Chronology

1853 The Estonian Naturalists' Society  (ELuS) - Dorpater Naturforscher Gesellschaft is established in Tartu
1910 First Nature Reserve is established in Vaika islets (today's Vilsandi National Park)
1924 Temporary protected area (Järvselja virgin forest) is established
1935 Law on State Parks of the Republic of Estonia (26 April)
1935 First Nature Protection Law of the Republic of Estonia (11 December)
1936 Dr. Gustav Vilbaste entered upon of the Nature Conservation Inspector (29 January)
1937 First volume of the Book "Looduskaitse" ("Nature Protection") is published (Editor in chief: Dr. Gustav Vilbaste) by the State Parks Authority Publisher
1938 Second Nature Conservation Law of the Republic of Estonia (25 March) - Law on State Parks and  Nature Protection Law annuled
1940 Last protected areas are established by the Nature Conservation Law of independent Estonia (1 July)
1957 Legalisation of nature protection after beginning of Soviet occupation by the Law on Nature Protection of the Estonian S.S.R. (7 June); numerous protected areas are established and re-established; state authority of Soviet Estonia for nature protection is established
1958 Monthly magazine "Eesti Loodus" ("Estonian Nature") is established
1966 The Nature Protection Society of the Estonian S.S.R. (Eesti NSV Looduskaitse Selts) (a NGO) is established
1971 First national park is established - Lahemaa (1 June)
1971 The Vaika State Nature Reserve is reorganised to the Vilsandi State Nature Reserve (21 September)
1976 First designated by the U.S.S.R. Ramsar area -   Matsalu State Nature Reserve
1980 Management plan of the Lahemaa national Park is finished
1981 First 28 Mire Reserves are established
1989 The West Estonian Archipelago Biosphere Reserve is established (27 December)
1990 Law on Nature Protection of Estonia (23 February)
1991 Reorganisation of subordination of protected areas - from Forest Districts to the Ministry of the Environment
1991 Law on the Lahemaa National Park (27 March)
1991 The Union of Protected Areas of Estonia (EKAL) is established
1991 The Association of Baltic National Parks (ABNP) is established
1991 The Fund for Nature of Estonia (ELF) is established
1993 List of Protected areas of local importance are merged with the List of state protected areas - established is a one level state nature protection network
1993 3 new national parks are established - Karula, Soomaa and Vilsandi (8 December).
1994 First nature reserve in reindependent Estonia - Alam-Pedja (17 February)
1994 Law on Protected Natural Objects (1 June)
1994 Estonia is joined to the Ramsar-Convention; Matsalu Nature Reserve is designated by Estonia Ramsar area
1995 First Protection Rules by the Law on Protected Natural Objects - Karula National Park and Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve (3 March)

 

 

Last update: 12.07.2006