Tallinn plans to establish the Astangu-Mäeküla nature reserve in the Haabersti district, with the purchase of privately owned land in the area set to cost the city up to €5.5 million.
The creation of the Astangu-Mäeküla nature reserve has been discussed for years. The city restarted the process five years ago after 45 people submitted a proposal to establish the protected area.
Tõnis Bramanis, one of the authors of the proposal, justified the need to protect the area partly by pointing out that it is home to one of Estonia's most important bat swarming sites.
"This is Tallinn's most species-rich amphibian habitat and, at the same time, the one in the best condition as far as we know. There are reptile habitats, various species of bumblebees and more than 40 species of butterflies. It is a very important part of Tallinn's green network," he said.
The proposed area will be 148.7 hectares, slightly smaller than the 157.7-hectare nature reserve first put forward. Bramanis said he saw no problem with the reduction.
"Much more important is that, for the first time, the draft specifically sets out options for acquiring properties and developing a support measure for landowners, which, in my opinion, makes the proposal considerably more credible," he said.
Attorney Indrek Veso, whose clients include one of the landowners in the area, is critical of the establishment of the nature reserve.
"Protecting such a large area is also unjustified because the Nõmme-Mustamäe Landscape Protection Area is located right next to it. We are going to have quite a lot of protected areas concentrated in one part of the city. In my opinion, this is neither justified nor proportionate, especially since the values supposedly being protected there are difficult to understand and grasp," Veso said.
Landowners will also face a number of additional restrictions within the protected area.
"Activities such as logging and property development will be prohibited — the main activities associated with the normal use, management and improvement of real estate," Veso added.
Tallinn Deputy Mayor Kristjan Järvan (Isamaa) said reaching compromises with landowners has generally gone smoothly.
"Considering how many landowners there are — around 50 — naturally, when negotiating with 50 owners, there are different points of view. But I would say there have been no categorical objections where a landowner has said that under no circumstances would they agree to the establishment of the nature reserve," he said.
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