Protected Natural Objects in IDA-VIRUMAA Protected Natural Objects in IDA-VIRUMAA 2 3 CONTENTS Protected areas related to klint ...... 7 Protected areas related to rivers .... 13 Unique topography .............. 15 Lakes ........................ 18 Wetlands ..................... 21 Oak forests and wooded meadows ... 30 Natural forests ................. 33 Dunes ....................... 33 Parks ........................ 36 Protected individual objects ....... 38 References .................... 41 ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY OF PROTECTED NATURAL OBJECTS Environmental Board Viru Region 15 Pargi Str., 41537 Jõhvi Phone +372 332 4401 [email protected] www.keskkonnaamet.ee ARRANGEMENT OF VISITS TO PROTECTED NATURAL OBJECTS North-Estonian District Nature Management Department State Forest Management Centre (RMK) Phone +372 339 3833 [email protected] www.rmk.ee Compiled by: Anne-Ly Feršel Special thanks to the workers of the Viru Region of the Environmental Board. Front page photo: Ontika Cliff, L. Michelson Publication supported by Back page photo: Environmental Investment Centre Selisoo Mire, L. Michelson Layout by: Akriibia Ltd. Translated by: K. Nurm Editor of map: Areal Disain Printed by: AS Printon Trükikoda ©Environmental Board 2012 Foto: Lynx, C. M. Feršel 4 5 Photo: Semicoke hills near Kohtla-Järve, L. Michelson The landscape of Ida-Viru County (Ida-Virumaa) is diversified. Its northern part lies on the Photo: Northern coast of Lake Peipsi, L. Michelson Viru Plateau and on the klint running along the Gulf of Finland. In the south, however, there is the Alutaguse Lowland and the more than 50-kilometre-long shore of Lake Peipsi. The eastern border runs along the Narva River and Reservoir for 77 kilometres. In the south-west and west, there are large areas of forests and wetlands. The county’s territory encompasses plenty of lakes, 70 of which are larger than one hectare. Ida-Virumaa is Estonia’s most urbanized county: 88% of the population live in the total of seven cities. There are also 16 rural municipalities. Ida-Virumaa’s unique protected areas are situated on the Baltic Klint and in the klint forest, on the sand dunes of the northern shore of Lake Peipsi, on the old rivers and flooded meadows of Narva, in the forests and mires. The county includes five nature reserves, 17 landscape protection areas, 13 Limited Conservation Areas, and 16 protected parks. The following individual objects have been placed under protection: one karst area, two waterfall terraces, seven erratic boulders, one boulder field, and 25 primeval trees and groups of trees. In addition, the habitats of rare species outside the protected areas are preserved. Several protected areas are parts of the European Natura 2000 network, the objective of which is to ensure the protection of rare or endangered species of birds, animals and plants as well as of their habitats. It was in 1939 when the first natural object – Oru Park surrounding the then president’s of Estonia summer residence – was placed under protection in Ida-Virumaa. In 1938, Estonia’s first protected wetlands were established in the Ratva Bog, which is now a part of the Muraka Nature Reserve. Nearly a third of the county’s territory is covered with protected areas. Several areas, especially near the cities, for example at Kurtna, are densely visited recreational places. The local nature is also much affected by the mining and processing of oil shale and other mineral resources, and the production of electric power. Ida-Viru County boasts Estonia’s most water abounding river and highest esker and cliff; Estonia’s as well as the Baltic countries’ highest waterfalls, largest lake district, longest lake and sea sand beaches; and Europe’s most powerful waterfalls. Besides, Estonia’s largest populations of flying squirrels, willow grouse, and capercaillie are in Ida-Virumaa. Photo: Poruni River, A.-L. Feršel 6 7 Photo: Perennial honesty, A.-L. Feršel PROTECTED AREAS RELATED TO KLINT The North Estonian Klint is a part of the 1,200-kilometre-long Baltic Klint, which lies between Sweden and Russia. The Ida-Viru section of the klint is characterised by a quite straight- ended scarp. Impressive outcrops of limestone, sandstone and blue clay together with copious fossils, deposited in the warm sea 435–540 years ago, are denuded on the klint. Springs flow out from between the rock layers; sea waves and clay cause rock-falls and landslides. Unique and highly valued cliff forests with deciduous trees and diversified undergrowth grow on the moist and lime-rich soil in the dimness of the klint foot. Due to the difficult accessibility, these forests have remained nearly untouched by logging throughout ages and provide significant habitats for several protected species. The forest below the klint, tree hollows and cracks in the wall are significant habitats and stop-over sites for birds and bats. On the klint, the North Estonia Plateau with a thin soil layer lies. The perennial honesty (Lunaria rediviva) is a protected species which is rare in other parts of Estonia but quite common at the foot of the limestone bank of the northern coast. Its smelling blossoms develop into seed-pods, which leave shiny shells to the stem at opening. The forests below the klint where the perennial honesty grows are key biotopes. Photo: Valaste Waterfall, A.-L. Feršel 8 9 and Karjaoru (2-terraced, 18 m). The Valaste Waterfall was described in a newspaper already in 1840. It offers a perfect possibility to observe the different rock strata of the Baltic Klint against the waterfall. A species-rich and luxuriant deciduous forest with elms, ashes, maples, alders, white elms, and willows as well as several protected plants, mosses and fungi grows at the up-to-100-metre-wide talus. The clouded apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne) is an endangered butterfly in many European countries as its caterpillars feed only on the species belonging to the family of Corydalis. The protected area provides the hiking trails of Saka-Ontika, Saka Klint Manor, and Toila- Martsa. Photo: Swedish cornel, P. Valge The Aseri Landscape Protection Area (608 ha) was founded to preserve natural forest and wetland communities as well as protected species and habitats. The three detached plots of the protected area are located in the Kestla Bog, in the cliff forest between Kalvi and Aseri, and in Kõrkküla. The area is a part of the Natura 2000 network. Old natural and deciduous cliff forests of high value grow here. The Kõrkküla Mustmets (Black Forest) grows, in places, on the denuding sand stone. The cliff forests are rich in ramsons (Allium ursinum). The Swedish cornel (Cornus suecica) is a plant that can only be found on the North-Estonian islands, on the coast and in Hiiumaa. People take advantage of the location of the Kestla Bog amidst the man-made environ- ment to go and pick mushrooms and berries. Birds stop here on their migratory routes and animals use the bog as a wildlife corridor between the forests at Alutaguse and on the coast. In this karstificated area, the bog is an essential water reservoir and its drainage may result in unpredictable harm. In 2012, the restoration of the water regime and wetland community started in the former peat field in the middle of the bog. To the north-east of the Kestla Bog, the Mustlao wooded meadow lies, the border of which is marked with a row of ash trees. The ancient burial mounds on the Aseri Cliff, dating back to the 1st and 2nd millennia B.C., attest the fact that the region was inhabited already more than three thousand years ago. The Ontika Landscape Protection Area (1,212 ha), one of Estonia’s oldest protected areas, was established in 1939 on a prominent section of the Baltic Klint in order to protect its typical natural woods, species and habitats. The area is a part of the Natura 2000 network. In the Ontika Landscape Protection Area, the North Estonian Klint rises as high as 56 metres above sea level. The almost continuous limestone wall between the Saka Manor and Toila is nearly 23 km long. The protected area boasts three waterfalls, which are the highest on the Baltic Klint as well as in the Baltic countries: Valaste (30 m), Saka (3-terraced, 21 m), Photo: Strata of blue clay on Aseri Cliff, T. Amos 10 11 Photo: Päite Cliff, A.-L. Feršel Photo: Udria Cliff and Boulder Field, A. Animägi The Päite Landscape Protection Area (128.1 ha) area includes more than 50 hectares of meadows on dry and lime-rich soils. The only has been formed to protect limestone outcrops, old and species-rich deciduous and natural forests have preserved and are protected taluses, escarpment forests as well as rare in the detached plot of Arumäe. The area covers 15 km of the North Estonian Klint from species and their habitats. The area belongs to Sillamäe to Meriküla, where the klint recedes inland. The highest cliffs are in Perjatsi and the Natura 2000 network. The protected area is Meriküla (up to 22 m). The coastal lowland below the Udria Cliff is narrow, just some located between the Voka and Sõtke Klint Bays, dozens of metres. covering the Pühajõgi and Päite Cliff. The edge of The Udria Brook flows in the bottom of a 20-metre-deep gully. A palace and a park were the solid klint raises 42–46 m a.s.l. The exuberant established there in the late 19th century, but only the basement wall, forest park and cliff forest skirting the terrace is narrow and, in oak alley have preserved. The Udria Waterfall perished when an impounded lake was places, intermittent. The elm, white elm, grey built for the sauna-summerhouse of the Sillamäe Plant. alder and willow prevail in the forest below the The Udria Boulder Field lies at the mouth of the Udria Brook between the sea and the Pühajõgi Cliff, while grey alders are predominant cliff on a coastal section, which is about 450 m long and up to 15 m wide.