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The Greening of Estonia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

Arthur H. Westing
Arthur H. Westing
Affiliation:
International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO), Fuglehauggata 11, N-0260 Oslo, Norway; also Adjunct Professor of Ecology, Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
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Extract

The environment and natural resources of Estonia (area 45,000 km2, population c. 1.5 million) are described: Estonia is a flat country of which 40% is forested (managed on a sustained-yield basis), 20% is covered by peat bogs (widely cut for agricultural purposes and fuel), and 22% is under cultivation, often on drained land (largely growing grain for livestock). Rich deposits of oil-shale (used for fuel, etc.) and phosphorite (used for fertilizer, etc.) are exploited, especially in the north-east. Both of these resources are to a large extent strip-mined, causing enormous local surface disruption and more widespread water and air pollution— especially so in the case of the phosphorite extraction. Estonia has, however, recently been able to prevent a planned expansion of phosphorite exploitation.

About 3% of Estonia is set aside as Nature reserves, including some wetlands of international importance. Environmental protection is an important item on Estonia's agenda; the prognosis is quite favourable, not only because of a commendable population density, but also in large part (as there is considerable evidence to suggest) because the population has a keenly-developed Nature ethic of long standing.

Type
Main Papers
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 15 , Issue 4 , Winter 1988 , pp. 299 - 302
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 1988

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