Diversity of Nature in Estonia Estonian Nature Conservation in 2015 Published as the fifth volume in the series “Diversity of Nature in Estonia” Editor: Madli Linder Publisher: Compilers: Kadri Alasi1, Marko Angerjärv2, Marika Arro3, Herdis Fridolin1, Nele Jõessar3, Lauri Klein3, Agu Leivits2, Madli Linder3, Merike Linnamägi1, Roland Müür2, Rein Nellis3, Marge Rammo4, Marve Randlepp5, Reigo Roasto3, Kaire Sirel3, Triin Suur6, Marit Suurväli1, Tõnu Talvi2, Joel Uus7 Consultants: Piret Eensoo2, Annely Esko2, Kristel Järve1, Estonian Environment Agency Maris Kivistik2, Allan Sims3, Uudo Timm3, Ulvi Tuisk8, Mustamäe tee 33, 10616 Tallinn Asta Tuusti9, Rauno Veeroja3 Phone: +372 666 0901 [email protected] Language editor and translator: OÜ Avatar www.keskkonnaagentuur.ee/en Photographs: Annely Esko, Toomas Hirse, Bert Holm, Copyright: Keskkonnaagentuur, 2017 Environmental Inspectorate, Toomas Kukk, Madli Linder, Merike Linnamägi, Tax and Customs Board, Tiit Maran, Please credit the source when using Margus Muts, Peep Männil, Anneli Palo, Reigo Roasto, or quoting this publication. Remo Savisaar, Jan Siimson, Kaire Sirel, Uudo Timm, Aarne Tuule, Eero Vabamägi, Marko Vainu, Ly Vetik Cover photo: Koiva-Mustjõe Landscape Protection Area, author Margus Muts This publication was issued with the support of the foundation Layout and design: Maris Lindoja Environmental Investments Centre. ISSN 1406-2399 ISBN 978-9985-881-91-0 (online) 1 Ministry of the Environment 2 Environmental Board 3 Environment Agency 4 State Forest Management Centre 5 Environmental Inspectorate 6 Foundation Private Forest Centre 7 Agricultural Registers and Information Board 8 Foundation Environmental Investments Centre 9 State Forest Management Centre Sagadi Nature School Foreword This overview is a follow-up to the publications that reflected Estonian nature conservation in 2007 and 2011. The aim of this publication is to give an overview of Estonian nature conservation in 2015 and of the changes which have occurred in the interim, as well as to evaluate the progress in relation to the objectives set on the national and international level. The overview also includes the efforts made in the reference period to protect biodiversity that achieved results at the beginning of 2016. We try to provide information to both officials and students alike, as well as to everyone else who wants an overview of changes that have taken place in our nature conservation over the past few years. Happy reading! 3 Contents INTRODUCTION 6 1. ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK 7 1.1 Strategic objectives 7 1.1.1 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 7 1.1.2 EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 15 1.1.3 Estonian Environmental Strategy 2030 18 1.1.4 Nature Conservation Development Plan until 2020 21 1.2 Changes in legal acts and administration 24 1.3 The position of Estonian nature conservation in Europe 27 2. PROTECTED NATURAL OBJECTS AND NATURAL OBJECTS WITH PROTECTION VALUE 31 2.1 Internationally protected natural objects 31 2.2 Nationally protected natural objects 36 2.2.1 Areas under protection pursuant to the Nature Conservation Act 36 2.2.1.1 Protected territory and waters 36 2.2.1.2 Protected areas 45 2.2.1.3 Limited-conservation areas 52 2.2.1.4 Species protection sites 53 2.2.1.5 Protected nature monuments 55 2.2.1.6 Natural objects protected at the municipal level 58 2.2.2 Woodland key habitats 59 3. CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT 61 3.1 Planned protected objects and the procedure for placing an object under protection 61 3.2 Protection regime 65 3.3 Land ownership 69 3.4 Subsidies 76 3.5 Compensation for damages caused by animals 80 3.6 Conservation management plans of natural objects and the implementation of conservation 84 3.6.1 Action plans 84 3.6.2 Implementation of conservation 86 3.7 Violations and fines 89 3.8 Ecosystem goods and the green network 91 3.9 Promotion of environmental awareness and visitor management 95 4. SPECIES AND SPECIES PROTECTION 100 4.1 Species of international importance 101 4.1.1 IUCN Red List species 101 4.1.2 CITES – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 103 4.1.3 Species listed in the annexes of the Habitats Directive 106 4.2 Species of domestic importance 108 4.2.1 Red List species 108 4.2.2 Protected species 110 4.2.3 Protection of species 112 4.2.4 Atlases and databases 114 4.2.5 Alien species 116 5. HABITATS AND HABITAT PROTECTION 120 5.1 Changes in the distribution of CORINE land cover types 121 5.2 Changes in distribution and protection of habitats 126 5.2.1 Forests 126 5.2.2 Mires 130 5.2.3 Meadows 133 5.3 Habitats of the Annex I of the Habitats Directive 137 5.4 Distribution of habitats in protected areas 142 CONCLUSION 145 DOCUMENTATION PAGE 147 Photo 2. Broad-leaved nemoral forest at Abruka. Photographer: Marko Vainu Introduction While the previous nature conservation overview reflected the situation in 2011 introducing the strategic objectives for the protection of biodiversity, the first section of this publication presents the interim eval- uations of the objectives set on the national and the international level. An overview about the changes in the administrative structure of nature conservation and the legislation related to the environment is also given. In addition, the state of Estonian nature conservation is evaluated on a European scale. The second part of the publication mainly focuses on changes in the numbers related to protected natural objects, including both national and international objects. The third part describes conservation management, including the procedure for placing areas under protection and the distribution of protected areas into zones and between forms of ownership. This is followed by an overview of subsidies and compensations aimed at preserving biodiversity, and environmental violations and fines. An overview is also presented of action plans and conservation management activities intended for the management of conserving species and areas, and a description is given of the concept of ecosystem services and the green network, as well as the success story of environmental education. The fourth section covers the topic of conservation of species and the management of alien species on the national and international level. The fifth section gives an overview of habitats and their protection, while specifically focusing on the conservation of the habitat types of the EU Habitats Directive. The numeric data used in the publication are generally presented as at 31 December 2015. Data, which are presented as at another date or which require a specific reference when used, have an additional notation. The borders of municipalities are represented as at 2015 in figures. The interim changes in the administrative division embrace 21 local governments joined into eight1. Due to the application of the new area calculating formula, the areas presented in the publication “Estonian Nature Conservation in 2011” cannot be directly compared to the areas included in this overview. The areal changes have been calculated with the same formula. The compilers of this publication thank all contributors for their suggestions, advice and additional data! 1 In 2013, Lavassaare municipality and Audru municipality were united into Audru municipality; Kõrgessaare munici- pality and Kärdla town into Hiiu municipality; Kose and Kõue municipality into Kose municipality; Oru, Risti and Taebla municipality into Lääne-Nigula municipality; Maidla municipality, Lüganuse municipality and Püssi town into Lüganuse municipality; Põlva municipality and town into Põlva municipality; Viiratsi, Saarepeedi, Paistu and Pärsti municipality into Viljandi municipality. In 2014, Lümanda, Kärla and Kaarma municipality were united into Lääne-Saare municipality. 6 BACK TO THE TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Administrative and legal framework Profound and long-term objectives have been set on the global, European, as well as on the Estonian level to conserve and protect biodiversity. The relevant objectives of the global and EU Biodiversity Strategy (sections 1.1.1 and 1.1.2) and the Estonian Nature Conservation Development Plan (section 1.1.4), which was adopted to implement these, have been set for the year 2020. The long-term develop- ment trends for maintaining the good status of the natural environment have been established in the Estonian Environmental Strategy 2030 (section 1.1.3). Section 1.1 gives an overview of how the current efforts in achieving the strategic objectives have produced results. The trends in the legal framework of environmental law and the administration of nature conservation have been towards increasing efficiency over the past years, which has brought about several large changes (section 1.2). On the European scale, the situation of Estonian nature conservation is average or above average (section 1.3) when considering various indicators (e.g. area under protection, assessments of the condition of habitats and species set out in the Habitats Directive, number of alien species, etc.). 1.1 Strategic objectives In 1992, Estonia, among other countries, signed the Convention on Biological Diversity at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and ratified it in 1994. The convention has three general objectives: protection of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components, and the fair and unbiased distribution of profits retained from the use of genetic resources. At the tenth meeting of the parties of the convention (the meetings are held every two years) in 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 was adopted. In 2011, the European Commission adopted the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 to implement the aforementioned strategy. Pursuant to the convention, each country must plan the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and adopt a national strategy and development plan for this. In Estonia, this document is the Nature Conservation Development Plan until 2020, which was approved in 2012 and which includes the objectives of both the global and the EU Biodiversity Strategy.