Forests cover about 50% of the territory of Estonia, or around 2 million hectares, and so make out an important and dominating landscape type in the country. National law and policies recognize that forests are a natural and ecological resource, and the importance of forests is to be considered from an economic, social, ecological and cultural aspect. [1] [2]
Before the advent of agriculture in Estonia, the land area covered by forests was approximately 80%; however, due to human activity it fell to about 34% by 1939, and Estonia has traditionally been a country dominated by agriculture. However, after World War II and the ensuing Soviet occupation of Estonia, large parts of former agricultural land fell into disuse and was reforested. In the 1960s, attempts were made to improve the output of silviculture by e.g. draining swamps. Agricultural reforms during the 1990s have further increased the amount of land with forests growing. [3]
Despite its relatively small size, Estonia displays a great variety in forest types. Two main types are forests growing on mineral soil (about 70%) and so-called swamp forests (about 30%), growing in the numerous wetland areas of Estonia. The forest types can further be broken down into smaller categories, many with their own ecosystem and unique biotope. In addition, large variations can be found within a single small area of land. [3] The most common tree species are pine, birch and spruce. [4]
About 70% of Estonian forests are commercially used (circa 1.5 million hectares), with another 30% enjoying some kind of protection (as of 2005). [4]
Of harvested timber, around 60% is made up of coniferous wood, mainly pine and spruce, and the rest deciduous trees, dominated by birch. [4] The forest-based industry of Estonia encompasses all aspects of the trade; however, the pulp and paper industry remains relatively small. Round wood is exported mainly to Finland and Sweden, while Estonian sawmills also import logs, mainly from Latvia and Russia. Wood pellets is another product which is almost exclusively exported. [5]
Wood makes out the second largest source of domestic fuels in Estonia (the largest being oil shale). Wood is commonly used both on an industrial scale by large boilers fed by wood waste and chips, and in the residential sector via traditional firewood-burning stoves. Since 2008, there are also two combined heat and power plants, in Tallinn and Tartu respectively. [5]
40% of the forests of Estonia belong to the state and are governed by the State Forest Management Centre (abbreviated RMK). [6] National policies and legislation is aimed at safeguarding that an economically profitable yet ecologically sustainable silviculture is maintained. [3] However, the State Forest Management Centre has been criticised (2010) for not pursuing a sustainable forest management. [7]
The proportion of protected forests in Estonia is relatively large, when compared with other similar countries which also pursue commercial forestry on a large scale. [4] The first forests to be placed under protection were given the status of nature reserve in the 1920s.
Estonia's main research institution dealing with forestry-related research is the Estonian University of Life Sciences in Tartu. [5]
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing and ecological function. The Food and Agriculture Organization defines a forest as land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use. Using this definition FRA 2020 found that forests covered 4.06 billion hectares or approximately 31 percent of the global land area in 2020.
Latvia lies on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea on the level northwestern part of the rising East European platform, between Estonia and Lithuania. About 98% of the country lies under 200 m (656 ft) elevation. With the exception of the coastal plains, the ice age divided Latvia into three main regions: the morainic Western and Eastern uplands and the Middle lowlands. Latvia holds over 12,000 rivers, only 17 of which are longer than 100 km (60 mi), and over 3,000 small lakes, most of which are eutrophic. The major rivers include the Daugava, the Lielupe, the Gauja, the Venta and the Salaca. Woodlands cover around 52% of the country. Other than peat, dolomite, and limestone, natural resources are scarce. Latvia has 531 km (330 mi) of sandy coastline, and the ports of Liepāja and Ventspils provide important warm-water harbors for the Baltic coast.
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. The science of forestry has elements that belong to the biological, physical, social, political and managerial sciences.
The snowshoe hare, also called the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks. Its feet also have fur on the soles to protect it from freezing temperatures.
Silviculture is the practice of controlling the growth, composition/structure, and quality of forests to meet values and needs, specifically timber production.
Clearcutting, clearfelling or clearcut logging is a forestry/logging practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down. Along with shelterwood and seed tree harvests, it is used by foresters to create certain types of forest ecosystems and to promote select species that require an abundance of sunlight or grow in large, even-age stands. Logging companies and forest-worker unions in some countries support the practice for scientific, safety and economic reasons, while detractors consider it a form of deforestation that destroys natural habitats and contributes to climate change.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and guide to forestry:
Social forestry is the management and protection of forests and afforestation of barren and deforested lands with the purpose of helping environmental, social and rural development. The term social forestry was first used in 1976 by The National Commission on Agriculture, when the government of India aimed to reduce pressure on forests by planting trees on all unused and fallow lands. It was intended as a democratic approach to forest conservation and usage, maximizing land utilization for multiple purposes.
Matsalu National Park is a nature reserve and national park situated in Lääne and Pärnu Counties, Estonia. Matsalu National Park spans an area of 486.1 km2 (187.7 sq mi), comprising Matsalu Bay, the Kasari River delta, the village of Matsalu and surrounding areas.
Protected areas of Estonia are regulated by the Nature Conservation Act, which was passed by the Estonian parliament on April 21, 2004 and entered into force May 10, 2004. Overall Estonia has 15403 Protected Areas covering 21.21% of the country land and 18.78% of it marine and coastal territory.
Variable retention is a relatively new silvicultural system that retains forest structural elements for at least one rotation in order to preserve environmental values associated with structurally complex forests.
Forestry in India is a significant rural industry and a major environmental resource. India is one of the ten most forest-rich countries of the world. Together, India and these other 9 countries account for 67 percent of total forest area of the world. India's forest cover grew at 0.20% annually over 1990–2000, and has grown at the rate of 0.7% per year over 2000–2010, after decades where forest degradation was a matter of serious concern.
Canada's boreal forest is a vast region comprising about one third of the circumpolar boreal forest that rings the Northern Hemisphere, mostly north of the 50th parallel. Other countries with boreal forest include Russia, which contains the majority, the United States in its northernmost state of Alaska, and the Scandinavian or Northern European countries. In Europe, the entire boreal forest is referred to as taiga, not just the northern fringe where it thins out near the tree line. The boreal region in Canada covers almost 60% of the country's land area. The Canadian boreal region spans the landscape from the most easterly part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador to the border between the far northern Yukon and Alaska. The area is dominated by coniferous forests, particularly spruce, interspersed with vast wetlands, mostly bogs and fens. The boreal region of Canada includes eight ecozones. While the biodiversity of regions varies, each ecozone has a characteristic native flora and fauna.
Põhja-Kõrvemaa Nature Reserve is a protected area in Harju County, Northern Estonia, some 50 km east of Tallinn. With an area of 130.9 km2, it is the third largest nature reserve in Estonia. Dominated by forests and bogs, it aims to protect rare and endangered species, their habitats, and valuable natural landscapes.
The biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia are units of a classification system used by the British Columbia Ministry of Forests for the Canadian province's fourteen different broad, climatic ecosystems. The classification system, termed Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification, exists independently of other ecoregion systems, one created by the World Wildlife Fund and the other in use by Environment Canada, which is based on one created by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) and also in use by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The system of biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification was partly created for the purpose of managing forestry resources, but is also in use by the British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and other provincial agencies. A biogeoclimatic zone is defined as "a geographic area having similar patterns of energy flow, vegetation and soils as a result of a broadly homogenous macroclimate."
Stingray Swamp Flora Reserve (SWFR) is located immediately north of Penrose township in the south-western region of Wingecarribee Shire. The reserve is primarily surrounded by the Penrose State Forest, which is a commercially active plantation forest administered by the Forest Corporation NSW. Pine species dominate the state forest with a mix of native vegetation types in isolated pockets and adjacent areas. Stingray Swamp Flora Reserve belongs to a larger wetland complex known as the Paddy’s River Wetland Complex (PRWC). These wetlands also form part of the Paddy’s River sub-catchment, which belong to the larger Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment. Historic use of this area has mainly been that of pine plantation, agriculture and mining activities. The forest is publicly accessible and therefore is a site of mixed recreational activities.
Estonian Forest Aid is an Estonian civic movement which advocates sustainable forest management and draws attention to problems associated with Estonian forestry policy in general. A non-profit organisation under the same name (Eesti Metsa Abiks) has been registered by activists from the movement in the Estonian Business Register in June 2017. Since January 2018, EFA belongs to the social chamber of the FSC-s representative organization in Estonia.
The Lake Auger Old Forest is a protected area of old-growth forest in the Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. It is classified as an exceptional forest ecosystem.
State Forest Management Centre is Estonian state institution which focuses mainly on forest management in Estonia, but also seed and plant management, timber marketing, land management, nature conservation, visitor management and nature education.
A tree plantation, forest plantation, plantation forest or timber plantation is a forest planted for high volume production of wood, usually by planting one type of tree as a monoculture forest.
