Estonian Fund for Nature

Estonian Fund for Nature (Eestimaa Looduse Fond) or ELF is an Estonian environmental non-profit organisation.

Mission of ELF is to preserve the rich natural diversity in Estonia and the world through active cooperation with individuals, business enterprises, organizations and state institutions through the following activities:

ELF was established in 1991 by biologists and conservationists and in close co-operation with World Wide Fund for Nature. WWF has remained ELF's main international co-operation partner. ELF is a member of IUCN.

Board members:

The board is directing the activity of ELF convenes four times in a year and one third of its members will be re-elected in every two years (even years). The task of the Board is to give guidelines to the Executive Committee, workers and volunteers in planning the activities (approving annually the action plan and budget) and to counsel workers of the Fund in treating various issues. Members of the Board work on the voluntary basis.

ELF's Executive Committee members in 2010: Jüri-Ott Salm and Ivar Tamm.

After the restoration of independence of Estonia in 1991 a political decision was taken to restitute properties including land to the former owners or their descendants. Since it is much easier to form new protected areas when the land is owned by the state, ELF took quick action to safeguard the future of valuable areas by proposing the establishment of new big protected areas and natural parks. This led to the formation of Soomaa and Karula national parks and Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve. The area of these taken together is about 740 sq kilometres.

During the following years, ELF has played a significant role in the establishment of tens of other smaller protected areas in Estonia. ELF has carried on inventories of valuable habitats - wetlands, old-growth forests and meadows and participates in designing the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. In recent years ELF has more and more activities dedicated to environmental education, public awareness and public participation in environmental decisions and activities.

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