The Nature Conservation Act prohibits the destruction of bird nests. However, about 120,000 chicks die every year due to spring logging.
In Estonia, the number of forest birds is decreasing by 1% annually. Over the past 35 years, nearly 5 million birds have disappeared. This is concerning for both conservationists and forest growers.
In state forests, a nesting ban is in effect from April to July. The current system, which only protects found nests, is not sufficiently effective.
Some bird species nest multiple times during the summer. However, their nesting is not protected in late summer. A good solution would be to establish nesting ban dates by law.
Forest work could be planned more for the winter period to disturb birds less. Private forest owners take the nesting ban into account and stop logging if they find bird nests.
The Environmental Board has about 30 inspectors who monitor compliance with the nesting ban. They stop logging if they find nesting birds or nests with eggs.
So far, logging has been stopped on only one property where a nest with eggs of a stock dove was found.