Notes on Birds and Habitats Directives in Estonia

Key term(s): Favourable Conservation Status (HD) and Art 2 (BD) According to the Commission’s guidance document which defines favourable reference range, population and area, FRVs must be at least the value as that when the Directive came into force.

Natura 2000 network 66 SPA-s 12 661 sq km 542 SCI, SAC 11 668 sq km TOTAL 14 836 sq km land area 7220 sq km

Trends in Estonian forestry

Felling volume (qm/year) More official forest statistics: http://www.keskkonnaagentuur.ee/sites/default/files/aastaraamat_mets_2014.pdf

Article gives very good background comparative data about many improratant key features supporting forest-dwelling biodiversity.

Different species groups, different protection strategies different trends

Eagles and the Black Stork 5 (6) species of Eagles + Black Stork Strictest protection Species action plans are mandatory for all species Mainly NGO Eagle Club is dealing with

Eagles and the Black Stork (2) All known nests protected against logging and disturbance “Automatic micro-reserve”, species protection site when new nest is discovered No forestry operations nor other developments; temporary closure 500 m: Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetus) 250 m: Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga) + mixed pairs 200 m: Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) 100 m: Lesser Spotted Eagle (Clanga pomarina) Later very similar to Latvian scheme – small reserve with “natural” borders established with ministerial decree

Eagles and the Black Stork (3) White-tailed Eagle Golden Eagle Osprey Greater Sp Eagle Lesser Sp Eagle Short-toed Eagle Black Stork

Forest owners and eagles * Some are proud, many are angry * Private owners on Natura 2000 sites has been compensated from CAP Pillar II forestry measure * Private owners outside Natura 2000, but with the same strictest restrictions because of nest were not compensated for years (only property tax was 0%) * From this year also these owners get compensation (110 EUR/ha/year)

Other raptors and Owls Monitoring on permanent plots (total 1000 ha)

Other raptors and Owls Mainly doing well Probably only Goshawk’s trend has been clearly dependent on trends in forestry

Other raptors and Owls Pygmy Owl Ural Owl

Woodpeckers Very important study from 2015:

Historical data of 80 years interpreted The mean total densities of all woodpeckers 2.6±0.7 (95 % CI) pairs km -2 in commercial forests, 4.0±1.1 pairs km -2 under restricted-harvesting regime 3.6±1.2 pairs km -2 in strict reserves Non-sinificant difference

The main conclusions: seminatural forestry can serve as a basis for reconciling timber harvesting and biodiversity protection at the landscape scale, given appropriate attention to key structures and landscape zoning woodpeckers represent a biological indicator system for the sustainability of forest landscapes in Europe.

Grouse (3 species) Capercaillie and Black Grouse Both declining, complex problem, forestry, incl drainage involved Hazel Grouse: +/- stable

So. mainly common forest birds left So.. mainly common forest birds left.. Are they maintained at the favourable conservation status?

Common forest birds index

BirdLife Estonia: Estonian forests lose 60 th pairs of common breeding birds annually

Estonian forests lose 60 thousand pairs of common breeding birds annually 12 mio pairs of forest birds in Estonia 56 species complex index (geomean) mean trend -0,5% per year (avg -1,0%) Sedentary species -1,3% / year; migrants -0,1% / year Birds of coniferous forests -1,8%, birds of deciduous/mixed forests -0,3% Calculated annual decline for Estonia: 58-87 th pairs