Since 2018, a new comprehensive plan for Hiiumaa has been in the works. Among many other proposals, the plan includes the idea of implementing a forest management approach in certain areas that would limit the size of clear-cutting and regeneration felling. In these areas, trees would be harvested individually or in small groups to allow for forest renewal and maintenance.

The goal of using such continuous cover forestry methods is to preserve mature, intact forests in areas such as the tip of the Kõpu Peninsula, around Kõrgessaare and near island capital Kärdla, Hiiumaa Deputy Municipal Mayor Üllar Laid told ERR.

"A large portion of this valuable forest land is already under protection, so in that sense, we're not really expanding the area. We're simply including some additional areas of high public interest that the state is already obligated to protect, such as those near hiking trails or settlements, with the aim of preserving them as forest," Laid added.

According to the draft plan, valuable forest areas — where clear-cuts larger than 0.3 hectares would be prohibited — would make up about 3 percent of all forest land on Hiiumaa, or just over 2,300 hectares. Of these forests, 28 percent would be privately owned, with the remainder managed by the state.

The use of continuous cover forestry on Hiiumaa has been supported by environmental advocacy groups. Eliisa Pass, a forest expert with the Estonian Fund for Nature, said more nature-friendly forestry practices are needed because even protected forests include limited management zones where clear-cutting is still permitted:

"Valuable forest landscapes include areas with high ecological value — for instance, old-growth forests rich in biodiversity or key habitats that serve as biodiversity hotspots. In such areas, clear-cutting should be avoided and continuous cover forestry methods should be used," Pass said.

However, the Ministry of Climate did not approve the version of the Hiiumaa comprehensive plan completed earlier this year. Among other issues, the ministry does not consider it justified to manage the designated areas using continuous cover forestry.

Kristi Parro, head of the ministry's forestry department, explained that Estonia's laws currently do not regulate the application of continuous cover forestry:

"What we've seen from past practice is that this approach hasn't been sufficiently regulated or thought through, which has led to the decline of some forests. In some cases, old trees were selectively cut, but what remained failed to regenerate, leading to overgrowth instead of healthy renewal," Parro said.

According to Parro, the goal is to begin continuous cover forestry trials in commercial forests and areas where soil conditions make such practices viable:

"Latvia and Finland are also struggling with this issue — they can only apply continuous cover forestry in limited areas with suitable soils. It's only in such conditions that small-scale patch-cutting can actually allow trees like spruce to grow successfully," Parro explained.

Pass, however, pointed out that the concept of continuous cover forestry already exists in Estonia's current Forest Act, which defines it as forest management through selective cutting: "Implementing continuous cover forestry is entirely compatible with the functions of the State Forest Management Center (RMK), whose responsibilities include preserving landscapes, cultural heritage sites and recreational areas."

The local government is now revising the comprehensive plan's explanatory memorandum based on feedback from the Ministry of Climate. "We're reviewing whether the municipality has the right to regulate this independently," said Deputy Mayor Laid.

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