COASTAL MEADOW RESTORATION

Project Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF) is NGO dedicated to nature conservation. Its mission is to preserve endangered species and their habitats, natural landscapes and natural associations typical of Estonia. ELF has organized yearly nature conservation holidays where volunteers, participants and group managers work together in order to improve the living conditions of a certain species (i.e. natter jack toad, black stork, Baltic dunlin) or maintain semi-natural communities. You can read on http://elfond.ee/en and see photos from volunteering camps of 2021: https://talgud.ee/talgud/galerii/2021 The aim of this very camp is restoration of coastal meadows which are important habitat for the Baltic dunlin and other waders. Islands of West-Estonia Saaremaa Island is the largest island of Estonia which is famous for its alvars, windmills, The Kaali Meteorite Crater Field, scenic walks on Panga Cliff, and much more. Saaremaa’s only town, Kuressaare, houses a well-preserved castle. Muhumaa Island is the 3rd amongst Estonian islands in terms of size. The picturesque village of Koguva, Üügu cliff, and famous black bread of Muhu are some of the highlights of this island. Abruka Island (9,3 km2) has 16 inhabitants and is famous for its scenic and biodiverse broadleaved forest. It is possible to walk through the sea to the island of Vahase from Abruka. Võilaid (2,5 km2) was formerly used for haymaking, and the foundations of old barns are still visible. A herd of horses roams the island from spring to autumn. Take care of your personal belongings, as the horses are notoriously nosy. Coastal meadows are found in flat coastal areas, where they are occasionally flooded. The flora on these landscapes is low in height and requires mowing or grazing to ensure its persistence. A total of 390 plants species have been found on coastal meadows, including several protected species, such as the wild orchids. The most valuable bird species of coastal meadows are waders, especially the Baltic dunlin, ruff, and curlew, to name a few. The baltic dunlin (Calidris alpina schinzii) is a subspecies of the dunlin. The population of these birds has decreased immensely in Estonia, partly as a consequence of an increased number of predators which inhabit the bushes and trees in the overgrown meadows. The Baltic dunlin relies on open coastal areas for feeding and breeding.