Restoration of Estonian alvar grasslands

Duration: 2014-2019 

Project LIFE to Alvars (LIFE13 NAT/EE/000082) started in 1.09.2014 and lasted 5 years. During the project, 2500 hectares of alvar grasslands in Estonia were restored and biodiversity-supporting habitat management was launched. Alvar grasslands are valuable and highly biodiverse habitats, designated to the European Union’s Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) code 6280* (Nordic alvar and precambrian calcareous flatrocks). Alvar grasslands are semi-natural grasslands with thin lime-rich soil on a limestone bedrock.
One third of all the alvar grasslands in Europe are situated in Estonia. However, in 2013 only around 2000 hectares i.e less than 30% of Estonian alvar grasslands were under annual management (moderate grazing), which is necessary for the long-term persistence of this habitat and its diverse set of species. Unmanaged sites heavily overgrow with shrubs (mostly juniper Juniperus communis) and trees (mostly Scots pine Pinus sylvestris).
LIFE to Alvars project was carried out on 25 sites. 12  project sites were on Saaremaal island, 6 on Hiiumaa island, 5 on Muhu island, 1 in Pärnumaa and 1 in Läänemaa.  Restoration actions involved the removal of excessive trees and shrubs, as well as the establishment of the grazing infrastructure.
During the project, specialists from the University of Tartu and the Estonian University of Life Sciences monitored the effect of restoration on biodiversity. During the summers of 2014-2015, specialists quantified the pre-restoration environmental conditions of habitats and recorded the status of vascular plants, bryophytes, spiders, butterflies, bumblebees, birds and mycorrhiza. After restoration, in 2019 and 2020, post-restoration monitoring took place. In the future, the goal is to repeat the monitoring at least after every 5 years. Such extensive biodiversity monitoring is necessary for accurate assessment of restoration success in the future.  

Project participants: Aveliina Helm, Liis Kasari, Elisabeth Prangel, Linda Pall 

Funding: The total cost of the project is approximately EUR 3.7 million, of which 75% is a contribution from the European Community LIFE + Nature Program and 25% from the Estonian State. Local co-financing is provided by the Environmental Investment Center, University of Tartu, Estonian University of Life Sciences and Estonian Seminatural Community Conservation Association.

Final report of the project and maintenance plan of alvars (in Estonian).