Estonia to invest EUR 18.8 mln in biodiversity by 2032

TALLINN - A total of 18.8 million euros will be invested in Estonia by 2032 to preserve biodiversity and ecosystems by means of a number of activities that will help the environment and people adapt to climate change.

Under the leadership of the Ministry of the Environment, the LIFE-SIP AdaptEst project will be launched to improve Estonia's preparedness to adapt to climate change. The project will update Estonia's future climate forecasts and find solutions for several regions of Estonia to better cope with changing weather conditions.

For example, it will explore the potential of grass as biomass; look for ways to reuse wastewater in agriculture and industry in East-Viru County; look for solutions to improve the condition of water bodies and improve salmon spawning conditions; breed and introduce in water bodies protected and endangered fish species such as asp, grayling and whitefish and monitor of the status of these species, as well as dismantle at least 10 dams and  restore 100 kilometers of river habitats and 1,000 square kilometers of spawning areas.

It will also identify which trees have offspring that are resistant to weather and disease and tree species from which areas should be used by Estonian forest owners for reforestation.

Maris Arro, advisor at the climate department of the Ministry of the Environment, said these various activities help to keep our ecosystems in better health.

In particular, plans are to find better solutions for the maintenance of semi-natural communities in the Alam-Pedja protected area and the use of the hay produced as part of this. In addition, the water regime of the wetlands there will be made more natural and activities to control the populations of small carnivores, beavers and raccoons will be carried out. The activities will also involve volunteers and training events will be held. Based on the results of the project, a new management plan will be drawn up for the protected area for the next 10 years. 

In East-Viru County, weaknesses in the security of supply of drinking water and pressure on the environment will be identified. The potential of wastewater, including mine water, the carbon sequestration capacity of the wetland laid out in the former Sirgala-Viivikonna mining area and its impact on the quality of drinking water will be analyzed. In addition, wastewater reuse opportunities in industry and agriculture will be mapped.