Estonian Ornithological SocietyLIFE00NAT/EE/7082

Project title: Restoration and management of the Häädemeeste wetland complex

• Duration: 01.08.2001-30.04.2005

• Total budget: 675 286 EUR LIFE Nature contribution 75 % (506 465 EUR)

• Location: SW-Estonia, Pärnu County, Häädemeeste, Tahkuranna and Surju local communities. 10 000

ha

• Partners: Pärnumaa Environmental DepartmentHäädemeeste CommunityThe State Forestry Centre

The location and borders of the Rannametsa-Soometsa Nature reserve

Ancylus Lake dunesLittorina Sea

dunes

Timmkanal

Conservation status of the project site

• Rannametsa-Soometsa NR established in 2000• Partially the area was the Landscape Reserve

since 1968• No personnel and management plan• Due to high values area is getting more

international designations:

IBA (global level)

Candidate of Ramsar area

Candidate SPA & cSAC (Natura 2000)

Need for the Project

• Habitat degradation, habitat loss• Poor local economical situation • Not enough resources on governmental

level• Land ownership• Land use (hunting, drainage, logging)• Tourism pressure• Community (un)awareness

Main goals• to secure the favourable

conservation status of the habitats and species of the European Community importance

• to get experiences in management of a reserve with the complex range of habitats, threats and interests and as a potential Natura 2000 site

• to get control over the land use, recreation and tourism activities and lead them towards sustainability

Main goals• to use the project as demonstrative example for various kind of pilot

activities of conservational management

• to test the model of protected area management, based on NGO, state, local authorities, private landowners/landusers and other stakeholder interplay

• to involve the local society into the conservational management activities and improve the economics

• to rise the public awareness and enhance the understanding of current nature conservation highlights

A1. Management plan C7. Bufo calamita ponds E12. Map, leaflet for visitors

A2. Steering committee formation

C8. Cleaning coastal meadows

E13. Leaflet for farmers

A3. Bog hydrological assessment

D1. Livestock purchase E14. Tourism facilities

A4. Public meeting D2. Grazing on coastal meadows

E15. Camp sites

A5. Contracts and management agreements

D3. Mowing coastal meadows E16. Bird watching towers

A6. Survey of land ownership and status

E1. Work with media E17. Bird-watching hide

B1. Land lease E2. Guided visits E18. Information building

B2. Land purchase E3. Children’s summer camp E19. Signs, info-boards

C1. Blocking drainage ditches in Tolkuse Bog

E4. Stakeholder meetings F1. Work of steering committee

C2. Bog restoration E5-E7. Seminars F2. Project daily management

C3. Restoration of sand patches

E8. Pupils creative competition F3. Monitoring of effects

C4. Restoration of fishpond E9. Photo database F4. Assign of experts

C5. Water level management on coastal meadows

E10. Travelling photo exhibition

F5. Project audit

C6. Sheds, fences on coastal meadows

E11. WEB page

Project preparation process

• We organised a public meeting during the project writing process, where we informed the local community about possibility of getting funds from LIFE Nature and asked peoples´ opinions about the actions.

People gave their impressions about the changes in nature, showed their discontent about the specific issues like coastal meadow overgrowing, lack of information and knowledge, also an interest to contribute. Several project actions and practical solutions came from locals, knowing the area and management techniques best.

Obvious problems in bogs:

40 ha of peat cutting fields

Large scale marginal drains

Channel, dug through the bog in 1860-ies

Changes in landscape

• large bog waterbodies, open in 1950-ies, have changed to swamps or quagmires

• Owergrowth with pine

Collaboration with:

• Nigula Nature reserve • Tallinn Pedagogical University, Institute of

Ecology, Mire research group • Univerśity of Wageningen• Agricultural University of Uppsala• Technical designs from company “Maa ja

vesi”

Problems quite underestimated in press and public:Interviews in Estonian radio, BBC

The dam was built to close the “Kalakraav” ditch in

summer 2005

Water table has risen 175 cm during 3 weeks

The mire restoration seminar in Ministry of Environment

The pictures, management plan

and text of mire restoration report

can be found www.luitemaa.eoy.ee

Thank You