ESTONIAN NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN CONTENTS CONTENTS .....................................................................................................................................1 FOREWORD....................................................................................................................................3 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................4 ABBREVIATIONS IN THE TEXT.................................................................................................4 Basic terminology........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BIODIVERSITY PROCESS IN ESTONIA...........................8 2. RELATION BETWEEN THE BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN TO OTHER PROCESSES IN ESTONIA AND ABROAD .................................................................12 2.1. Relation to other domestic processes...................................................................................12 2.2. Relation to other international processes.............................................................................14 3. MEANS FOR SUSTAINABLE USE AND PROTECTION OF BIODIVERSITY ..................16 3.1. Goals and Means of Protection of Biological Diversity in..................................................16 Estonia by the State (Record of legislative acts) ........................................................................16 3.2. Science.................................................................................................................................18 3.3. Accessibility and publication of information about biological diversity in Estonia ...........27 1. Monitoring of status of biological diversity (BD)..................................................................27 2. The information system of biological diversity and organisation of data storage and processing...................................................................................................................................31 3. Subjects and objects of biological diversity information .......................................................32 4. ANALYSIS OF THE STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION IN DIFFERENT SECTORS AND MAIN OBJECTIVES.........................................................................................33 4.1. GENETIC RESOURCES AND BIOTECHNOLOGY ...........................................................33 1. Genetic resources: concepts ...................................................................................................33 2. The current situation and problems associated with the collection and conservation of genetic material from cultivated plants and wild plant and animal species................................35 3. The development of biotechnology as a scientific and industrial sector in Estonia...............36 4. Genetically modified organisms and their use .......................................................................37 5. Veterinary biotechnological research and experimental production in Estonia .....................39 6. Legal protection of industrial property...................................................................................39 7. Summary, assessment and objectives.....................................................................................40 4.2. EDUCATION..........................................................................................................................41 1. The role of the general education system in protecting and introducing the principles of biodiversity.................................................................................................................................41 2. The role of Nature Centres in the field of nature education ...................................................43 3. Environmental (including nature conservation) education in Estonian universities. .............43 4. The role of non-governmental environmental protection organisations (NGO) in the implementation of the convention on biological diversity. ........................................................44 5. Environmental education goals within the Estonian Environmental Action Plan and their funding. ......................................................................................................................................45 6. Assessment of natural history education in Estonia in regard to the responsibilities imposed by the Convention on Biological Diversity................................................................................46 Objectives:..................................................................................................................................47 4.3. LANDSCAPE .........................................................................................................................47 1. The sources of Estonian landscape diversity..........................................................................47 2. Landscape aspects requiring special recognition....................................................................47 3. The influence of changing land use on biological diversity...................................................48 4. Landscape use and protection. Planning ................................................................................50 4.1. Landscape protection and management...............................................................................50 4.2. Land policy..........................................................................................................................51 4.3. Planning and legislation ......................................................................................................51 5. Landscape maintenance..........................................................................................................54 Objectives:..................................................................................................................................54 4.4. NATURE CONSERVATION.................................................................................................55 Brief biodiversity background of the country ............................................................................55 Habitats-biotopes........................................................................................................................58 In-situ and ex-situ conservation system......................................................................................59 Objectives for the nature conservation sector.............................................................................66 4.5. FISHERY ................................................................................................................................67 1. Fishes......................................................................................................................................67 1.1. Species composition ............................................................................................................67 1.2. Fish communities, their structure and species richness...........................................................68 1.3. Recent changes ....................................................................................................................69 2. Invertebrates in water bodies..................................................................................................71 3. Fishery - fishing and fish farming ..........................................................................................71 4. Strategy of protection of biological diversity of the sea and inland waters ...........................74 Aims and tasks............................................................................................................................76 4.6. FORESTRY.............................................................................................................................76 1. Nature conservation................................................................................................................77 2. Environment protection and sanitary protection ....................................................................77 3. Recreation...............................................................................................................................78 4. Secondary use.........................................................................................................................78 5. Research and Education .........................................................................................................78 6. Wood Production....................................................................................................................79 7. Hunting...................................................................................................................................80 8. Military Activity.....................................................................................................................80 Objectives:..................................................................................................................................81 4.7. AGRICULTURE.....................................................................................................................82 1. Semi-natural areas ..................................................................................................................83