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World Wetlands Day SpecialIn this week’s special wetlands edition:
World Wetlands Day is on Wednesday 2nd of February and Wild Estonia Weekly brings you a special edition about some of the wetland wilderness areas in this wild little corner of Europe. Thanks to its moist climate, geological history and some help from beavers, Estonia is rich in wetlands. Over 1000 lakes greater than 1ha in size dot the countryside and around 1/5 of the land area (approx. 9000 km2) is wetland in the form of bogs, marshes and fens. The shallow coastline is 3794km in total (including islands) and is highly diverse in geography and coastal habitats. An archipelago of over 1500 islands and islets skirts the coast which is characterised by numerous shallow bays and inlets. These wetland areas provide excellent habitat for local and visiting species and many of these wetlands are under various forms of environmental protection.
Kakerdaja Bog Estonia sits within the East Atlantic Flyway and is the staging, moulting or summer breeding site for hundreds of species of migratory birds, with millions of birds spending time here between Spring and Autumn every year. Some of the 206 species that regularly stay for the summer include Black Storks (Ciconia nigra), Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis), Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis), Great Snipe (Gallinago media) and Corn-Crakes (Crex crex). Wetlands are also important areas for local plant biodiversity. Estonia marks the northern, southern, eastern or western limit of distribution for around 538 vascular plant species. The highest diversity of plant species is found in or adjacent to wetlands, such as the coastal alvars of the islands and western coast. Fungi species are also well represented here with over 3700 species being recorded and 60 species being recommended as edible.
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) Although the diversity of fish and amphibian species is reasonably low, a number of wetland areas provide vital breeding grounds for fish populations of the Baltic Sea and Lake Peipus, Europe’s fifth largest lake. Estonian wetlands are also home to regionally rare or endangered amphibians such as the Natterjack (Bufo calamita Laurenti) and the Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus Laurenti). Wetlands in Estonia are of course extremely important for local hydrology, flood mitigation and the provision of clean water to both natural areas and for drinking water in cities and towns. As in many other parts of the world, wetlands here have unfortunately not been well loved or understood in the past. They were often seen as places to be feared, drained and mined for peat. However, thanks to efforts of local environmentalists, a number of wetlands in Estonia became protected areas during Soviet occupation and thankfully, times and attitudes have changed and wetlands are now much better valued and understood. Ramsar Wetlands in EstoniaConsidering the richness and diversity of wetland habitats present in Estonia, it’s not surprising to hear that 12 wetland areas have been listed as Ramsar sites and that all of these are under different forms of environmental protection within Estonia. Details of these sites are listed below. The Ramsar website provides descriptions of each protected area, but we have provided summaries of three wetland areas below. These three have been chosen to provide a taste of the various wetland habitats present in Estonia. Emajõe Suursoo Mire and Piirissaar Island. Tartu County; 32,600 ha; Mire Reserve, Zoological-Botanical Reserve; IBA; Ramsar site No. 906. A large wilderness area which is extremely important for the hydrology of Lake Peipus. Habitat types include various types of peatland, rivers, lakes, coasts, and islands. Vegetation consists of reedbeds, fens, swamps, swamp forests, peat bogs and mixed forests. The site is an important spawning area for various fish species. Numerous species of vulnerable waterbirds also use the site for breeding, moulting or staging. The site supports several amphibian, fish, plant and bird species that are vulnerable, endangered or endemic. Human activities include fishing, farming, hunting, seasonally intensive berry picking, and boating.
Emajõe Suursoo Soomaa National Park. Pärnu & Viljandi Counties; 37,169 ha; Ramsar site No. 912. Soomaa is a valuable wilderness area comprised of a bog complex, fens, rivers with floodplain and wooded meadows, surrounded by extensive forests and carrs. The site is subject to annual floods over a vast area and comprises some of the best preserved large bogs in Estonia, with very high species diversity. Numerous species of waterbirds use the area for roosting and as a stopover point during autumn migration. A total of 36 species of mammals occur at the site.Interesting adaptations to the local flood regime were developed by residents into local traditions, such as using dug-out canoes for transport. Human activities include berry-picking, research, extensive forestry, small-scale agriculture, hunting and tourism.
Walking on Kuresoo Bog Vilsandi National Park. Saare County, Saaremaa Island; 24,100 ha; IBA; Ramsar site No. 913.. Vilsandi National Park is a large wilderness area comprised of a varied coastal landscape, archipelago, and brackish and freshwater relict lakes. Predominant vegetation consists of coastal meadows and includes, reedbeds, forests, and cropland. One third of the plant species present here are rare for Estonia and include numerous endangered and vulnerable plants. Internationally important numbers of 249 species of waterbirds use the site for breeding, staging and wintering. Numerous species of mammals are present. Human activities include small-scale recreation and tourism, farming, forestry, and fishing.
View to Vilsandi Lighthouse Ramsar Sites in Estonia
(26,000 ha, 58º28’N 026º13’E, listed.17/06/97)
(32,600 ha, 58º23’N 027º18’E, listed 17/06/97)
(8,050 ha, 58º53’N 026º08’E, listed 17/06/97)
(17,700 ha, 58º48’N 022º58’E, listed 17/06/97)
(2,424 ha, 58°18’N 022°49’E, listed 31/03/03)
(48,610 ha, 58º45’N 023º40’E, listed 29/03/94)
(2,424 ha, 58°18’N 022°49’E, listed 31/03/03)
(12,400 ha, 59º08’N 027º06’E, listed 17/06/97)
(6,398 ha, 58º00’N 024º40’E, listed 17/06/97)
(4,640 ha, 58º34’N 023º33’E, listed 17/06/97)
(5,869 ha, 58°00’N 024°45’E, listed 03/02/06)
(37,169 ha, 58º25’N 025º05’E, listed 17/06/97)
(24,100 ha, 58º23’N 021º54’E, listed 17/06/97) Thank You for subscribing!Become also a Facebook Fan of Wild Estonia Weekly See videos on our YouTube Channel Join the Wild Estonia Weekly Flickr Group and share your pictures Write to us at WildEstoniaWeekly@gmail.com |
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