Forestry in Estonia

Forests cover about 50% of the territory of Estonia, or around 2 million hectares, and so make out an important and dominating landscape type in the country.

However, after World War II and the ensuing Soviet occupation of Estonia, large parts of former agricultural land fell into disuse and was reforested.

[4] About 70% of Estonian forests are commercially used (circa 1.5 million hectares), with another 30% enjoying some kind of protection (as of 2005).

[4] Of harvested timber, around 60% is made up of coniferous wood, mainly pine and spruce, and the rest deciduous trees, dominated by birch.

[6] National policies and legislation is aimed at safeguarding that an economically profitable yet ecologically sustainable silviculture is maintained.

A forest in Estonia, on the banks of the Tarvasjõgi river.
Wooded landscape in Estonia.
Scots pine forest in South-Estonia.
Swamp forest in winter.
Oak forests are now very rare in Estonia and they are mostly under protection. Loode oaks in Saaremaa .