"One of the prerequisites of modern nature conservation is the existence of a well-functioning monitoring system. Nigula Nature Reserve is one of the three transboundary Ramsar sites belonging to the North-Livonian wetland complex," Hanno Zingel, Acting Adviser of the Ministry of the Environment said. "This requires co-operation between conservationists from both countries."
Opening of Nigula Research and Monitoring Centre celebrates the World Wetlands Day or, to be more exact, the date of the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. "It is the principles of this Convention, such as co-operation and innovative solutions, that the establishment of this centre was based on. Thus, the aim of the research is to test new technological solutions, which would better allow getting a whole picture of conservation management of wetlands and feedback about it," Agu Leivits, leading nature protection specialist of the Pärnu-Viljandi region of the Environmental Board noted.
Nigula Research and Monitoring Centre is planning to co-operate with the University of Tartu Centre of Excellence 'Frontiers in Biodiversity Research' (FIBIR) and with other universities both in Estonia and abroad, providing scientists and university students with field work and research opportunities. "Foreigners are very interested in Estonian protected areas, especially the wetlands, which is why we decided to create possibilities for researchers from outside of Estonia as well," Levits said.
The Centre was established thanks to the European territorial co-operation INTERREG IIIA Estonian-Latvian Programme project WETLIVONIA, which was co-financed by the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of the Interior and the foundation Environmental Investments Centre. The project was implemented in co-operation between Häädemeeste rural municipality government, North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve and State Nature Conservation Centre. Additional information: Agu Leivits, leading nature protection specialist, Pärnu-Viljandi region, Environmental Board, 510 1175 (2/02/2009) |
