1. SA Erametsakeskus (Private Forest Center) Natura 2000 support for private forest owners in Estonia Maaelu Arengu Euroopa Põllumajandusfond: Euroopa investeeringud maapiirkondadesse

2. Private Forest Centre (PFC) Foundation which deals with development of private forestry sector by:  Development projects;  Administration of subsidies Main supported activities:  Silvicultural activities (reforestation, young stand treatment)  Forest management plans  Investments to forest management  Compensation for NATURA 2000 Up to 6 mil. EUR of subsidies are allocated to forest owners a year

3. PFC and NATURA compensation PFC carries out proceedings; payment agency pays the money Ministry of Environment Private Forest Centre Ministry of Agriculture Agrcultural Registers and Information Board (payment agency)

4. Legal basis Article 46 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 Estonian Rural Development Plan 2007-2013 European Union Common Agricultural Policy Implementation Act Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture Administrative contract between PFC and Agricultural Registers and Information Board

5. Private forest area Total Natura 2000 area in private forest land in Estonia is: 70 617 ha of forestland in limited management zone and special conservation area 19 384 ha of forestland in special management zone TOTAL: ca 90 000 ha Compensation rate: 60 EUR/ha per year in limited management zone and special conservation area 110 EUR/ha per year in special management zone

6. Aim of the compensation Rural Development Plan: to contribute to the sustainable use of private forest land located in Natura 2000 area Measure to achieve the goal: to compensate the loss of economic income of the forest resulting from the restrictions of the Birds and Habitats Directives.

7. Main requirements for the compensation Applicant is a private forest owner Applicant must not violate the Nature Protection Act and Forest Law Applicant must ensure that the area for which the support is applied can be identified visually on- the-spot

8. Visually identified area The applicant must mark the boundaries between different zones and the boundary of forest land in nature. If the boundaries of the area are linear, the corners must be marked. In case the area boundary is irregular, it has to be marked at full length. Forest owner can ask subsidised advice for marking the boundaries!

9. The boundary between different management zone areas

10. The boundary, where forest land becomes smoothly not wooded land

12. On-the-spot check Local control specialists check: Whether eligible forest area is not smaller than applied Forest area boundaries are marked according to regulations Whether there is any violation of Nature Protection Act or Forest Law

13. Results of the controls PFC controls in the nature every year 5 – 10% of applicants (about 4 – 5000 ha of forestland) Main violations (ca 60%) are:  marking of boundaries is not correct  area of eligible land is not correct Result: reduction of compensation Everything correct – less than 30% of applicants Only few cases when violation of nature protection requirements has been identified!

14. Numer of applicants

15. Applied area

16. Lessons learned very exact marking of boundaries is resource consuming for all stakeholders; forest owner can not be let alone if exact marking of boundaries is required – assistance has to be provided

17. Conclusions Principles are excellent:  Private owner need compensation  Use of taxpayers money has to be under the control The fact, that compensation reaches to Estonian forest owners is also excellent! Remember the time few years ago …

18. Conclusions But … implementation is … … pretty resource consuming …and conflict creating Time to introduce more modern methods (digital registers, measuring by using GIS etc.)? Compensation system, that creates misunderstandings between partners may endanger achievement of overall goals

19. THANK YOU! www.eramets.ee