Management of Landscapes in Estonian National Parks

Kaja Lotman

adviser, Environmental Board

National parks are located in different landscape regions

Landscape management

• Combined measures for conservation of semi-natural habitats within Natura 2000 network,

• Based on the national guidelines for management and restoration of relevant habitat types

• Management plans for the national parks and action plansfor protection of species

• In some cases also the spatial planning of the municipalities has a role

Landscape management

Regular management

• Included in EU Rural Development Plan (financed by CAP Pillar 2).

• It includes appropriate grazing of the pastures and mowing and removal of the hay after the set date from the meadows

Restoration of open landscape

• Restoration of the semi-natural habitats is based on nationalinventories and funding and includes measures like :

• bush cutting • in some cases also stump

removal• topping of high grass• erecting fences for pastures• and other similar measures

that precede resumption of mowing or grazing.

• Also investment from EU Structural Funds

Restoration of open landscape

Coastal landscapes and islands

• Supporting transport of grazing animals to the islands

• Greating voluntarycamps for young people

Karula National Park - for the protection of the hilly moraine landscapes of Southern Estonia

LAHEMAA NATIONAL PARK

protection coastal landscapes of Northern Estonia

Semi-natural grasslands

MATSALU NATIONAL PARK

for the protection of the characteristic biotic communities of Western Estonia and of the natural and cultural heritage of the Väinameri Sea

Semi-natural grasslands

SOOMAA NATIONAL PARK

protection of the mire landscapes and floodplain landscapes of transition zone of Estonia

VILSANDI NATIONAL PARK

the protection of the coastal landscapes of the Western Estonian archipelago

Habitat restoration for Bufo calamita

Control over building development and workshops forlocal community to learn to protect cultural heritage

(Karula)

The Boards of National Parks – advising and sharing information

Landscapes of community memory

• Kudas Palmse vald rikkaks saanud.

• Kord läinud üks Palmse härra mere ääre jalutama. Näinud mere ääres ilusa naisterahva. See olnud näkk. See näkk hakanud rääkima: “Mul on kurvad päevad. Ma olen sunnitud tormi merel tõstma. Ma tean aga, kui ma seda teen, siis palju inimesi merel ära upub. Sellepärast ei taha ma mitte seda teha. Näe seda sõrmust mu sõrmes.” Nende sõnadega näidanud härrale sõrmust oma sõrmes - “kui keegi seda sõrmust saaks ära kiskuda, siis pole mul vaja tormi tõsta. Ole sa nii hea, näri see sõrmus katki!” Härra närinudki sõrmuse katki. “So, nüüd olen ma vaba!” öelnud näkineiu ja andnud Palmse härrale kaks kotti kulda tänutäheks. Härra läinud kullaga koju. Pole omale sellest sugugi võtnud, vaid jaganud ühe koti kulda vaestele, teisest kotist andnud iga Palmse peremehele pihutäie kulda. Sest ajast saadik saanud Palmse vald rikkaks ja on tänapäevanigi rikas.

• E 37024 (10) < Kadrina khk., Hõbeda v. – Alfred Constantin Kivi < Heinrich Thalfeldt (1898)

Thank you!

Ave, Krista, Liina, Kaie, Kaarel, Jako etc