Tallinn old-growth forest trail - an educational trail to introduce woodland key habitats in Estonia

Challenge

Intensive logging has led to a massive decline in Estonia’s old-growth forests in recent decades. Woodland key habitats - highly diverse forest patches often inhabited by endangered and rare species - are also declining. These key habitats are particularly unprotected in private forests, where protection is not mandatory. In addition, the location of woodland key habitats is often unknown and there is a lack of public awareness of their value.

Objective

The main goal of the project is to raise public awareness of the value of old-growth forests and woodland key habitats. The project envisages that by 2029, 30 % of Tallinn’s population will have visited the educational trail that will be built during the project.  

Approach

The project aims to achieve its goals by:

• Finding a suitable location for the trail in cooperation with Tallinn City Government.
• Developing a suitable trail concept - minimal physical intervention on the site, most of the information will be provided virtually.
• Building an educational trail.
• Promoting the trail, including organising a public discussion.
• Making long-term arrangements for the maintenance and further promotion of the trail.

Expected Results

We expect to have raised the awareness about the importance of woodland key habitats among residents and visitors of Tallinn, the largest city and main urban area in Estonia. By October 2024, an educational trail about woodland key habitats will have been built in Tallinn and at least 500,000 people will have been informed about the trail, old-growth forests and woodland key habitats. At the end of the project, people will have understood the value of old-growth forests and what is needed to protect them.