ESTONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW 2009

The Tartu area is another region in Estonia where sprawl
is perceptible, even though the process is less intensive
compared to that of the Tallinn vicinity.
The new housing developments in the rural municipalities
in the vicinity of the city in Tartu County are relatively
little reflected in changes in population density, according
to Statistics Estonia — population density is up 1.5% in
Luunja rural municipality and by the same amount in the
city of Tartu (2,650 in/km 2 in 2009), while the growth
in population density in Ülenurme rural municipality
has been minimal. In the other rural municipalities,
population density has dropped (by the greatest amount
in Piirisaare — 25%, in Peipsiääre rural municipality by
13%, by 11% in Meeksi rural municipality and by 10% in
Alatskivi rural municipality). Apparently the declining
population in parts of the other parts of the rural municipalities
is counterbalanced with the gain in population
from new housing developments close to the city.
The changes taking place in the vicinity of the city of
Tartu were studied by analyzing detailed plans D . A total
of 274 detailed plans were analyzed, with a total of 2,865
residential buildings. The research examines the changes
in population on the basis of data from local governments
(in Luunja, the number of inhabitants rose 9.6% from
2000–2007 and in Ülenurme rural municipality by 20.6%),
which is not reflected in Statistics Estonia data.
But even more relevant is the period of rapid suburbanization
E from 2003–2006 cited by the authors,
preceded by a relatively slow period of suburbanization
from 1998–2002 and followed by slowing suburbanization.
The latter will undoubtedly be impacted significantly by
the recession. New residential communities are located
primarily 5–10 km from the city centre (21% about 5 km,
14% within a 6 and 7 km radius, 12% in a 8 km radius); as
the distance increases the number of new communities
decreases evenly. Thus in the Tartu vicinity the primary
pressure from sprawl on the city centre is much closer
than in Tallinn.
The new residential communities are located primarily
on former cropland (45%); and 28% on former lowdensity
areas and 16% on natural grasslands. The new
communities simplify the landscape significantly — the
planned areas comprise a uniform (repetitive) pattern
and include fairly small land units with a simple shape D .
At the same time, preservation of ecological networks
is not ensured by the planning and it is not uncommon
for ecological corridors to be severed; the habitats of
species become intermixed with urban areas (see also
section 8.2.2, “Reasons for decreased biological diversity
— urban sprawl”).
new settlements
older settlements
lakes
roads
rivers
km
0 5 10 20 30
Tallinn
Harjumaa
Läänemaa
Järvamaa
Raplamaa
Map 7.4. New residential communities in the vicinity of Tallinn. Data: Leetmaa et al 2009 F .
120
D
Roose, A., Kull, A. (2008). Segregated suburban landscapes: Transformations on the fringe of Tartu. Estonia. Geographical studies 10. Roosaare, J. and Mander, Ü. (Eds.).
Publicationes Instituti Geographici Universitatis Tartuensis, vol. 107, pp. 68-87.
E
Suburbanization – movement of people from city centres to suburban areas, the vicinity of cities or the countryside.
F
Leetmaa, K., Anniste, K., Brade, I. (2009). Hidden new residential areas in the Tallinn metropolitan area: Soviet summer cottage settlements in residential suburbanisation.
[Manuscript being prepared for publication].