Estonia logging too much forest, experts warn

TALLINN, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Estonia is losing more forest than it's gaining, according to the Environmental Agency's latest statistical forest inventory (SMI).

The Estonian Fund for Nature said the country's forests are being over-felled, leading to younger, less diverse woodlands.

Forest expert Eliisa Pass called the trend worrying, and the agency confirmed that, over the past decade, logging has outpaced regrowth. Though forest stock may now be stabilizing, the agency plans to improve monitoring using remote sensing from 2026.

Currently, 70 percent of Estonia's forests are managed, up from 68 percent, and in 2024, logging reached nearly 11 million cubic meters, according to official figures. Enditem