Regulation of the Minister of the Environment on the origin of parent material or seeds and young plants permitted for use in reforestation in Estonia was published in the Riigi Teataja (State Gazette) today, on 27 July. The broader objective of the regulation is to ensure the protection and quality of the gene pool of our forests. The regulation provides bases for the use of young forest plants and seeds, grown in Estonia or imported, in the renewal of our forests. The new regulation was issued because of the situation of Estonia on the free market of the European Union, the overall principles of which would permit the importation of any forest species grown in the EU into Estonia. One of the objectives of the new regulation is to ensure that only those forest species originating from other regions that have preconditions for growing in our climate and environment would be grown in local forests. The suitability of forest species originating from different regions for Estonia has been determined in the course of long-term researches. Most of such tests have involved spruce of various origins. The regulation also provides principles for the use of young plants and seeds of spruce and pine naturally grown in Estonia by different regions. So, for example, Estonia has been divided into two regions based on the growing conditions of spruce – regions of good and worse growing conditions. While the growing conditions for spruce are relatively poor on the islands, they are perfect in the Tartumaa region. According to the regulation, it is allowed to take young plants and seeds from a better growth region to a poorer one, but the opposite direction is forbidden. This helps to keep the quality of the forest at the highest possible level. Supervision over the origin of parent material in reforestation is performed by the Centre of Forest Protection and Silviculture, which may issue, where appropriate, corresponding permits for importation of seeds and young plants. In addition to this, the Centre is responsible for inspection of forest nurseries to make sure that the plants used are of the highest quality, prohibited chemicals are not used etc. Regulation No 92 of the Minister of the Environment “The Origin of Parent Material Permitted for Forest Cultivation in Estonia” published today will enter into force on 30 July and repeal the 1999 Regulation No 67 of the Minister of the Environment. Further information: Monika Kopti |
