Description
The concept of ecosystem services is a socio-economic structure that looks natural and semi- natural ecosystems as providers of goods and services to society. The project 's overall aim is to contribute to decrease of biodiversity loss in riverine habitats and of ecosystems. To reach the goals: the methodologies of mapping and assessing marine and inland water ecosystem services will be developed, a list of environmental indicators for monitoring ecosystem services will be compiled, monetary values of pilot water bodies will be found and recommendations for the assessment methods for ecosystem services will be worked out. Important part of the project is to disseminate information, to increase public awareness on biodiversity and ecosystem service in Estonia.. The socio-economic environmental management tool will allow water managers of different administrative level to direct water use so, that favourable conservation status of species and habitats will be achieved in long run. NINA is involved in project activities related to exchange of Norwegian experience and information dissemination. Project web page http://www.ctc.ee/implemented-projects/ecosystem
Summary of project results
The overall aim of project was to contribute to decrease of biodiversity loss in aquatic habitats and ecosystems in the European Union through supporting the preservation and restoration of ecosystems and their services in Estonia. As a result of the project the ecosystem services assessment methodology was developed that can be used for making water management decisions at different administrative levels to achieve the favorable conservation status of species and habitats will be achieved in long run. Specifically, methodologies of mapping and assessing marine and inland water ecosystem services were developed, a list of potential indicators for monitoring ecosystem services was compiled, the monetary value of lake Harku and Linnamäe reservoir ecosystem services was calculated and recommendations for the use of methodologies for calculation of monetary value of ecosystem services was compiled. Dissemination of information during implementation of the project increased the awareness of general public of Estonia on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Based on these outcomes of the project is possible to make next steps in achieving strategic objectives of biodiversity protection. Beneficiaries as officers of Ministry of the Environment, Environmental Board and Environmental Agency were involved into the process of producing project outputs through project meetings (18 meetings), through special meetings with beneficiaries (4 meetings), and through focus group interviews (6 meetings). The following outcomes are produced: 1. Methodology for determination and mapping ecosystem services of aquatic ecosystems. 2. List of indicators for assessment of river, lake and coastal water ecosystem services. 3. Recommendations for implementation of ecosystem services monetary value assessment methods. 4. Awareness of general public of Estonia on importance of aquatic biodiversity as well as ecosystem services is risen. 5. Increased cooperation in the field of on ecosystem services between Estonian research institutions and Norwegian partner.
Summary of bilateral results
Experts of Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) contributed the project with knowledge on existing and new approaches of environmental management and skills on calculating the economic value of ecosystem services. Experts of NINA shared their experience on nature protection and ecosystem services determination, assessment and mapping. Cooperation with experts of NINA was an enriching experience. Estonian partners got to know such nature protection tools that we don’t use in Estonia but that are very innovative and democratic. During the opening conference NINA’s experts shared their experiences on implementation ecosystem services approach for management of nature protection. During the seminar in Norway we changed good practices on nature protection as well visited places to see practical case studies. Estonian partners got a good overview on expertize of NINA. Also we discussed about project implementation. During the final conference of the project NINA’s expert proposed new cooperation topics.