Forest report warns Estonia is cutting trees faster than they can regrow
Estonia Forestry Harvesting -A recent forest inventory released by the Estonian Environment Agency reveals a concerning trend: Estonia’s forests are struggling to recover at an adequate pace. This slow regeneration highlights an ongoing challenge within the forestry sector, where a lack of agreement persists regarding the balance between forest protection and timber harvesting. Stakeholders grapple with determining the ideal amount of forest that should be safeguarded for conservation purposes versus what can be sustainably harvested for economic benefit.
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That’s a remarkable amount of work hours for a single machine, the Norcar 600 owned by Erkki Rinne is taken well care of, it even has the original Diesel engine.
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Kieran Anders is a forestry contractor working in the lake district. His work involves hand cutting and extracting timber using a skidder and tractor-trailer forwarder.
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It is not possible to eliminate chain shot, but there are simple steps that can be taken to reduce the risk.
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Arwel takes great pride in the fact that the mill has no waste whatsoever, “the peelings are used for children’s playgrounds, gardens and for farm animals in barns in the winter and the sawdust has multiple uses in gardens and farms as well.
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Timber hauliers need to encourage young blood in, and also look after the hauliers we have, we need make the sector a safe and positive place to work.
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According to the 2026 statistical forest inventory, Estonia’s forest area has experienced a slight increase, while forest reserves have stabilized. Taimar Ala, the director of the Environment Agency, emphasized that the rate of logging has surpassed the natural regrowth of forests.
“In managed forests, the volume of timber harvested has exceeded net growth for approximately seven to eight years. The more we harvest today, the sooner we will encounter a decline in harvest volumes,” Ala stated.
He further noted that although the diversity of forest species is increasing, there is a decline in the populations of pines and spruces, as clear-cut coniferous areas predominantly regenerate into deciduous forests. Consequently, coniferous forest management requires particularly careful oversight.
“When financial gains are derived from the forest, a portion of those proceeds must be reinvested into its management. Effective forest management practices are essential in this regard,” Ala asserted.
Hardo Becker, head of forestry at the Estonian Forest and Wood Industries Association, does not see the timber industry as responsible for the decline in spruces and pines. He blames unfavorable weather and pests.
“The fact that species composition varies to some extent — whether due to a forest owner’s decisions or climate change — is actually quite expected for the wood industry. We should focus more on growing more cubic meters per hectare in the future,” Becker said.
Estonian Fund for Nature forest expert Eliisa Pass said conifers have decreased because of excessive logging.
“The government should work to reduce harvest volumes, and that requires changing various logging rules in our laws. For example, tree felling ages should be raised, especially for conifers, which have been heavily overcut,” Pass said.
Becker does not consider reducing harvest volumes necessary. He said the real limitation for the timber industry is that non‑managed forest makes up one‑fifth of Estonia’s forest land — the third‑highest share in Europe.
“When a large amount of wood has been taken out of use and placed under protection in Estonia, that has been a government decision,” Becker said.
Ala said that although no major changes have occurred compared with previous years, increasing harvest volumes would not be sustainable.
“There is no overnight disappearance of opportunities, but it is clear that it is not wise to live at the expense of the future,” Ala said.
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