Local forest owners associations
Local private forest owners associations and unions (in Estonian Metsaühistu) are non-governmental non-profit membership organisations formed by and for private forest owners. They are independent from the state or local government. Some of the societies belong to the Estonian Private Forest Union representing the interests of private forest owners. No difference is made between non-commercial private forest owners, farm forest owners or commercial forest companies.
Forest owners associations are not working to gain profit but in the interest of private forest owners and according to their needs.
The following services are provided to the members by local forest owners associations:
- Connecting forest owners in the same region
- Providing advisory service and counselling for private forest owners
- Co-operation, organization of events such as meetings, fieldtrips, competitions
- Dissemination of information by means of different methods eg information days
- Assistance in applying forestry subsidies
- Protecting the interests of private forest owners (hunting regulations, environmental restrictions etc)
- Organizing joint economic activities (timber sale, cooperation between members in forestry work etc)
Many private forest owner associations can offer services in English, Russian or other languages. For contact details please click on the name of association in the table below.
