Sutt plans forestry council to bridge conservation and industry

Estonian Energy and Environment Minister Andres Sutt plans to establish a forestry council by the end of August to bring together conservationists, scientists, industry representatives, officials and politicians, ERR reported. The council would discuss disagreements over forestry and advise the minister on future policy.

Plans to amend the Forest Act and Nature Conservation Act, as well as the forestry development plan, remain on hold. Sutt paused the legislation earlier this year after industry representatives and conservationists failed to reach a compromise on forest use and protection.

The proposed laws would, among other changes, define 70 percent of forests as managed and 30 percent as protected.

The Ministry of Climate plans to establish two bodies by the end of August: a forestry council and a separate forestry research council. The initiative followed a meeting between the ministry and forestry interest groups at Sagadi Manor in early June, where participants agreed that there was no suitable format for discussing major forestry choices before decisions were made, said Kristi Parro, head of the ministry’s forestry department.

“The proposal was that one format that could regularly meet would be a forestry council made up more or less of the same people and interest groups,” Parro said. It would discuss both day-to-day issues and broader goals and visions, seek agreements and advise the minister on the direction of forestry policy and wider expectations in Estonian society.

The council is expected to have 15 to 20 members. Alongside interest groups, it could include representatives of state agencies, scientists and politicians. Invitations were likely sent to all major forestry-related groups, beginning with landowners, Parro said, although some have declined to participate.

The council could also discuss specific draft laws if forestry stakeholders wanted that, but this would not be its main purpose. The broader aim would be to establish a forum for agreeing on the nature, objectives and vision of forestry.

The separate research council would consist only of university scientists. It would examine forestry data, including the statistical forest inventory and scientific research, and provide the forestry council with information for discussions and proposals.

The ministry hopes the forestry council will meet at least twice this year. A more precise schedule is expected to be agreed at its first meeting at the end of August.

Previous forestry council

The planned council would not be a new institution. About a decade ago, before intense public discussions began over the vision of Estonia’s forestry development plan, the Ministry of the Environment convened a forestry council of around ten experts and interest-group representatives.

The current government has also established several other councils, including a climate council three years ago, followed later by councils on efficiency and economic growth. An artificial intelligence council was launched at the beginning of this year.