Letter of Support

Erko Soolmann

Member of the Management Board

State Forest Management Centre (RMK)

State Forest Management Centre

Mõlsa/3, Sagadi küla, Haijala vald,

1.151.103 Lääne-Viru maakond

ESTONIA

Registry code 7000Ll'l59

Tel +372 676 7500

[email protected]

www.rmk.ee

Estonian Research Counci Our ref 10.03.2026 No 1-7/2026/1508

Letter of support

The Estonian State Forest Management Centre (RMK) supports the team grant application to the

Estonian Research Council by the Estonian University of Life Sciences (EULS) on the topic of

continuous cover forestry, project leader Professor Reimo Lutter.

According to RMK's Development Plan 2024-2028, one of the objectives of RMK's activities in

preserving and enhancing biodiversity is "to develop and implement principles for the use of

forest management methods other than clear cutting in commercial forests and for the creation of

smaller clear-cutting areas." To achieve this goal, a science-based definition and model of

continuous cover forestry, which is suitable for application in hemiboreal Estonian soil and

climate conditions, must be developed.

RMK and EULS have experience of long-term cooperation. Most of the study areas of the

applicant project are located in RMK's forests. At the request of RMK, in 2011-2014, EULS

carried out a research project "Ecological-economic analysis of shelterwood cutting method and

establishment of the network of demonstration-experimental areas" under the lead of Professor

Hardi Tullus, the results of which helped to change the regulations of shelterwood cutting and

selection cutting in the Estonian Forest Act and the Forest Management Guidelines in 2017 ina

direction that ensures a more successful implementation of alternatives to clear cutting in

forestry practice, especially in fulfilling forest regeneration objectives. RMK has successfully

implemented these recommendations in the regeneration of forests of heightened public

interest.

Over the past ten years, there has been a great interest in the application of continuous cover

forestry in society as a whole and therefore also in forestry practice, which requires also new

research results from forest science. Based on the studies of the applicant project planned at the

EULS, RMK hopes to make science-based decisions and recommendations for the

implementation of continuous cover forestry in everyday forest management practice, including

the development of a network of demonstration areas, with the aim of training private forest

owners and nature enthusiasts.

Signature