The width of zone I for wetlands of class B should cover the whole slope of the bog until the slope foot. The width of zone II must be at least 500 m. In case of a danger that economic activities in the wider area can cause changes of water regime of the wetland, the buffer zone should be widened. Wetlands with overflowing water regime (class C) are mostly semi-natural ecosystems that need specific economical activities, mostly extensive agriculture like hay-making and grazing. In such wetlands the riverbanks (if they are well developed) need protection against erosion and nutrient income. The buffer zone must cover the whole slope of the bank and at least 5 m upslope the bank margin. The slope must be covered with trees or bushes (alders, willows, etc.), the upper part of buffer can constitute grass strip. The floodplains also need protection of river valleys up- and downstream, where no changes of river valley can be made to ensure natural fluctuation of water level and flooding regime. For every floodplain the extent of the protected valley where no changes of valley morphology and water regime can be made, should be found by the analyses of the hydrological conditions of the river. The hydrological regime of a wetland is a result of very complicated natural variabilities/conditions, therefore it should be assessed for every wetland separately. The buffer zones and their management plans should be fixed in spatial planning of local government, in the management plans and protection regulations of protection objects.
8.5.3 Recommendations on mire management The objective of management for all Estonian mires should be to sustain their ecological, social and economical functions now and in the future. To achieve this, it is necessary to recognize the functions and values of mires in resource planning – in management and economic decision-making. Sound, sustainable management practices in forestry and agriculture are needed. The water-related ecological functions should be given due consideration; the water holding capacity of mires should be given high priority in land use planning. In particular, the destruction of mires should be avoided in the catchment areas of rivers that are likely to cause damaging floods. Rehabilitation of mires should have priority. Destruction or irreversible use of peatland areas should not be permitted without a careful assessment of the long-term costs and benefits of the decision. All this should result in the utilization of mires in a way that enhances the prospects for their sustained and productive use by future generations.
8.5.3.1 Sustainable management of mires The objects of future protection should mainly be the unprotected mire areas the protection value of which, according to the global assessments used in Natura 2000 data forms, was assessed as excellent (A) or good (B). There are, however, thousands of areas with the global assessment value C (significant). If the latter do not form valuable habitat complexes, usually no specific legal decision on nature conservation will be suggested and implemented. Thus, part of these areas will be used in the economic interests, but many others are not worth of being subject to significant changes in land use or to uncontrolled neighbouring effect. The control of such activities would in most cases be secured through municipal land-use planning (zoning). Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations or sector specific concession and approval decisions (i.e. permits, decisions on governmental funding and subsidies, etc.) can be used to control the implementation of unwanted projects or new activities. The most important activities to be avoided in these areas are drainage and other hydrological manipulation (river trimming, flood control, inundation, etc.), peat extraction, building and construction activities like roads, pipelines, powerlines, etc.
ESTONIAN MIRES: INVENTORY OF HABITATS
144