NEWS

The third WESEM meeting took place in Andalusia

Whom does landowner trust the most, according to experience but as well as scientific review papers? 

💡 Another landowner. 

For that we are happy to have enforcement by ERASMUS project funds for our WESEM (Wildlife Estates and land ethic mentorship - https://wesem-erasmus.eu/) project. On our third meeting in rather an exotic Andalucia region in Spain:

- We were analyzing the material created for filling the gaps in the labour market related to the lack of professionals able to advise on issues related to nature and biodiversity conservation.

- Discussed how the peer-to-peer learning system could look like in a flexible, practical and fully online vocational training system;

- Demonstrated a toolkit version that has practical advice for forestry related actions for those landowners who want to follow Wildlife Estates label and PEFC.

- Discovered once again that all countries are different while driving alongside of mountain areas, where spanish agriculture must use also terrace building, irrigation systems and increase forest planting. As its hot like in Egypt.

- Visited an estate of landowner of Castillo de Canena Olive Juice. They have measuring stations all over the estate that analyse the soil situation, they sell the pruning residues instead of burining them and provide access to their mills also to other landowners.

#EU #Erasmus #WESEM #ELO #WildlifeEstates

Loodushoiu Fond in innovation partnership in the European Union Green Assist programm with Forestry France.

The newly announced funds will support partner countries throughout the world.

The EU announced several transformative actions at the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16) in Cali, Colombia, to reaffirm its commitment to halting and reversing biodiversity loss worldwide by 2030.

Building on its commitment to double external funding for biodiversity from 2021 to 2027 to €7 billion, the EU has unveiled a package of new initiatives aimed at supporting partner countries and safeguarding biodiversity globally worth close to €160 million.  

At COP 16, the EU presented its exploratory works on the potential and challenges of biodiversity certification and nature credits, as part of the innovative finance instruments toolbox for broadening sources of funding to mobilise resources, help companies set nature-positive goals, and reward those who protect and restore nature, including farmers, foresters, fishers, and other sea- and land managers as well as IPLCs.
EU exploratory works include two pilot projects, one on wetlands in partnership with France and one on private forests in partnership with Estonia, as well as a project in the Peruvian Amazon.

Sometimes stars align and there opens an opportunity to cowork within innovative European partners for common good. Thank you Forestry France for all the hard work we have had so far already.

Estonian Landowners Discuss New Conservation Partnerships at Eurosite Event

Estonian landowners co-operation conservation partner The Nature Fund was invited to Eurosite to discuss on new forms of partnerships and cooperation that are a prerequisite. How do you learn from each other, which mentor systems find the right language, and which tools work as incentives for farmers, private landowners and local communities?

Eurosite is the network of landowners and conservationists protecting and restoring private land for nature and the climate in Europe 
https://www.eurosite.org/

Key takeways from landowners perspective:

⚖️ One can not have all good things at once. 
-> To have grouse population high in UK, you reduce the number of forested hectars and catch the small predators.
-> To solve the water contamination problem of old lead quarry, one needs to bind the earth, create the soil and regreen, but cant probably control the birds eating the insects that are on those restored areas.
-> In order to maintain the long term management possibilities, it is needed to make compromises in short-term profit.

🌄  Landowners presentations ecoed similar things - 
-> No urge to notify authoroties of special species, as I will end up losing my rights to my land.
-> Peer-to-peer learning that is lead by landowners organisations is one of the key aspects. Other way the mistrust is too big.
-> Landowners are part of solution, not anti-nature.

🍁 SER presentation confirmed our understanding of the EU policy requirements: 
-> it is 20% not 30% and it is 1/3 of this 20% under strict protection. Favourable conservation status (Habitats directive) means on national level conservation objectives. Not on stand level. 
-> It is not the same as a "good condition habitat type" that is measured on site level.
-> No significant deterioration of areas in good conditions or areas subject to restoration measures means on site level, the structure, fundtions and typical species or typical species composition of a habitat tyle remain stable or show continuous improvemnt. And it means we commitment is effort-based, not result based.

#WeActForBiodiversity #landowners #ourlandournature #restorationdecade #eurosite

The Nature Fund contributes to biodiversity-rich solar parks.

Solar parks are primarily associated with energy production, but we rarely consider that these parks, situated in natural environments, could also support biodiversity. How can this be achieved, and how can the land between panels be better utilized?

These questions are addressed in the latest episode of Osoon.

The Nature Fund has partnered with Kaamos Group companies and mapped out ten solar parks, proposing various biodiversity-promoting activities for solar parks.

For example, the spaces between solar panels could be used to restore plant cover, including sowing native plants that provide shelter and food for pollinators and other insects. Such a solution not only enhances the ecosystem value of the park but also reduces the need for frequent mowing, which in turn lowers maintenance costs and the carbon footprint.

Multiple studies have shown that biodiversity can be supported in several ways. For instance, one could consider creating small water bodies or establishing nesting sites for birds and small animals. Additionally, a bee area could be created, which not only supports bees and other pollinators but also enhances agricultural yields through pollination.

At the same time, solar parks ensure an additional source of energy, contributing to green transition goals. Eco-friendly solutions implemented in solar parks can serve as an example for other renewable energy producers as well.

Digital flower on Valentine's Day saves nature and contributes to the company's SDG goals

To draw attention to the footprint of imported flowers and to offer an alternative to giving real flowers, the Nature Conservation Fund plants one rare domestic plant under solar panels for every digital flower sold.

Digital loop and wild flowers can be a suitable alternative if you want to remember your loved one, friend or business partner with flowers, but the flower recipient is far away or knowing that someone is thinking of them is more important than a physical bouquet.

Loodushoiu Fond does not want to be extreme and say that an environmentally conscious person should not give real flowers at all. However, considering the environment, it would be worthwhile to prefer domestic flowers, because as recent British research shows, the footprint of imported flowers is about ten times larger than that of locally grown flowers. The footprint of the industrial cultivation of flowers is increased by their air transport, as well as heating of greenhouses, chemicals used, and water consumption.

It is customary to give flowers on Valentine's Day. According to a British study, the footprint of seven cut flower bouquets from abroad is about 30 eqCO2kg. The same bouquet domestically has 3.3 eqCO2kg and a digital bouquet has 0.05 eqCO2kg. Here would be an opportunity to contribute very directly to the company's SDG goals. We encourage entrepreneurs to conduct a survey among the target group - it may turn out that not everyone wants to receive a cut tulip or a rose that withers after 4 days. Our partners have lands where they can grow and leave flowers and plants of special occasions that serve a longer view and preservation of natural values.

Loodushoiu Fond implements projects that contribute to increasing biodiversity with the proceeds from the sale of digital flowers.

For example, 500 plants were planted under the solar park with the volunteers of the Erasmus+ Elu enclaves project of Lääne-Harju Cooperation.

You can read more about the footprint of imported flowers on the Loodushoiu Foundation blog, the e-shop can be accessed here.

The purpose of the Nature Conservation Fund, established in 2021, is to contribute to the development of voluntary nature conservation in Estonia. Land owners contribute to the fund's activities, and private individuals, private companies and third sector organizations can get involved as partners.

Digital flower was Eesti Ekspress word of the week 2022

Additional information:

Pille Ligi
Board member of The Nature Fund

phone 518 0641

pille.ligi@loodushoiufond.ee

www.loodushoiufond.ee

New research: Carbon credits are associated with businesses decarbonizing faster

Businesses purchasing voluntary carbon are more likely to report lower gross emissions year-on-year, and invest more in emissions reductions, than companies not engaged in carbon markets

New research published today suggests that companies that participate in voluntary carbon markets (VCM) are leading across a range of measures of robust climate action, accountability, and ambition—across the board, outperforming companies that do not buy carbon credits.

The new study by Forest Trends’ Ecosystem Marketplace indicates that not only are carbon credits purchases funding rapid climate action, but are also associated with companies that are already addressing climate change in their direct operations and throughout their value chains.

Findings include:

• Companies engaging in the voluntary carbon market are reducing their own emissions more
  quickly than their peers.

• They are 1.8X more likely to be decarbonizing year-over-year;
• 1.3X more likely to have supplier engagement strategies, an indicator that companies buying carbon credits are also actively working with suppliers, employees, and customers to address climate impacts; and
• The median voluntary credit buyer is investing 3X more in emission reduction efforts within their value chain. They do so by investing in emissions reduction activities for their business and operations, including renewable energy consumption and the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).
• Voluntary carbon buyers are more likely than non-buyers to have targets to address climate change, and their targets are more ambitious.
  • They are 3.4X more likely to have an approved science based climate target;
  • 1.2X more likely to have board oversight of their climate transition plans; and
  • 3X more likely to include Scope 3 Emissions in their climate target – notable given that Scope 3 emissions constitute the majority (91%) of carbon buyers’ emissions, and also are the hardest for companies to exert control over, as these emissions are generated by the company’s suppliers upstream, customers downstream, and other companies and organizations in the value chain.
• The market has seen an uptick in demand for pricier, higher quality carbon credits. This suggests companies are willing to pay more to ensure supply-side integrity. The voluntary carbon market was valued at US$2 billion in 2021 and industry experts expect it to grow at least five-fold to between US$10-60 billion by 2030.

The report analyzes voluntary carbon markets transactions and corporate climate disclosures to the CDP (formerly, Carbon Disclosure Project)) by 7,415 organizations, on behalf of 590 institutional investor signatories with a combined US$110 trillion in assets, and 200+ major purchasers with over US$5.5 trillion in procurement spend.

Carbon credits represent a very small share of overall action: the analysis shows that the credits companies are buying represent on average just over 2% of their total emissions.

Loodushoiu Fond/ The Nature Fund brings news to the community and, among other topics, also from the carbon field. We do not judge and we convinced that all different worldviews and activities that benefit climate change mitigation are positive. By paraphrasing Eva Truuverk (Green Tiger), we do not criticise children for learning to read on their stumbles and mistakes. The same principle applies to organisations and people who are taking the first steps in the path of sustainability. We welcome all companies that help to fund tstewardship of nature values.

The Nature Fund was confirmed as a partner of the UN initiative

The Nature Fund has been approved as a parterre of the United Nations (UN) Decade of Ecosystem Restoration.

The goal of the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration is to restore 350 million hectares of degraded habitats by 2030. Eight types of ecosystems are being restored, which are: farmland, forests, freshwater, mountains, oceans and coasts, peatlands, urban areas and grasslands, shrubs and savannas.

The United Nations Decade of Ecosystem Restoration is also known by the hashtag #generationrestoration. There are eight different types of partnerships to get involved in. The Nature Conservation Fund was selected as a UN partner in the Actor category. In total, the initiative currently has more than 200 partners.

By becoming a partner of the United Nations, the Nature Conservation Fund undertook to support and facilitate ecosystem restoration activities and agreed to adhere to the principles of the United Nations Decade of Restoration.

Projects contributing to the goals of the UN decade are gathered in the FERM register (Framework for ecosystem restoration monitoring). FERM consists of a geospatial platform and a register of restoration initiatives. It is the official monitoring platform for tracking global progress and disseminating good practices. In the FERM register, it is possible to search for various initiatives that restore ecosystems, and it is also possible for organizations to upload their own restoration initiatives.

More information:  https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/

New board of councils member in Nature Nature Fund is Olav Kreen

The founder of the Nature Nature Fund, the Estonian Private Forest Association, elected Olav Kreen as the new member of the board of councils of fond.

Olav Kreen is a 7th generation landowner from Viru-Nigula Valla. In his activities, he wishes to find a balance between agriculture and nature conservation.  Working experience has been gained from both Sweden and America, and it manages 600 ha of fields and 100 ha of woodland.

Through the new member of the board of councils, landowners in the field of agriculture are also involved in nature conservation issues. Today Olav Kreen acts as a member of the supervisory board of the Estonian Agricultural Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the management board of the Farmers' Association of Virumaa.

Olav stresses that only 10% of Estonia is in intensive use under crops and about 23% of the area under agriculture is organic land. Most agricultural land is managed in an environmentally friendly manner, which contributes to increasing soil health and biodiversity.

Olav sees his role in replacing opposision in nature conservation and working fields with result-oriented nature conservation in the agricultural field. A key element is the voluntary nature of the system, which can be achieved by increasing awareness among the parties involved. It is all about developing cooperation and understanding.

Photo: Scanpix

There are no such things as free

The Nature  Fund has received information that free plants may be distributed to forest owners for planting. Please make sure that the plants needed for planting do not come with additional obligations – for example, the default transfer of carbon credit, exchange for plants.

Behind the scheme is the desire to gain possession of a new asset class - carbon credit. The monetary value of carbon credits is today estimated at 17 – 35 € per tCO2eq in certified afforestation projects, some estimate the future value to be 100€ tCO2eq.

If someone else pays for the landowner's expenses and can prove that the free plants just gifted were the ones that sequester carbon on the property, the landowner may not be able to get the money later from the sale of carbon credits. Credits in this case may belong to the intermediary.

We recommend specifying the specific conditions under which these free/very favorable plants will change owners and, if necessary, add, for example, the transfer acceptance deed that the discounted price or the free nature of the plants do not give the supplier any rights to the landowner's carbon credits.

A native tree as a landmark

Heiki Hepner, a forest owner in Raplamaa and a member of the NGO United Forest Owners, says that he was very happy with the joint "Keeper of native trees" initiative of the Nature Fund, the Estonian Private Forestry Association and the Luua Forestry School. Hepner says that since dendrology is his hobby and passion, he joined the initiative as soon as he saw it, and he also has his own dendropark with more than 400 species. Heiki says that while cutting down the forest, he has left the larger trees to grow, as they are like landmarks that connect the past and the future of the place, and that each native tree is like a personality of its own, with its own story to tell.

To date, more than 190 landowners have already joined the native tree preservation initiative, who preserve native trees on more than 121,000 hectares.

You can read the full article in Harju Elu.

More information about the native trees initiative can be found here.

Photo: Hendrik Relve

Real or fake Christmas tree: which is better for the environment?

During Christmas, a Jõulupuu is traditionally brought home in Estonia - more often a spruce, sometimes also a fir. Every year, the question arises which tree is more environmentally friendly - a real tree or fake tree made of artificial material? We gathered information here, which we checked for validity in Estonian conditions, and now share it with you.

Real or artificial Christmas tree: which Christmas tree is better for the environment?

Short answer - real tree! Growing trees helps mitigate climate change, and even though your Christmas tree is cut down, you're actually still supporting forests.

Are artificial trees bad for the environment?

The Nature Conservancy is starting with the fact that the smell of new plastic is simply not as nostalgic as a crisp and fresh evergreen Christmas tree. However, due to the material the tree is made from, most artificial trees are also not recyclable, ending up in local landfills.

For Estonian case, most artificial trees are manufactured industrially and made out of plastic materials (PVC, PE, PP), whereas 99% of plastic comes from non-renewable fossil fuel, i.e. oil or gas. This carbon is not stuffed back into the ground, leaving us with climate change issues.

Additionally, nearly 90% of the fake trees are imported from China, which results in higher carbon dioxide emissions - due to transportation.

Why are real trees better than artificial ones?

First, real trees do not generate the intense carbon dioxide emissions required to produce and transport artificial trees. Especially trues for domestic Christmas trees, but even fron Denmark its closer trip then from China.

Next - you support forests! Even if trees growing in the wild are cut down for fir sales, many, many more will remain! In 2021, 9,000 trees were brought from the Estonian state forests, which would make about 4 hectares of spruce forest. But these trees are taken only from places where the tree cannot grow big: from the edges of roads and ditches, under power lines and underneath the old forest, where the tree doesnt have enought light. According to various estimates, the private sector sells at least 30,000 more trees, this amount includes both plantation trees and trees from the wilderness.

However, speaking of the 350-500 million spruce trees growing in US plantations, 30 million trees are cut every year for Christmas. Buying real trees helps keep plantations in business and keeps the land a forest habitat, a home for many animals, birds and plants. Alternative would be built real estate.

When the festivities are over, the trees can be recycled and given a second life. Most countries have organizations that use donated Christmas trees for conservation and habitat projects in their local communities. At the same time, artificial trees are usually not recyclable and end up in landfills.

How does my real Christmas tree make a difference for nature?

A growing tree sequesters carbon. Nature-based carbon sequestration solutions such as forestry help sequester up to 30% of the CO2 emissions needed to slow climate change. Buying a real Christmas tree also means you're supporting local foresters and helping to preserve healthy forests for future generations.

According to the National Christmas Tree Association (USA), farmers plant 1-3 saplings for each tree purchased. This means more trees to fight climate change and clean air and water vital for people, habitats for species and good soil.

Environment as what about my health?

As for plastics, PVC is full of carcinogens. Especially unregulated is the material that is used to make Christmas trees.

This is made even worse by the fact that lead is used as a stabilizer in the manufacture of PVC, which, when used repeatedly, decomposes into lead dust.

Christmas trees in Estonia

If you buy a Christmas tree:

• buy nearby grown, so there are no transport-related emissions.
• Prefer a naturally grown undrestory spruce to plantation spruce.

But what to do in Estonia with real trees that you brought into the room for Christmas?

• Spruce purchased as a potted plant from Estonian growers can be replanted. Contact the local forest association, they will be able to tell you if and where the tree should be planted.
• Make spruce mulch for beds and garden paths.
• You own some land or garden?  Find a place in the garden where the tree provides a place for shelter for insects or plants. In winter, evergreen trees provide birds with a safe place to sit. With the arrival of spring, consider that the more the cut branches and trunk have contact with the ground, the faster the wood will decompose.
• Drilling holes in the tree trunk speeds up the process, the wood lying on the ground, in turn, provides a suitable habitat for various insects. As a rule, there is not too much deadwood in the Estonian garden - an avid gardener will clean up the branches. Be positively lazy!
• Kindergartens and schools - you can drill holes in the trunk of a Christmas tree, and so there it is! An insect hotel!
• Local authorities - shelves can be made from the trunk of a withered representative tree, as was done in the Czech Republic with their no 1 tree in Prague. What a meaningful corporate gift for next year!
• Create home warmth for yourself or offer it to someone who has a stove.
• There are other DIY options: saw a tree trunk for discs (or let a local home depo store do it as a service) and use it for various projects: a heat tray, a cup stand, a flower bed edges, wooden medallions, bases for flower postage in the courtyard, necessary objects for a mud kitchen, support stand for orchids, etc.
• Spruce can be donated to artists who make fire sculptures (MTÜ Valgusfestival, MTÜ Valgusklubi, etc.).

But if you don't want to bring a Christmas tree home this year, there are still options:

• Go to the forest and take a picture of the tree you like there. Save the GPS coordinates of your tree and when your friend asks you what your fir tree looks like this year, send him this picture and the coordinates.
• Donate, for example, to the Nature Fund (Sihtasutus Loodushoiu Fond, A/A: EE727700771006136155, Reference number: 32120, Explanation: "Who`s" spruce is in the forest).
• Decorate the tree behind the window with berries - a feast for the birds.
• Create your own Christmas tree by recycling old materials. You can find ideas from here.

In 2022, the Nature Fund initiated the project Planting for the future. With this, we offer everyone who wishes, the opportunity to plant a forest, as well as advise various parties on nature-based carbon sequestration options. This is forest positive approach. Contact us for certified carbon neutrality projects.

Recommended literature: Estonian carbon credits companies on land based carbon market

Loodushoiu Fond helped to form questions and Maaleht created very useful article to guide us through this system.

Pille Ligi: "It doesn't matter to landowners whether it's a compensation claim or contribution claim), in both cases they agree with an obligation to sequester carbon.

Before planning to sell carbon credits, it is definitely worth reading through the content of the contracts and not selling credits cheaply. The cheaper the landowner sells, the greater the risk of greenwashing. This means that the buyer has not actually reduced their CO2 footprint."

SUUR ÜLEVAADE | Maaomanikul on võimalused süsinikusidumise ja elurikkusega lisatulu saada - Maaleht (delfi.ee)