We learn how to preserve the biodiversity that has developed over the centuries even today by studying and preserving cultural heritage.
Cultural heritage can be, for example:
- The tradition of place names, legends, stories and songs
- Work skills and knowledge obtained over time
- Historical settlement, building pattern of villages and farms, architecture of buildings
- Tools and commodities and handicraft
- Dialects and local use of language
- Old winter roads, bridges, gardens, border stones, landing places for boats and military heritage in the landscape
- Natural sacred places - cross-trees, groves, healing springs, stones and the like.
The map application of the data on the local traditions of national parks, i.e. memory landscapes, has been compiled in cooperation with the Environmental Board, local residents and the Estonian Literary Museum. The landscape reflects the people who live there. Landscape conservation is part of nature conservation work. Closely related nature conservation and heritage conservation meet in the landscape.
National parks
National parks pay particular attention to the protection of cultural heritage, and therefore, additional conditions are often set for activity licences for the preservation of cultural heritage values. There are 6 national parks in Estonia, which can be viewed in more detail on the page of protected areas, if you are interested.
Lahemaa National Park
Intended for the protection of the nature and cultural heritage of the coastal landscapes of Northern Estonia.
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Karula National Park
Intended for the protection of the nature and cultural heritage of the hilly moraine landscapes of Southern Estonia.
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Soomaa National Park
Intended for the protection of the natural and cultural heritage of the mire landscapes and floodplain landscapes of transition zone of Estonia.
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Vilsandi National Park
Intended for the protection of the natural and cultural heritage of the landscapes of the Western Estonian archipelago.
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Matsalu National Park
Intended for the protection of the characteristic biotic communities and landscapes of Western Estonia and of cultural heritage of the Väinameri Sea region.
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Alutaguse National Park
Intended for the protection of the natural and cultural heritage of the rare mire, forest and coastal landscapes of Eastern Estonia.
read moreHeritage specialists of the Environmental Board advise and organise various training courses in national parks.
For more information about the recordings of current and previous trainings courses, see the websites of national parks on the portal kaitsealad.ee or ask the cultural heritage specialists of the Environmental Board for advice:
- Ave Paulus in Lahemaa and Alutaguse National Park
- Krista Kallavus in Matsalu and Vilsandi National Park
- Lilian Freiberg in Karula National Park and outside the national park also in the field of cross-trees
- Sandra Urvak in Soomaa National Park
Last updated: 30.11.2022
