Restoration of bogs in Estonia solves several burning problems

Estonian environmental NGO-s and the Ministry of Environment have launched massive projects related to our boglands. The total area of swamps and bogs has decreased substantially since the middle of the 20th century. Recent inventories reveal that the situation is much worse than we thought and we must work hard now to reverse ths process.

Estonia is a land, that has uplifted from the sea during the last 12,000 years and therefore is full of previous lagoons, overgrown lakes, swamps and raised bogs. We are used to the myth, that Estonia is full of bogs. In 2011-2013, Estonian Fund for Nature completed a project, funded by the Coca Cola Foundation, which aimed in finding the best restoration areas of the Estonian Ramsar sites and compiling restoration plans. The main focus was on transitional bogs, as these are usually grown instead of open bogs as a consequence of amelioration. It is shocking to realise that instead of the textbook reference of Estonia being 22% swamps and bogs, the reality is that only 5.3% remains (according to the inventory from 2009-2012, made by Estonian Fund for Nature, Tartu University and NGO Arhevisioon). The disappearance of bogs since 1950 has been become critical and should be a real cause for concern!

Total area of Estonian fens and bogs is about 140 000 ha
/ Photo: Mati Kose

Beginning with this year Estonian Fund for Nature launches a new five-year cooperation programme with the upper mentioned partners to restore 5800 ha of bogs, damaged by amelioration and drainage. The project is still in the preparation stage, as the practical work should begin in 2017. The plans embrace 5800 ha of bogs to be restored, 3276 ha of Natura habitats therein and is financed by LIFE Programme and Environmental Investments Centre. In addition to practical work in landscape lots of information work will be done. The main idea is to restore as natural a water-regime as possible to relaunch peat accumulation processes. Alam-Pedja, Ohepalu, Agusalu, Lahemaa, Tudusoo, Sirtsi and other nature reserves and national parks will be included in the project which will run until 2020.

At the same time the State Forest Management Centre (RMK) is launching another programme to clear overgrown bog areas to restore the bog to its former glory. The main focus is on 5000 hectares of different valuable areas.

It was more than 40 years ago when a “Bog War” took place in Estonia. Pragmatism vs conservationism. Peat vs water. By that time edges of the largest bog massives were already cut through by ditches and the function of bogs as water reservoirs was perturbed. This Moscow-financed operation was a hot topic in newspapers and radio for 3 years, until some Estonian ministers switched their side and became “bog-keepers”. In 1972 the Council of Ministers specified the bogs that were to be excluded from the amelioration fund. All together 93 bogs and swamps (207,000 ha) were listed, from which 28 bog and swamp reserves were established in 1981 (total area 100,000 ha).

After the restoration of independence in Estonia utilitarian interests began to prevail and  peat excavation became a large scale problem with international business interests. The crucial question is whether peat is renewable natural asset or not. Our bogs have come into being since the latest ice age and accumulated peat at a rate of 1 mm per year. According to this knowledge the usable peat stock is about 2.8 million tonnes. However, large amounts of peat is quickly vanishing through decomosition resulting in mineral soil plus lots of carbon dioxide emission – an even worse problem.

The problem is as complex as it gets. We have to consider the pure water reservoir, accumulated carbon dioxide, ability of bogs to produce more oxygen than it uses itself, the habitat of rare and threatened mammals, birds, invertebrates and plants - plus the wonderful asset of our time - silence!

It is easy to make a list of the most important species of interest, more or less related to bogs, swamps and adjacent transitional areas: Capercaillie, Moor Frog, Willow Ptarmigan, Hazel Grouse, Black Grouse, Common Crane, Great Grey Shrike, Whimbrel, Jack Snipe, Wolf, Elk, Brown Bear, Golden Plover, White-faced Darters, Cranberry Blue, Freija Fritillary, Bog Fritillary, Baltic Grayling etc. The orchids of interest are Musk Orchid, Fen Orchid, Heath Spotted Orchid, White Adder’s Mouth, Bog Orchid, Narrow-leaved Russow’s Orchid and others.

Cranberry Blue (Plebejus optilete) / Photo: John Maddocks

Estonian Nature Tours takes its clients to several of these reserves, e.g. Lahemaa, Tudusoo, Alam-Pedja etc. 

Great partners, good network

We are happy to remind you that there are many tour operators in Europe who sell ENT tours to their clients. They are on different dates than we provide and may suit you better sometimes or you may prefer that they include everything in their price and book the flights for you too.  Some of these operators have still places available so.. if you are loyal to the company you already know then request tour packages:


Date                                                   Focus                          Booking agent

Fri 26th Feb – Wed 2nd Mar              birds                             Wise Birding

Wed 2nd Mar – Mon 7th Mar             mammals                     Wise Birding

Fri 4th Mar – Mon 7th Mar                 birds                             Sunbird

Sat 19th Mar – Sun 27th Mar             birds                            Spainbirds

Fri 25th Mar – Wed 30th Mar             birds                             Naturetrek

Fri 1st Apr – Wed 6th Apr                  birds                             Birdfinders

Sat 30th Apr – Sat 7th May               birds                             Wise Birding

Sat 7th May – Sat 14th May              wildlife                          SNP Natuurreizen

Sun 15th May – Sun 22nd May         birds & mammals         Travelling Naturalist

Mon 2nd May – Mon 9th May            birds                             Sunbird

Sun 22nd May – Sun 29th May         birds                             Naturetrek

Wed 1st Jun – Wed 8th Jun              wildlife                          Starling Reizen

Mon 6th Jun – Mon 13th Jun             birds                             Bird Holidays

Sun 5th Jun – Mon 13th Jun             orchids & mammals      Sandwich Bird Tours

Wed 8th Jun – Sun 19th Jun             wildlife                          Terra Unica Reizen               

Sun 26th Jun – Mon 4th Jul               wildflowers                   Naturetrek
  
Sat 10th Sep – Sat 17th Sep             wildlife                          SNP Natuurreizen

Sun 18th Sep – Sun 25th Sep           birds                             Naturetrek

Sat 17th Sep – Sat  24th Sep            birds                             Bird Holidays

Wed 21st Sep – Sun 2nd Oct            birds & mammals         Terra Unica Reizen

Sun 25th Sep – Sun 2nd Oct             birds                             Travelling Naturalist

Mon 3rd Oct – Mon 10th Oct             birds                             Ornitholidays 


As well as birdwatching tours, some of the tours we will be operating in conjunction of our partner companies include a Butterfly Holiday, 3 - 10 July, together with Greenwings Holidays and a Mammals and Birds tour, 23 - 30 September, together with Greenwings and Wildwings. 

There are so many options on offer, don’t think just - start packing!

Estonia is Lonely Planet’s best value destination for 2016

In the end of October, a newsworthy message was zipping through our social media and tourism-biased internet sites. Lonely Planet, the largest travel guide book publisher in the world, published their top ten ranking of the best value destinations for 2016.  In that ranking Estonia was number one afore Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, East Africa, New Mexico, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Galicia and Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.

What the Lonely Planet was referring to, was mainly the good deal one gets when spending on the trip to Estonia. First and perhaps the most important circumstance is the suitable location if one is already in Scandinavia - either in Helsinki or Stockholm. From there Estonia stays in a reach of a ferry-trip or a short flight with the bonus of staying in the Euro zone. Next catch is affordability combined with pretty high standard and last but not the least comes the opportunity to "experience a gloriously distinctive slice of Europe, where Eastern and Nordic influences mix together,” according to the guide.

The quality of accommodation places in Estonia /
Photo: Private collection

Lonely Planet continues the praise revealing that “beyond the irresistible capital of Tallinn there are little-known Baltic islands and the seashore and forest delights of Lahemaa National Park, which holds the distinction of being the first national park in the old Soviet Union”. Moreover - not everything is reverberated in this brief news - Estonia has a remarkable record of conservational legislation, not less remarkable location right on the East-Atlantic flyway of birds and the “crossroad” of distribution area borders of Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western flora elements, many rarities therein. Add to that the enjoyable moderate weather and the midsummer mellow and misty nocturnal brightness enfolding the landscapes of forests, raised bogs and wooded meadows and some scarce village settlement with the average population density of about 10 persons per 1 sq km. Yes, we mean it - just nature everywhere! Well, almost.

Estonia is one of the few countries in Europe where 

8 different species of Woodpeckers can be found.

In one national park in Estonia more White-backed 

Woodpeckers may nest than in the whole of Sweden!

Photo: Sven Zacek

The population of Elk is estimated 12 000 individuals in Estonia.
The best time for Elk-watching is definitely September
and October during the mating season. /
Photo: Sven Zacek

The most dangered seaduck in Europe, Steller`s Eider,
is good reason to visit Estonia in Winter. /
Photo: Tarvo Valker

Although Estonia received more than six million foreign visitors in 2014, its own population - 1.3 million - is about 15 times less than that of Holland or Denmark, on similar territory. In Estonia one can drive on almost empty roads and have a lunch in a pictoresque cafe at the seacoast together with no more than maybe only a dozen of other guests. If not the paradise, then at least a very easily reached department of it.

During 5 hours staying 50,000 Coal Tits have been
counted this Autumn in West-Estonia. /
Photo: Tarvo Valker

What value can Estonian Nature Tours add to this? But of course a plethora of professionally compiled tour packages to the hottest spots at the peak time under the care of top notch guides. Worth considering, isn´t it?

The quality of accommodation places in Estonia / 
Photo: Private collection

We'll be very delighted to see You in Estonia in 2016 :)