Estonian forests are being logged faster than they can recover

Estonian forests are being logged faster than they can recover, according to the 2026 statistical forest inventory published by the Estonian Environmental Agency, ERR reported. The inventory found that forest area has increased slightly and the total forest stock has stabilised, but logging has exceeded net growth in managed forests for seven or eight years.

“The more we cut today, the sooner the point will come when logging volumes fall,” Environmental Agency director Taimar Ala said.

Ala said the share of species-rich forests has increased, while the number of pine and spruce trees is declining. After coniferous forests are logged, natural regeneration usually produces predominantly deciduous forests, he said.

“When money has been taken out of the forest, some money must also be put back into it later. Forestry activities are therefore very necessary,” Ala said.

Hardo Becker, head of forestry at the Estonian Forest and Wood Industries Association, said the decline in spruce and pine was not primarily caused by the forest industry. He attributed it to unfavourable weather and pests.

Becker said variations in the composition of tree species were expected by the wood industry, whether they resulted from forest owners’ decisions or climate change. He said the focus should instead be on growing more timber volume per hectare in the future.

Eliisa Pass, a forest expert at the Estonian Fund for Nature, said the decline in conifers was the result of excessive logging. She called on the government to reduce logging volumes by changing logging rules, including by raising the minimum logging ages, particularly for conifers that she said were being heavily overharvested.

Becker said reducing logging volumes was not necessary. He argued that the forest industry was instead constrained by non-managed forests, which make up one-fifth of Estonia’s forest land. He said this was the third-highest share in Europe.

Ala said there had been no major changes compared with previous years, but increasing logging volumes would not be sustainable.

“There has been no sudden disappearance of opportunities overnight, but it is certain that it is not sensible to live at the expense of the future today,” Ala said.