Environmental Science

•  Assessments of damage caused by geese and Common Cranes.
• Preparation and consultations of an engagement plan in the implementation of spatial and nature conservation planning.
• Compilation and consultation of protection rules and management plans for protected and conservation areas.
• Analysis of the usage load and visitor monitoring in protected and recreational areas.
• Compilation of environmental related expert assessments.
• Environmental impact assessments of landscapes and natural environments (e.g. sports related routes; effects of trampling on recreational landscapes, etc.).
• Compilation of landscape management plans.
• Preparation and consultation of local government and county development plans and development strategies.
• Coastal area management and planning.
• Regional development related studies and expertise.
• Strategic environmental assessments.
• Thematic plans of traditional farm architecture, construction recommendations and consultations related to heritage and environmental values (non-construction).
• Consultations on environmental aspects of general plans and other plans (e.g. thematic plans).

Laboratory of Biochemistry and Environmental Chemistry

• Biogas composition analysis.
• Methane productivity analysis of biogas feedstocks.
• Assessment of the biodegradability of chemicals and materials.
• Assessment of the biological stability of compost, digestate and waste.
• Oxygen demand analysis of compost.
• Determination of residual biogas potential of digestate.

Trainings

• Use of drones in environmental research.
• GIS training, different softwares, incl ArcGis Pro-s.
• Advance training in environmental  protection and nature conservation.
• Environmental impact assessment.
• Environmental policy and management.
• Preparation of landscape management plans.
• Landscape assessment and analysis methods.
• Defining and planning green network and valuable landscapes.

Keywords: tourism, trajectory, gates, congregating, measures.

For planning of tourism objects and for successful functioning of tourism structures there is a need to design and map the trajectory of visitors and where and for how long they stop for observations of the objects. The study is designed to avoid congregatings, queues and other contraries and rise the satisfaction of tourists. Trajectories and times would be registered for different target groups. This helps to implement measures for rising visitors’ memorable experience and for better management of tourism flows.

Keywords: impact, local community, tourism, tolerance, planning decisions, recommendations.

Uncontrolled tourism development could lead to dissatisfication and conflicts at tourism destinations. For avoiding that kind of situations well-grounded planning decisions should be made, for example zoning of the areas, scattering the tourism flow, diversification of supply, setting limitations etc. For reasoned decisions the opinion of local inhabitants about preparedness to support the development of tourism or needs for limitations and other aspects should be studied. Qualitative data would be gathered and analysed for the assessment of the social impact of visitors to the tourism destination and would be compared with other areas.

Keywords: nature based tourism, objects in nature, routes, services, information, recommendations, planning.

Nature tourism and use of natural resources for tourism purposes is increasingly growing and recommended in Estonia. Trails, single objects of interest on private and state lands, different activities related to observing nature or picking activities are the main possibilities in our country. How to develop a route or trail in my lands or region? What, how and whom I should offer? How should I start and whom should I agree? What kind of activities I could do and how to prepare and implement? How to make information materials and install them? These practical questions get answered during the planning process.

Keywords: nature based tourism, tourism object, mapping, monitoring, planning, resources.

Detailed overview of resources and continuous monitoring is needed for successful nature based tourism development. For planning decisions it is important to understand links between customer journey and nature tourism objects and also assess how existing and planned infrastructure fits to customer expectations. It is really important because there is continuous rise in visitor numbers in nature areas and tourism sector is constantly changing.

Examples of the activities that are necessary for tourism planning and development:

- mapping and monitoring the objects and infrastructure needed for nature based tourism development,

- analysing and monitoring the quality and condition of nature based tourism objects and infrastructure,

- assessing how nature based tourism objects and infrastructure fits to the needs of different target groups and locates in the context of customer journey,

- analysing the suitability and influences between infrastructure and the surrounding environment;

- assessing nature based objects’ carrying capacity,

- assessing nature tourism objects’ tourism value.

Keywords: expertise and training in nature protection, municipalities, nature protection institutions, land owners, tourism companies, real estate developers.

Expertise and training

- Management and restoration of seminatural grasslands.

- Species’ action and management plans.

- Identification of protected plant species, management of the communities necessary for their conservation, evaluation of their translocation possibility.

- Nature tourism and nature education.

Keywords: educational institutions and enthusiasts.

- Identification of fungal species with information about their ecology, use and possible toxicity/harmfulness.

- Seasonal exhibitions (identification of fungal species, professional consultations for public).

- Fungal foray guidance. 

- Teaching fungal diversity in the forest.

• Species’ action and management plans, population status evaluation.
• Management plans of conservation and protection areas.
• Expert assessments on nature conservation and environmental protection.
• Management and monitoring of zoological inventories.
• Research on animal movement and migration, including radar studies and telemetry.
• Conservational molecular genetics expert assessments and the elaboration of conservation management plans based on the results.
• Digitization and analysis of biodiversity data.
• Courses and practical instruction of bird identification and bird survey techniques.

Keywords: consultation and training.

• Evaluation of damage caused by insects: correlated studies, prognoses and possible solutions.
• Consultation for amateur entomologists including theoretical courses and practical training.
• Identification of insects’ species supplemented by outlining and discussing their distribution and biology.

• Founding of a biological collection: care, necessary documentation and digitization. 

   

Keywords: Ministry of the Environment, Environmental Board, municipalities, nature protection institutions, fish breeders, fishery institutions, developers of waterbodies.

• Assessment of the ecological and environmental status of waterbodies.
• Sanitation of lakes.
• Sanitation of watercourses.
• Compilation of management plans, expert opinion.
• Analysis of the functioning disorders of waterbodies.
• Ecological toxicology of waterbodies.
• Assessment of the fish stocks of inland waterbodies and suggestions for their optimum management.
• Assessment of the condition of waterbodies.
• Assessment of the biological resources of waterbodies and suggestions for their exploitation.

Keywords: accessibility audit, forests, parks, protected landscapes, universal design, access by people with disabilities. 

Many public spaces, ranging from urban parks to forests have problems of accessibility to people with a range of disabilities or impairments. We have expertise in this area. 

Services include: 

• Survey and assess accessibility for different groups in different areas or landscape types.
• Test the accessibility of public spaces.
• Offer planning and design advice based on the outcome of the surveys. 

Following our extensive research in urban green space (including public and private urban green elements) management and using specialised equipment and resources we can offer: 

• Survey and assess green areas such as parks, urban forests, avenues and streets.
• Map and inventory of green areas in GIS.
• Assess the health and management condition of urban trees.
• Advice on sustainable management or urban green areas.
• Advice on ecosystem services and benefits of urban green. 

Our focus is on demand-led research to develop sustainable, robust and flexible solutions targeting new developments and retrofit SUDS into existing developed areas using an integrated and transdisciplinary approach. Following our experience with sustainable urban water systems’ (SUDS) planning and design, we can offer advice on Integrated stormwater management (ISWM) and sustainable urban water system (SUDs) planning and design for residential areas, public campuses, highways and roads etc.  

We offer:  

• Survey and needs assessment for SUDS and integrated stormwater management techniques and tools and their application at different urban scale.
• Learning alliances, workshops and the best practice guidance. 

Both common and exemplary landscapes, that we inhabit create the background structure for our activities and form a part of everyone’s identity. This is why large portion of people care very deeply about visual appearance of new objects and their impact on the functioning of the landscape. This is especially applicable in case of: 

• renewable energy projects,
• planning of new roads and traffic structures,
• larger projects in protected areas. 

Interactive landscape theatre makes it possible to create expansive virtual landscapes from actual map data and explore such models in real time from any viewpoint. This makes it possible to determine visibility/occlusion of the new landscape element and explore its spatial proportions and relation to other landscape elements. Up to 15 people can be immersed in the virtual landscape at once and take part in workgroup discussions of sketches; assess the visual and landscape impact; take active part in participatory planning process. 

Landscape character assessment (in accordance with the principles of the European Council Landscape Convention (ELC))   

- for municipalities, who value the landscape character,  

- for landscape protection areas.  

Landscape character assessment is a main starting point for implementing the ELC and we have many years of experience in this. We can offer: 

• Mapping and inventory of landscape types at different spatial scales.
• Field survey and assessment.
• Preparation of reports describing landscape character. 

Advice for forest planning and design where visual and aesthetic aspects have to be taken into account. 

Designing clear cut areas of the production forests is becoming part of common practice in Finland, UK and elsewhere. Based on experience of mentioned countries and relying on Estonian forest landscape peculiarities, we can offer consultation to: 

• Design for single clear cut areas,
• Prepare forest landscape plan for larger forest areas,
• Design for roadside and other exposed forests. 

Recreation area planning and design at a strategic or site design scale 

As outdoor recreation and various forms of tourism expand and develop there is a greater need for planning and design at different spatial scales. We can offer: 

• Planning of recreation and tourism at a large territorial scale (such as a national park, landscape protection area, RMK recreation area  or country),
• Assess sensitivity and capacity for recreation and tourism development,
• Prepare advice on planning, design and management of recreation and tourism infrastructure. 

The relationship between landscape and health is a growing area of research and practice. We have built up special expertise in a number of areas related to this and can offer the following services: 

• Landscape design using Evidence Based Design principles,
• Expert assessment of a landscape for healing gardens,
• Education in Garden therapy,
• Garden therapy programmes for people with special needs,
• Consultation of the same topics for private landowners,
• Hospital green area design, assessment and garden therapy programs by departments.

In Estonia there are many areas affected by mining (oil shale) and quarrying (sand/gravel and stone) and other disturbance (landfill) which need either to be restored or planned and designed with an end use in mind. We can offer the following: 

• Advice on the design of landforms including water bodies for new projects and for restoration of old workings,
• Prepare models and visualisations of the future landscape after the completion of a project,
• Advise on after use and recultivation/vegetation restoration, and management.

Cemeteries, historic urban or rural parks and gardens, railway station parks, school gardens and parks, etc.

The major part of the Estonian cultural landscape is developing on the basis of soviet collective agriculture, with its built remains and settlement patterns. We can offer the following: 

• Advice on the assessment methods for these landscape and settlement types,
• Consulting on suggested development or protection schemes.

Maintenance plan for historical parks under nature and cultural heritage protection, incl dendrological inventories.

Urban Resilience, Public Health and Well-being Influenced by Public Urban Space, Ecosystems Services, Sustainable Urban Planning.