAPE ca 3 km PROTECTION Near Tallinn, only 14 km away from the city AREA centre, there is a mysterious island called Aegna. A small island of only 3 km² in the northeastern part of the Gulf of Tallinn has diverse nature and an exciting cultural history. Traces of the past are mixed with those of the present and sometimes, when taking a walk on a lonely quiet forest road, time seems to stop. The island is a perfect place for both short-term trips and longer stays, and provides an enjoyable opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. We wish you pleasant experiences and great discoveries! Photo: Ly Kuzmin The Aegna protected landscape belongs to the European Union’s Natura 2000 NATURE network. The area’s conservation objective The diverse nature of Aegna is due to alter- is to protect habitat types such as coastal nating relief and hydrological regime. The meadows (*1630), sandy beaches with island is largely covered with a forest, perennial plants (1640), foredunes with several patches of swamp (2110), white dunes (mobile coastal in-between. Forested dunes dunes – 2120), forested dunes and giant boulders illustrate (2180), dry heaths (4030), old natural the landscape and the small forests (*9010) as well as swampy meadows can provide fasci- deciduous forests (*9080). www. nating scenery. The old natural loodusveeb.ee and www.envir.ee/ forests are enchanting and the et/natura-2000 mossy trunks are reminiscent The island of Aegna is the 17th largest of the passing of time. Old and 4030 – Dry heaths island in Estonia. fallen trees add biodiversity and Photo: Olev Abner conservation value. Alternating coastal types make the beaches look beautiful and the peaceful habitat attracts birds to nest. The nearly 10 km long 1630 – Coastal meadows coastline, where sandy beaches alternate with moraine beaches, offers many oppor- tunities for birds to rest during their migra- tion. 2120 – Mobile coastal dunes Photos: Eliko Petser 2180 - Forested dunes 1640 - Sandy beaches with perennial plants 1220 – Shingle beaches with perennial plants Photos: Eliko Petser 9010 - Old natural forests HERITAGE The island of Aegna has an interesting history. The cultural landscape is very diverse, as Aegna has seen very different times and peoples. The small island has been visited by Swedes, Germans and Russians – for shorter and longer periods. The first written records of a permanent settlement date back to the 15th century. Based on archaeolog- ical finds, signs of human activity have been found to originate from the 12–13th century, sporadically also from earlier times. The medieval magical stone- maze of the Estonian Swedes is also a sign of the times. Many place names have changed over time. Previously, the island has been called Ulfsö, Wulfsö in Swedish and Wulf, Wolf in German, as HIKING well as the colloquial name Äigna. Later times of Aegna are marked by the military heritage, of which the buildings and TRAILS structures can be explored all over the A great way to learn about the diverse island. nature and changing landscape of Aegna island is on the hiking trails. The natural treasures of the island include natural forests, interchanging beach areas, small bog fields and erratics that add character to the landscape. Aegna is also home to Estonia’s densest blockfield. Those interested in history will also notice the rich military heritage. The information stands Photo: Ly Kuzmin Foto: Ly Kuzmin on the hiking trails may be passed in the recommended order or separately. The island roads are equipped with signs. GETTING TO ISLAND Aegna is easily accessible. From May to October, a liner sails between the centre of Tallinn and the island of Aegna. The voyage takes about an hour. The fastest way to get to Aegna is by a speedboat or sea taxi. Aegna can be reached from Rohuneeme harbour in just five minutes. The peaceful and scenic island of Aegna is separated from the city centre by just a brief boat ride, after which an exciting holiday can begin! NOTES FOR VISITORS! • I follow the restrictions and rules when visiting a landscape protection area. • When on the island, I act in an environmentally friendly and caring manner. • I am careful with fire, I know the woods on the island are a fire hazard. • I only use the designated areas for camping and lighting bonfires. • I keep tidy and take any rubbish with me back to the mainland for waste sorting. If necessary I’ll use the trash can. Photo: Ly Kuzmin • I follow the environmental code of conduct (freedom to roam). www.loodusegakoos.ee • I know that if I behave well, I am always welcome back. 1 THE PORT OF AEGNA The harbour located at the Lohknase tip is open to wind and waves. The Aegna harbour pier light beacon is located on the pier 7 metres above the sea. The metal pole with a balcony serves as a navigation point in the dark. West from the pier, open to abrasion on the shore of the Kalavälja bight (Kalaauk), is a gravel-pebble beach, and to the east, a till beach with a 2-3 m terrace and an abrasion bluff. Aegna Landscape Protection Area (LPA) was established in 1991 and was added to the European Union Natura 2000 network in 2009, updated protection rules based on the Nature Conservation Act came into force in 2010. The LPA is divided into two conservation zones (Kurikneeme, Aegna) and three limited management zones (Kalavälja, Eerikneeme, Lemmikneeme). Aegna MKA’s habitat types were determined and assessed by the Tallinn University Institute of Ecology in 2005 and re-assessment was carried out in 2010. The presence of six habitat types of EU impor- tance, three plant species and eight moss species have been determined. More than half (53%) of the protected area is covered with Natura 2000 network habitat types, incl. primary habitat types – coastal meadows cover 0.8 ha, western taiga 73.4 ha and Fennoscandian deciduous swamp Sea pea (Lathyrus White Japanese rose woods 12.8 ha. maritimus) (III cat.) is (Rosa rugosa f. alba) growing on the coast and is officially protected by law. 1 Photo: Eliko Petser www.loodusveeb.ee, www.envir.ee/et/natura-2000 Photo: Eliko Petser 2 PALUDIFIED AND BOG WOODLANDS Old common haircap-blueberry and common haircap-spruce forests grow on the wet sandy soils between Tagamaa and Karnapi roads, surrounding the Krõnkasoo bog equipped with ditches. The main ditch runs through the Common haircap centre of the bog reaching the sea in the west. Decaying (Polytrichum commune) bog woodland of various ages grows in the bog with an up to Photo: Olev Abner 1.5-metre well-decayed peat layer. The tree layer is dominated by pine and black alder, with the occasional spruce and birch. The forest floor is covered with the narrow buckler-fern (Dryopteris carthusiana) and the wood fern (Dryop- teris expansa). The moss layer is rich with peat mosses (Sphagnum spp.), common haircap (Polytri- chum commune) and others. Fallen wood decomposed by several fungi is also covered in moss. Fallen trees are a natural part of the forest; trees in various stages of decay provide plenty of habitats for mosses as well. Storms take down the spruces with spruce polypore (Heteroba- sidion parviporum) damage along with the root turf, and pines usually break. As a result of the changes, the glades lose the shaded vegetation, some forest birds lose their habitat, but dead trees are the basis of the food chain of the forest ecosystem. Decomposing wood lying down or standing up provides an essential habitat for insects. Bugs feeding on decaying wood are in turn the main food for woodpeckers, passerines and insectivore mammals. Their existence is essential for birds of prey and small predators. This is how the fallen wood forms the biodiversity of the forest ecosystem; 2 Photo: Eliko Petser therefore, the windthrow caused by storms must be Girgensohn’s bogmoss preserved in natural forests under protection. (Sphagnum girgensohnii) Photo: Eliko Petser 3 HISTORICAL CENTRE The area has been a central location for the military, and later for vacationers. The rectangular building was finished in 1919. It is one of the largest buildings on the island and has been used as a common barrack and a dining hall. The building housed up to 250 men. From 1920-1930, Christmas celebrations were held and Independence Day was celebrated in the building. The building also housed a telephone exchange. Although the eastern wing of the building is no longer there, it nevertheless remains Photo: Mati Kalve the largest building on the island. During the Soviet occu- pation, the centre building was used as a dining hall. The White-tailed bumblebee on Aegna clubhouse was most often used as a movie theatre common snowberry until the fire in 1988. (Bombus lucorum, Symphoricarpos albus) During the first years of the Republic of Photo: Eliko Petser Estonia, the island had only a few buildings; old houses were repaired and new ones constructed. Vast construction works resulted in several buildings and facili- ties. A warehouse and an ice cellar were located near the centre as well as the officers’ residence and a soldiers shop. An acoustic shell and sports field were located towards the east. The officers’ casino and headquarters were established in the western section of the island, and since the soldiers’ families also lived on the island, a library and the Aegna school also operated nearby. The railway bypassing the centre was used for bringing construction materials (stone, sand, Sea pink (Armeria timber).

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