estonian agriculture, rural economy and food industry

11.
use at least once a year in order to improve the
appearance of production holdings, and ensuring
the maintenance of the territory of such holdings.
To enhance biodiversity and the diversity of
landscapes, the establishment of ponds and wetlands,
the restoration and maintenance of stone
walls, and the establishment of strips of bushes of
different species are supported.
In 2001, a project was launched for managing
semi-natural communities nationwide and for supporting
the majority of the activities under the agriculture
environmental programme in two pilot
areas (Lümanda and Kihelkonna parishes in
Saaremaa). Land owners were paid land maintenance
support for a purposeful management of
semi-natural communities in a total amount of 19
million EEK from the budget of the Ministry of the
Environment.
The plans for 2002 under the agriculture environmental
programme include the payment of support
to the agricultural producers of ca 40 parishes
for maintaining lands not used in agriculture and
for applying good plant production principles.
Preparations will be made in 2002–2003 for
applying the 7 th SAPARD measure in the pilot areas
and for implementing the agriculture environmental
programme nationwide.
In organising the studying, protection,
maintenance, and restoration of semi-natural communities
in Estonia, the Ministries of Agriculture
and the Environment have been greatly assisted by
nature conservation and environmental protection
organisations such as the Estonian Nature Fund
and the Estonian Seminatural Community Conservation
Association; the Ecological Technologies
Centre cooperated in the preparation of the
environmental programme.
40