Wildlife Estonia

Eesti Loodushoiu Keskus / Wildlife Estonia is a NGO, established in May 2000. Wildlife Estonia is dealing with a number of projects related to protection and sustainable use of aquatic species as well as increasing the quality of surface water bodies in Estonia. We have been actively involved in preparation of the proposal for pSCI-s (Natura network) concerning freshwater and coastal water species and habitats for Estonia, also in implementation of the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. Every day we are working with sustainable river and lake management, negative impact of damming to water ecosystems, EIA connected with the use of surface water bodies, etc. Our latest large scale projects were implemented with support from EU LIFE+ Nature program. During 2009 - 2012 project with acronym Happyfish, what was awarded the prize of the best Estonian environmental project in 2011 and Best of the best EU LIFE Nature project in 2013. From 2013 to 2018 we carried out two LIFE Nature projects - LIFE HAPPYRIVER and LIFE SPRINGDAY. LIFE Happyriver was awarded as Best of the Best Environmental Act in Estonia 2018. The most of our projects are financed by Estonian governmental bodies (the Ministry of Environment - departments of Nature Protection, Water Management, Fisheries; environmental departments of County Governments and Local Governments, Estonian Environmental Investments Center etc.). In addition, we have been involved in implementation of number of international projects (in the framework of bi-lateral assistance from Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Slovenia, Lithuania etc.). The results of collaboration are often published in scientific papers.

We are recently involved in a number of studies of different fish species - river lamprey, asp, bream, pike-perch, european eel and also restoration of the population of atlantic sturgeon in the Baltic sea. 

Our desire to implement an ambitious plan to restore the Baltic sturgeon population in Estonian waters has come to fruition in the form of a specific LIFE Baltic Sturgeon project. We can also continue taking care of the rivers and endangered fish species of the Alam-Pedja nature reserve within the framework of the LIFE IP project AdaptEst.