from Estonia landowners and farmers: a case study

25.10.2019 Restoring semi-natural grassland with landowners and farmers: a case study from Estonia - EUROPARC Federation

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Restoring semi-natural grassland withlandowners and farmers: a case studyfrom Estonia

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25.10.2019 Restoring semi-natural grassland with landowners and farmers: a case study from Estonia - EUROPARC Federation

https://www.europarc.org/news/2019/10/restoring-semi-natural-grassland/?fbclid=IwAR3Dna8yxA6xhnpdxrf9S2oje_AX85Xj1ojk41I4KtnfoFZRHjF9ymbkuDQ 2/10

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Alvar -LIFE to alvars project Website

Published on: 17/10/19

Alvars are a semi-natural grassland, very limited in their global distribution. Onethird of them are in Estonia. LIFE to Alvars cooperates with landowners and farmersin order to maintain the second richest ecosystem of the country. As a recognition ofthe hard work, the project received a Natura 2000 Award in the category “Socio-

economic bene�ts” in 2018.

The decline of pastures, decline of biodiversity

25.10.2019 Restoring semi-natural grassland with landowners and farmers: a case study from Estonia - EUROPARC Federation

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Alvar grasslands are semi-natural grasslands with thin lime-rich soil onlimestone bedrock. The number of vascular plants is the richest in species inEstonia after wooded meadows.

Within the European Union, alvars are only found in Sweden and Estonia, withminor areas in south-west Finland. The decrease of alvar grassland habitat areastarted in the 1950s when the traditional extensive agricultural activitieswere widely replaced by intensive land-use. In 2013 less than 30% of theEstonian Alvar surface (around 2000 ha) were under annual management,which is necessary for the long-term persistence of this habitat type.

Read also these two studies about grassland management in protectedareas in post-communist countries and about the management of wet-grasslands.

“The emergence and survival of thesesemi-natural communities, or heritage

00:00 01:58

25.10.2019 Restoring semi-natural grassland with landowners and farmers: a case study from Estonia - EUROPARC Federation

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communities, is closely linked totraditional activities. Pastoralism is themain human activity that allows theseenormously biodiverse grasses topersist.“

Decline in grazing has led Alvars to overgrow with shrubs (mainly Juniperuscommunis) and trees (mostly Pinus sylvestris). The abandonment anda�orestation are a threat to its integrity.

Why should we protect them?

Exceptional biodiversity as

compared with intensively

managed pasture,

providing habitat for

wildlife.

•

Valuable carbon store,

especially without

reseeding and fertilizers.

•

25.10.2019 Restoring semi-natural grassland with landowners and farmers: a case study from Estonia - EUROPARC Federation

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Alvar

From the Iberian dehesas to the Nordic wooded meadows, they’ve beenactively farmed for centuries, being an integral part of the forage system.

The Actions: Forestry and community involvement

Carried by the Estonian Environmental Board, the �ve years-project (whichended in September 2019) has worked out and successfully used a completelynovel approach to alvar restoration. It has also contributed to the EstonianNature Conservation Development Plan 2020.

The following actions were taken within the project:

Responsible for major part

of the environmental

public goods of European farming.

•

Other ecosystem services such as preventing erosion and nutrient

migration and �ltering water.

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Removing trees and shrubs with common forestry and communal

machinery.

•

Providing equipment, so that each restored area is equipped with

grazing infrastructures such as shelters and access to water and roads to

ensure continuous management.

•

25.10.2019 Restoring semi-natural grassland with landowners and farmers: a case study from Estonia - EUROPARC Federation

https://www.europarc.org/news/2019/10/restoring-semi-natural-grassland/?fbclid=IwAR3Dna8yxA6xhnpdxrf9S2oje_AX85Xj1ojk41I4KtnfoFZRHjF9ymbkuDQ 6/10

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EUROPARC,  Protected Areas,  

Sustainable Tourism,  

Transboundary,  Natura 2000,  

ecst,  Climate Change,  

Junior Ranger,  

Europarc federation,  

europarc spain,  TransParcNet,  

ignace schops,  

charter for sustainable tourism,  

europarc conference,  Charter

Chain crusher – LIFE to alvars project Website

Partnership

contracts were

signed with land-

owners, farmers

and the project.

•

Dissemination

actions

•

Annual public

meetings,

working groups,

and study trips

were held.

•

Promotion of the project with information boards, lea�ets, exhibitions

and media work.

•

25.10.2019 Restoring semi-natural grassland with landowners and farmers: a case study from Estonia - EUROPARC Federation

https://www.europarc.org/news/2019/10/restoring-semi-natural-grassland/?fbclid=IwAR3Dna8yxA6xhnpdxrf9S2oje_AX85Xj1ojk41I4KtnfoFZRHjF9ymbkuDQ 7/10

LIFE to alvars project Website

Results:

Animal shelter – LIFE to alvars project Website

Altogether, 2500

hectares of most

valuable alvar

grasslands were

restored and the areas

have joined the CAP

semi-natural grassland

management scheme.

•

All the restored areas

are equipped with

grazing infrastructure

for their subsequent management by local farmers.

•

600 landowners and 41 local farmers and farming companies were

involved in the restoration activities

•

Restoration has resulted in a signi�cant increase in plant species

richness, particularly in former a�orested and shrub-covered areas.

•

25.10.2019 Restoring semi-natural grassland with landowners and farmers: a case study from Estonia - EUROPARC Federation

https://www.europarc.org/news/2019/10/restoring-semi-natural-grassland/?fbclid=IwAR3Dna8yxA6xhnpdxrf9S2oje_AX85Xj1ojk41I4KtnfoFZRHjF9ymbkuDQ 8/10

“It is all about people. The opinion of thegeneral public and people involved in theproject is a key element in gainingsuccess in large scale restoration onprivate land.“

“The community involvement is fundamental when working in private land. Alot of e�ort has been put into communication and convincing. Findingtrustworthy local farmers interested in management and making agreementsfor continuous management is the second most important key element inmaintaining the restoration result long term,” said Ms Annely Holm, from theEstonian Environmental Board and Project Manager of LIFE to Alvars.

LIFE to alvars project was �nanced by the European Commission LIFE + Nature

programme in 2014. Project identi�cation code is LIFE13NAT/EE/000082. The project

is co-�nanced by the Estonian Environmental Investment Centre and by the

25.10.2019 Restoring semi-natural grassland with landowners and farmers: a case study from Estonia - EUROPARC Federation

https://www.europarc.org/news/2019/10/restoring-semi-natural-grassland/?fbclid=IwAR3Dna8yxA6xhnpdxrf9S2oje_AX85Xj1ojk41I4KtnfoFZRHjF9ymbkuDQ 9/10

partners’ self-�nancing. Project budget is 3 725 865 euros. Lead partner is theEstonian Environmental Board and partners are the University of Tartu, Estonian

University of Life Sciences and Seminatural Communities Conservation Association.

biodiversity conservation, community involvement, estonia,

grassland management, natural heritage

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25.10.2019 Restoring semi-natural grassland with landowners and farmers: a case study from Estonia - EUROPARC Federation

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