Public Land Management in Estonia Evelin Jürgenson Siim Maasikamäe Content of presentation • Some facts about Estonia • Legal framework • Institutional framework • Overview about state land distribution • Some examples of land maintenance • Questions • Conclusion 2 1 Facts about Estonia • Total area – 45 227 km2 Not reformed Privatised land 22% 14% State Municipal Restituted ownership ownership 33% 30% 1% 3 Legal framework • State Assets Act, adopted 11.11.2009 – it is new one (the previous one was passed on 15.02.1995) • The act regulates governing of the state assets. • It gives main rules for administration of state assets. • The special procedures for selling and renting is adopted by ministry of Finance. • Every municipality adopts its own procedure for municipal assets. 4 2 Institutional framework Rules and regulations Ministry of Administrators of State Assets Local Finance state assets Register (old) authorities or (226) State Real ministries (11) Estate Register (new) county ? governments (15) Ensure transparency State Real Control Estate Ltd activities other institutions General public (6) National Audit Office Control activities 5 State assets register will be changed (1) • According to the old system (1995 – 2010) - state assets have been registered in the national state assets register. • This register is – accessible through the internet but • it is old-fashioned, • It has not been always updated, • there are a lot of mistakes. 6 3 - State Assets Register (1995-2010) • . 7 State assets register will be changed (2) • According to the new system (2010 - …) – state real estate register will be established. • The new register enables the public to get information about state immovable properties and also about transactions. • This register is not founded yet. 8 4 New system - State Real Estate Strategy Real estate Real estate Protected areas Forest land with buildings without buildings – state land plots ? State Real Land Board State Forest State Forest Estate Ltd Management Management Centre Centre or Environmental Board 9 State land distribution • State land area is 1 374 905 hectares (30 % of the total Estonian area) Other ministries and authorities; 142 363 ha; 10% Ministry of Environment; 1 232 542 ha; 90% 10 5 Land distribution under the Ministry of the Environment • Total area 1 232 542 ha • Total number of plots – 14 971 Distribution according to the area Distribution according to the number of plots Other Land Board; Other institutions; institutions; 89 307 ha; 987 plots; 7% 32 356 ha; 3% 7% Land Board; State Forest State Forest 5 799 plots; Management Management 39% Centre; Centre; 1 110 878 ha; 8 185 plots; 54% 90% 11 Land Board’s activity with land maintenance in urban areas 300 251 250 200 150 95 100 49 49 49 50 50 30 26 28 27 17 20 20 17 12 0 Tallinn Tartu Pärnu ja Kuressaare Rakvere Sindi Total number of plots 2010 Managed plots 2010 Managed plots 2009 12 6 Average maintenance cost per plot (2007-2010) 1400 1200 1000 Tallinn 800 Tartu Pärnu ja Sindi 600 Kuressaare 400 Rakvere 200 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 13 Problems with state land maintenance • For better organization of maintenance, it would be useful to map the problematic state lands and to create a proper database or map. • Sometimes there is a lack of information on the land units that need maintenance. • Before organizing procurement, all state lands what need to be maintained, should be checked and then ranked in accordance with necessary works. • Maintenance work prices are very different, depending on the various aspects of the subject. • There is need for maintenance standards – it would clarify the work content and also simplify supervision. 14 7 Questions • How much state and municipal land we need to carry out the tasks of state and local government? • How much land is economically reasonable to be kept on public sector? • How to convince the government (state or local authority) that sometimes real estates are more useful to keep than sell out? • Public land - what does it mean? 15 Public land – what does it mean? State land Municipal land Land for special Public land purpose ? Land under Land for border Forest areas, Green areas, constructions guard, military etc protected areas parks 16 8 Conclusion (1) • It is important to determine how much and which land is needed to carry out the tasks of state and local government. • The concept of state, municipal land and different sub-types need to be clarified. • Land what is essential according to the future development must keep in state ownership. • Unnecessary land has to be sold or rented out, a long time action plan is needed for that purpose. • The availability of tools for land acquisition (also compulsorily) for public purposes is very important. 17 Conclusion (2) • A user-friendly and transparent database is needed for efficient public land management. • The state and municipal land management can be costly. • Find out the cost sharing possibilities. • The cost calculation is important. • To compare the land management costs, it is necessary to develop a cost calculation model for public authorities. 18 9 Thank you! 10.