Private forestry in Estonia Kertu Kekk Foundation Private

Private forestry in Estonia Kertu Kekk Foundation Private Forest Centre 14 th of June 2017 in Riga

Estonia – half is forest! 2

Distribution of growing stock

Forestland ownership – half is private 2, 3 mil. ha of forestland 47% 53% 0. 002 Eramaa Munitsipaalmaa Riigimaa

PRIVATE FOREST OWNERS 112 922 forest owners own 1, 066 mil ha of forestland Number of forest owners – legal persons and individuals 5 752 Area of forestland – legal persons and individuals 5% 107 170 95% 688 246 65% 377 747 35% Source: Ministry of Environment (2015) 5

Private Forest Owners Average size of property: Legal persons 65, 7 ha; Individuals 6, 4 ha 44, 4 % of forest owners own less than 2 ha of forestland Ordinary forest owner: living far from property and having no forestry education State forests are managed by State Forest Management Centre (RMK) http: //rmk. ee/en

States` message Forestry Development Plan: ØTo increase overall felling volume in Estonia (max. felling 15 mil. m 3/year) ØTo increase reforestation in private forests (40% of clear-cut areas have to be regenerated) ØIncrease area of pre-commercial thinning/cleanings and thinning In summary: we have to do more in our forests! Therefore good SUPPORT SYSTEM is needed

Support system for private forest owners Estonian Private Forest Union Private Forest Centre Commercial Association Keskühistu Eramets Estonian Timbertrade Center Forest Owners Associations Forest Owners

Forest Owners` Associations What could forest owner get from FOA: ØInformation and advice ØApplying for subsidies from Private Forest Centre ØRepresentation in local policy questions ØSupport in silvicultural activities ØProcurement of seedlings ØJoint wood sale ØCertification Trend: from soft organizations to forest management About 25 active associations in organizations Estonia

Thousands Members of FOA`s 12 10. 81 11 9. 72 10 9 7. 70 8 7 6 5. 16 5 4. 23 3. 54 4 3 2. 50 2 1 - 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Thousands Forestland owned by members of FOA`s 500 467 450 388 400 338 350 300 250 238 259 266 2012 2013 206 200 150 100 50 2011 2014 2015 2016

Average area of forestland of members of FOA`s (ha) 95 85 83 75 67 65 61 55 52 44 45 40 43 35 25 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Private Forest Centre Objectives: Ø raising competence of private forest owners Ø promoting environmentally friendly and effective private forestry. Tasks: Ø administering national and EU subsidies for private forest owners Ø developing private forestry support system Ø other development activities related to private forestry (co-operation projects, trainings forestry advisors, educational materials forest owners, promoting wood energy etc. )

Activity Budget of subsidies for 2017 mil. eur NATURA 2000 4, 4 Silvicultural investments (thinning, pruning, preventing game damages etc. ) 2, 3 Forest Management Plans 0, 3 Forest regeneration 0, 9 Support to Forest Owners` Associations 0, 5 Advisory system 0, 4 Restoration of forest ditches 0, 2 Protection of key habitats 0, 16 Maintenance of cultural heritage 0, 02 TOTAL 9, 18 Support to forest owners

Thank you! Kertu Kekk, kertu. kekk@eramets. ee