Estonia's youngest national park was established in Alutaguse in 2018, primarily to protect wetlands. Two years later, the Estonian Fund for Nature proposed expanding the park to include forest areas. The Environmental Board supported the idea, noting that the expansion would mainly affect state-owned land.

"The main goal now is to create unified management for the entire area. It's no longer such a fragmented and divided landscape," said Riina Kotter, a senior specialist at the Environmental Board.

On Tuesday, about two dozen people gathered in Mäetaguse for a public meeting on the proposed expansion of Alutaguse National Park. Both supporters and opponents were present.

Forest owner Gunnar Lepasaar said the state should give more consideration to those who do not want their land included in the protected area. "And we have to say clearly: leaving some areas out will not threaten the protection of species in Estonia. It allows people to keep using their land and helps preserve jobs and schools," Lepasaar said.

The Alutaguse municipal council did not support the expansion. In its view, the municipality has lost more than it has gained from the national park. The state hopes the situation will soon improve.

"The Ministry of Climate is preparing a project application to the European Union that would provide long-term funding for the next 10 years. Alutaguse would be one of the pilot areas we'd like to promote in the future. Naturally, this would include restoration work and species protection, but the project would also allow us to market the park, develop the necessary infrastructure and create opportunities for tourists to visit," said Timo Kark, head of the ministry's biodiversity protection department.

Under the expansion plan, the 45,000-hectare Alutaguse National Park would grow to nearly 70,000 hectares.

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