This page provides a summary on the
following items:
1. The coastal zone
1.1 Description of the coastal zone
1.2 Definition of the coastal zone
1.3 Setback lines policy
2. Coastal Management and Spatial Planning in the
Coastal Zone
2.1 Authority
2.2 Policy
3. Coastal and Marine Environmental Policy
3.1 Authority
3.2 Policy
3.3 Legislation
4. Coastal and Marine Nature Conservation Policy
4.1 Authority
4.2 Policy
5. Economic developments, important sectors and
trends
5.1 Tourism and recreation
5.2 Coastal defence
6. The Current State of Integrated Coastal Zone
Management
6.1 Completed projects
6.2 Ongoing projects
6.3 Initiatives related to ICZM
6.4 Evaluation
7. NGOs and other private stakeholders
8. References
1. The coastal zone
1.1 Description of the coastal zone
The length of the Estonian coastline is 3,794 km of which
1,242 km are on the mainland and 2,552 km is divided among
the islands. The country is bounded to the north by the
Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic proper and to
the south-west by the Gulf of Riga. The area Väinameri
between the islands of the West Estonian Archipelago forms
an area of numerous narrow and shallow straights and bays.
All four of these major Baltic Sea areas have characteristic
physical, chemical and biological features. This varied
coastline is mainly covered by stones, boulders, gravels
and silts. Sandy beaches are more rare and disperse.
1.2 Definition of the coastal zone
The protected coastal strip is generally between 100 m or
200 m and building in this zone is forbidden. The width
of this protected coastal strip can be modified by the local
authorities with the consent of the Ministry of the Environment
and some shore-bound activities can be allowed.
1.3 Setback lines policy
In Estonian law there is no definitive setback line policy.
2. Spatial planning in the Coastal Zone
2.1 Authority
On the national level, the Ministry of the Environment (Strategy
and Planning Department) is responsible for overall regulation,
coordination and supervision of planning as well as for
the preparation of national planning guidelines. National
planning covers the whole territory of the state and usually
affects areas such as transport, energy, tourism policies
and the location of nature protection areas. The national
plan provides a binding basis for county planning. The county
government is responsible for the preparation of county
plans, the supervision of the planning activities of local
governments and should participate in the preparation of
national planning guidelines. County planning affects similar
issues as national planning within the territory of the
given county or a part of it and must be approved by the
county government. A county plan may also be prepared for
several counties or parts thereof and is the binding basis
for comprehensive planning.
The municipalities prepare comprehensive and
detailed plans, secure their implementation and participate
in county plan production. A comprehensive plan is prepared
for the territory of a rural municipality or a town. Comprehensive
planning establishes more specific land use requirements
and obligations and defines the primary purpose of certain
areas within a local community, town, or particular property.
It also determines parts of rural areas where detailed planning
is mandatory.
2.2 Legislation
Spatial planning in Estonia is regulated by the Planning
and Building Act (1995). A new Planning Act was prepared
in 2001 and will be approved by the Parliament in 2002.
This Act regards zoning and land-use planning as the most
important tools for the implementation of environmental
protection policy on the principle of sustainable development.
The Planning Act establishes a planning system on four levels:
national planning, county planning, local comprehensive
planning and detailed planning.
3. Coastal and Marine Environmental Policy
3.1 Authority
At a national level, the Ministry of Environment is responsible
for environmental and nature protection policy. Several
departments deal with marine coastal zones. The Strategy
and Planning Department is responsible for the coordination
and the elaboration of environmental policy and sustainable
development principles. The Nature Protection Department
is responsible for elaboration and implementation of Estonia’s
nature protection policy and co-ordinates state nature-protection
programmes. The Fisheries Department is responsible for
fishing policy and activities, Environmental Impact Assessment
falls under the Environmental Management and Technology
Department. The Waste Department deals with waste protection
management and the Water Department is responsible for water
protection in investments affecting coastal zone water quality
in related sectors. Responsible for enforcement are the
Environmental Inspectorate for land-based problems and the
Marine Inspectorate for marine problems. Since the beginning
of the year 2000, the County Governments’ Environmental
Departments has been re-organized and now the County Environmental
Departments are part of the Ministry of the Environment.
3.2 Policy
In 1997, the Estonian National Environmental Strategy (NES)
was adopted. The NES determines priority goals for environmental
policy and identifies short, medium and long-term objectives
to be achieved by the years 2005 and 2010. One of the key
targets of the Estonian Environmental Strategy is to protect
surface water bodies and coastal seas. The country aims
to bring main municipal and industrial waste water treatment
indicators (BOD, phosphorous etc.) in line with the recommendations
of HELCOM: nitrogen compounds will be removed from the waste
water of over 5,000 inhabitants by the year 2010. A new
detailed National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) was approved
in 2001. One of the main goals is the protection of surface
water bodies and the coastal sea. In addition, the National
Estonian Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan for Combating
Oil Spills from the Sea addresses issues of marine environmental
protection.
3.3 Legislation
-
Act on Sustainable Development (1995); this
Act establishes the principles of the national strategy on sustainable
development and is based on the principles established in the
decisions of the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (Rio de Janeiro, 1992).
-
Water Act (1994); the Water Act regulates the
use and the protection of water and relations between landowners
and water users.
-
Pollution Charge Act (1999); this Act provides
the rates of the charge to be paid upon the release of pollutants
or waste into the environment and the procedure for the calculation
and payment of the charge.
-
Nature Protection Act (1990); this Act sets
up general objectives and principles of nature protection and
the use of natural resources. It provides a basis for the elaboration
of more detailed Acts and administrative regulations on nature
protection.
-
Act on Protected Natural Objects (1994); this
Act establishes the procedure for taking natural objects (protected
areas, natural monuments, protected species) into protection,
determines the rules of that protection, the rights and obligations
of land-owners, land users and others.
-
Act on the Protection of Marine and Freshwater
Coasts, Shores and Banks, which regulates the extent of coast,
shore and bank areas and protection and management of their
ecosystems.
-
Act on Environmental Impact Assessment (2000).
This act establishes the procedures for Environmental Impact
Assessment
4. Coastal and Marine Nature Conservation
Policy
4.1 Authority
The responsibility for management of nature protection lies
with the Ministry of the Environment. Its nature conservation
division deals with management of protection and inventory
of protected natural objects, as well as supervision of
the implementation of relevant international conventions.
The zoning of a protected area into special parts, and the
extent of restrictions and obligations imposed upon these
parts, is to be drawn up by the government in Protection
Rules.
4.2 Policy
About 20 % of the Estonian coastline is protected to a different
degree: national park, nature protection area, protected
landscape (nature park) and programme area. Most of the
small islands have some protective designation. Changes
are being made in the delineation and distinction of the
nature conservation areas in Estonia. New areas are taken
under protection and new regulations are being worked out
for the former protected areas according to the Act on Protected
Natural Objects. The policy on the maintenance of landscapes
and biodiversity aimed to improve the protection of landscapes
and the existing network of nature reserves in accordance
with EU recommendations. Estonia will also establish a network
of protected forests to ensure preservation of all natural
and semi-natural forest types and associated communities.
By year 2010, a network of nature reserves will be established,
corresponding to EU recommendations, which will have strict
zones of protection covering up to 5% of the country’s
area.
In March 1989, the West Estonian Archipelago
Biosphere Reserve was formed under the Man and the Biosphere
(MAB) programme. The tasks of the reserve include participation
in regional planning and nature protection programmes. Ultimately,
orientation of local people towards a self-supported, culturally
and environmentally sustainable development unit is to be
achieved. The Management Plan for Matsalu Wetland includes
making grazing or mowing contracts with the farmers and
paying compensations according to these, monitoring, research,
enforcement of the environmental law and raising public
awareness of wetland values. Since 2001, the state has supported
farmers all over Estonia to support the management of valuable
semi-natural grasslands e.g. the total area of supported
management activities (grazing, mowing, restoring of semi-natural
grasslands) was more 16 000 ha in 2001.
5. Economic developments, important sectors
and trends
5.1 Recreation and tourism
Tourism is a very important sector for the Estonian economy.
Tourism and recreation are rapidly expanding activities
on the coast. Changes in landscape structure of Estonian
coastal areas will mostly be connected with the balance
achieved between recreational use and nature conservation.
The existing legal and illegal huts and summer houses as
well as yacht tourism pose an important threat.
The Ministry of Economy and the Estonian Tourist
Board are responsible for decision-making for (sustainable)
tourism, which is one of the main principles of the National
Tourism Master Plan for 1995 - 2000. Preference should be
given to small-scale and "green" tourism. At the
moment, several strategic plans covering sustainable tourism
development are being developed such as the National Tourism
Development Plan to the year 2010. In 1996, the Estonian
Ecotourism Association was established to promote ecotourism
development in Estonia, activities include organising of
workshops and seminars at a local level, organising annual
conferences on ecotourism and promotion of ecotourism through
media.
5.2 Coastal defence
Estonia has fairly strict control of forestry in the coastal
zone for landscape protection and in order to fight erosion.
The Forest Department of the Ministry of Environment is
responsible for the development and implementation of national
forest policy and [A2] accounting of the forest resources.
6. The Current State of Integrated Coastal
Zone Management
6.1 Completed projects
Tallinn Waste Water Treatment Plant
One of the achievements of the Baltic environmental co-operation
has been the Tallinn Waste Water Treatment Plant. The Finnish-Estonian
renovation and extension project at the Tallinn waste water
treatment plant was completed in 1998. This was an important
advance in environmental protection. Waste water from Tallinn
was reaching the Baltic Sea in a largely untreated condition
ten years ago. The waters of the city’s seaboard were
fouled and unfit for bathing and its littoral algae were
in poor condition. Renovation of the waste water treatment
plant and partial construction of its biological unit began
in 1992 as a Finnish- Estonian joint project. This project
also involved major renovation work on the sewerage and
pumping stations. The bathing beaches of Tallinn have no
longer been off limits to swimmers in recent years. Finnish-Estonian
joint research has shown that there has been a clear recovery
in the flora of the littoral algae zone. Growth of bladder
wrack, an indicator of a healthy marine environment, has
improved. Furthermore, there has been an increase in biodiversity
even in the most polluted areas of the Gulf of Tallinn.
Estonian grassland inventory
25% of Estonia's semi-natural grasslands have vanished during
the last 20 years mainly due to abandonment. Most of the
surviving grasslands are not being managed at the moment
and will also disappear in the future if nothing is done.
Therefore, efforts have been made by several organisations
to restore and manage coastal and floodplain grasslands.
They have already prepared several protection regulations
for semi-natural grassland conservation areas in Estonia,
mowed and restored floodplain grasslands and completed an
inventory of the semi-natural grasslands.
Haapsalu & Matsalu Bays Environment
Project
This project was implemented over four years as an environmental
management project for the coastal area of western Estonia.
It consisted of an Environmental Management Component (EMC)
and a Water and Wastewater Improvement Component (WWIC).
The EMC consisted of:
-
Technical and financial support through the
Ministry of Environment for the implementation of selected elements
of the Management Plan for Matsalu State Nature Reserve by co-ordinating
and providing funding for identified investments such as access
roads, observation towers, and information boards,
-
Design and implementation of a programme of
cost-effective activities to reduce point and non-point source
pollution of Matsalu Bay from small settlements and agriculture,
-
Support for planning and management of eco-tourism.
The WWIC consisted of:
-
Rehabilitation and expansion of the Haapsalu
water and wastewater system, including equipment and works along
with engineering services, Institutional strengthening and training
to assist in establishing an autonomous and financially independent
water and wastewater utility in Haapsalu,
-
Assistance for tariff restructuring & planning
and financial operations.
Väinameri, a coastal plan for Estonia
In co-operation with WWF-Sweden, Arhipelaag started the project
“Väinameri, a coastal plan for Estonia” in 1998.
The project had three main objectives:
- to implement the integrated coastal zone plan (ICZM) developed
by HELCOM’s working group on the management of marine lagoons
and wetlands for the Matsalu and Käina Bay and to apply the
results to the broader coastal areas,
- to find new sustainable (environmental, economic and social)
methods to manage traditional coastal resources so the valuable
semi-natural areas can be maintained in the long-term,
- to initiate similar work on the island of Vormsi by starting
the elaboration of ICZM.
The major aim of the project has been the creation
of various networks of actors in the Väinameri area, and facilitation
of the education and training in nature management. The biggest
practical achievements have been the import of highland cattle to
Matsalu and Hiiumaa, a successful training course for farmers and
establishment of a new NGO called “Keepers of Väinameri
coasts”, mainly cattle-breeding farmers.
Estonian Pilot Project: the island of
Hiiumaa
The task of the Pilot Project involved testing the function of the
ICZM model at county and municipal planning. The establishment of
the ICZM Information Centre in Kärdla town on Hiiumaa constituted
a significant and important institutional achievement of the pilot
project. The distance work with electronic communication (Hiiumaa
being an island without a road connection with mainland Estonia)
combined with the proximity to the pilot area proved to be highly
efficient. Moreover, new jobs were created on Hiiumaa.
Water Constructed Infiltration Wetland System for
Treating Municipal Wastewater in Häädemeeste
A demonstration treatment wetland system was created for the Häädemeeste
village (app. 1000 inhabitants), locating directly at the Baltic
Sea (West-Estonia, Pärnu County). The pilot wetland system
created treats the secondary effluent from the village. The system
demonstrates a sustainable way of reducing nutrients and pathogen
load to the Baltic Sea. The beach near the community has a high
recreational and tourist importance and the facility that has been
created will help to improve the local seawater quality and sustain
the region’s attractiveness.
ICZM Programme for the Baltic States and Poland
This satellite-image and GIS (Geographic Information System) based
project was executed from December 1997 to the middle of 2000. The
aim of this project was to give Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland
the opportunity to better manage their coastal resources in an environmental
and sustainable way.
6.2 Ongoing projects
BEST project
This is focused on Sustainable Tourism Development from the seven
larger islands' (B7) Bornholm - Denmark, Gotland - Sweden, Hiiumaa
- Estonia, Saaremaa - Estonia, Rügen - Germany, Åland
- Finland and Öland - Sweden. The approach is clearly cross-sectoral
and related to the core of the measure “integrated management
of coastal zone and island”. The B7 islands have been co-operating
since 1998 and this project is determined as a key element in their
common strategy and the action programme. It is related to the Baltic
21 action programme. The project enhances knowledge and exchange
of experiences between the islands, trying to create a common long
lasting network for co-operation on sustainable tourism development
with links to tourism organisations, NGOs and research institutions.
SUSWAT
The focus of the SUSWAT project is on the water supply in relation
to environmental protection and sustainability. It enhances knowledge
exchange between the B7 about planning and management of the water
supply. The aim is to start up demonstration of new solutions related
to management and planning of sustainable water supply. There is
a clear linkage to the BEST project. The project is considered as
a key element in the B7 common strategy and action programme of
the BEST project.
3+3 Local Agenda
This project is part of a wider co-operation between three regions
in Finland and three regions in Estonia. The participating Finnish
counties are Itä-Uusimaa, Kymenlaakso and Päijät-Häme.
The 3+3 Local Agenda project supports regional development in the
Eastern Gulf of Finland and maintenance and protection of environment
according to the principles of sustainable development. It provides
tools for developing the local and regional level cooperation, extension
of knowledge and know-how, and exchange of information and experiences
between the partner regions. The aim of the project is to initiate
a long-lasting practical level co-operation, to create a network
that would be viable and self-sustainable after conclusion of the
project. The project creates possibilities for exchanging experiences
and know-how in land use planning and management, and for adjusting
the regional plans into a larger geographical context. Common themes
are also to be found in developing the archipelago and coastal areas.
The Narva Watershed Research Programme
(NWRP)
This is a network of researchers and participants in Sweden, Norway,
Estonia and Russia. The NWRP is aimed at the development of a research
component of the Narva River Watershed Management Plan. Lake Peipsi
has a very high nutrient status and eutrophication is a potential
environmental threat. The programme originated in the summer of
1998. The initiative came from a group of Estonian and Russian environmental
experts involved in the Swedish-Estonian-Russian environmental monitoring
project supported by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
and Swedish experts from the Swedish Water Management Research Programme
(VASTRA). VASTRA presents a network of environmental scientists
in Sweden who work together to plan develop catchment-based strategies
for sustainable resource use. The programme is being developed through
a collective learning process which aims at introducing an integrative
perspective and systems approach. VASTRA views catchment from three
partly overlapping resource perspectives. The first one takes a
multiple recipient perspective on nutrient fluxes from land, via
freshwater systems, to the coast. The second takes a multiple use
perspective on surface water resources. The third takes a multiple
impact perspective on groundwater resources. An efficiently functioning
network of experts from Estonia, Russia and Sweden was created.
Boreal Baltic Coastal Meadow preservation
in Estonia
The aim of the project is to preserve coastal meadows in four Estonian
coastal counties (16 sites with a total area of 1572 ha). This will
be achieved through provision of compensation to the farmers for
mowing and grazing; procurement and giving/renting to local farmers
suitable cattle and machinery. Another aim of the project is to
rescue the remaining population of Bufo calamita and establish reserve
populations in additional suitable habitats.
Restoration and management of Häädemeeste
wetland complex
The aim of this project is to restore the coastal wetland complex
(e.g. coastal meadow and bog water regime etc) and to manage remaining
meadows by using local farmers.
6.3 Initiatives related to ICZM
Baltic Floating University Expedition
The 1997 Baltic Floating University (BFU) expedition with the sailing
catamaran Orients to the West-Estonian Archipelago Biosphere Reserve
was a direct follow-up to the 1996 expedition to Hiiumaa. Both expeditions
were the result of close co-operation with the Hiiumaa Biosphere
Reserve Centre (HBRC). The aim of these expeditions was to explore
ICZM issues in an established (non-industrial) biosphere area. These
studies yielded valuable information and data that can be considered
in any future decision-making process as to a possible offshore
extension of the land-based Man and the Biosphere reserve. In the
future, the investigations of disposed chemical weapons in the Baltic
Sea are to be fulfilled. Hydrological, hydro-chemical, hydro-biological
and geo-ecological samples from the dumping areas will be collected
and the submerged ships filmed from underwater.
Kaina Bay
The project in the Kaina Bay area was an ICZM plan, supported by
HELCOM. In 1994, it was agreed that this Bay should be included
among the Task Areas within the overall framework of the Gulf of
Riga Task Area. The major objective was to contribute to an ecologically
sustainable development in the coastal areas of the Baltic Sea region.
The implementation of the management plan was ongoing until 1998.
The water level regulation system of the bay has been completed
and in co-operation with local farmers coastal grasslands are now
being maintained.
Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action
Programme for the Baltic Sea (JCP)
The JCP was adopted in 1992 to constitute a 'Strategic Action Plan'
for the Baltic Sea region. It provides an environmental management
framework for long-term restoration of the ecological balance of
the Baltic Sea ecosystem through a series of preventive and curative
actions to be undertaken in a phased manner in the region. The five
recipient countries, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the
Russian Federation opted for Global Environment Facility (GEF) assistance
within this framework through the United Nations Development Programme
and the World Bank. Updated and strengthened in 1998, the JCP Framework
has formed a fruitful basis for further regional projects.
6.4 Evaluation
According to the results of the workshop discussions of PROCOAST,
in Estonia there is a need for a responsible ministry/ authority
or a legal framework for ICZM. The participants of the workshop
said that in principle the environmental state is rather good. The
urbanisation of the coast and the pressure by tourism is low and
no coastal defence is needed. The participants thought that the
authorities pay little attention to the coastal zone because the
coasts are relatively undisturbed. However, the eutrophication of
the coastal sea is getting increasing public attention. It is now
necessary to optimise the integration of environmental concerns
into practical management solutions.
7. NGOs and other private stakeholders
Arhipelaag
A non-governmental, non-profit organisation which was established
on the island of Hiiumaa (Estonia) in late 1997. A task for Arhipelaag
is research and implementation of results in favour of sustainable
development.
Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB)
The first environmental NGO-network established in the Baltic Sea
Region, established in 1990. Today it has 25 member organisations
in all 9 countries bordering the Baltic Sea. The main goal of CCB
is the protection and improvement of the Baltic Sea environment
and natural resources. It is gathering, producing and distributing
information about environmental problems in the Baltic Sea Area.
Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF)
One of the strongest environmental NGOs in Estonia. Their main goal
is to maintain biodiversity in Estonia in close cooperation with
different stakeholders through different nature conservation projects
(e.g. raising public awareness). It was established in 1991.
Estonian Green Movement
Campaigns on environmental issues.
Estonian Semi-natural Community Conservation
Association (ESCCA)
An Estonian non-profit, non-governmental organisation founded in
March 1997. The aim of ESCCA is to preserve Estonian semi-natural
grasslands such as wooded meadows, alvars, coastal and floodplain
meadows from extinction. Members of ESCCA are mostly scientists
working with the semi-natural grasslands, students and farmers.
To achieve their goal they have carried out different actions of
restoration, management and study of semi-natural grasslands.
The Estonian Society for Nature Conservation
Established in 1966 and has 21,000 members. Its tasks are education
and landscape management. It also aims at protecting biodiversity,
wildlife and nature.
8. References
CTC, The Narva Watershed Research Programme, Newsletter,
March 2000.
Emerald and other ecological networks in Europe, May
1999. Internet,
http://nic.savba.sk/sav/inst/uke/ptl-nc
Estonian Ministry of the Environment, internet:
http://www.vyh.fi/eng/intcoop/projects/losrec/semescca.htm
http://arhipel.hiiumaa.ee/main.html
Klein, L, Estonian Ministry of the Environment. “Status
of traditional rural biotopes in Estonia”.
Luhamaa, H, ESCCA. “Laanemaa seminatural grasslands
inventory 1999”, Tartu, Estonia.
PROCOAST, “proceedings of the interregional
Seminar on the Harmonisation of Uses and
Interests in the Baltic Sea Coastal Zones”,
11 September 2000. Eckernförde, Germany.
Liiv H Protection of the marine biological and landscape
diversity and application of ICZM
practice in Estonia. Meeting of experts on a harmonisation
of approaches to protection and
landscape diversity and management of coastal and
marine resources. UNEP, 1998.
Research Centre Arhipelaag, Väinameri: Coastal
plan for Estonia, Annual Report 1999.
Transboundary watercourses and lakes, and the Baltic
Sea.
UNESCO, Cross-sectoal coastal programme in the Eastern
Baltic. Internet,
http://www.unesco.org/csi/act/other/project8.htm
United for the Baltic Sea, Ten years of Environmental
Co-operation in Central and Eastern
Europe. Ministry of the Environment of Finland, 2000.
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