Environmental agency survey: Estonia's forest increment stable
Estonia boasted a stable forest growth increment not differing much from the previous year in 2016, the outcome of a statistical forest inventory survey published by the Estonian Environmental Agency indicates.
Estonia had 2.31 million hectares of forest in 2016, which makes up 53.09 percent of the country's total ground area, excepting Lakes Peipus and Võrtsjärv. Compared to 2015, the total area of forests increased by 0.03 million hectares, spokespeople for the Environmental Agency said.
Pine forests accounted for 31.8 percent, birch forests for 29.5 percent and spruce forests for 18.5 percent of the total forested area. The State Forest Management Centre (RMK) managed 1.05 million hectares or 45.7 percent of the total area of forests, with the rest belonging to other owners.
Estonia's forest stock totaled 476.0 million solid cubic meters, 0.9 million solid cubic meters more than in 2015. The annual forest increment, 16.0 million solid cubic meters, was bigger by 0.2 million cubic meters than in 2015.
"These differences can be dismissed as being within the margin of error of the statistical sample, not real changes in our forests," explained Allan Sims, lead specialist at the Environmental Agency's Department for Forests.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS
