Core Values of the Forestly
Common core values are needed to ensure the consistent and effective collaboration of those many people and organisations who work for increasing Estonia’s forests biodiversity. These core values have been drafted with the help and input of dozens of people and they are an integral part of the constitution of the Continuous Cover Forestry Association – all action of the association will emanate from these principles.
CORE VALUES OF ESTONIAN FOREST
- Forest is an asset in itself. We, as a nation and as people, are bound to forest – the forest is in us and we are in the forest. We can share the experiences, knowledge and joy gained from the forest.
- Forests are rich in life: full of a variety of habitats, species, springs, rivers, lakes, swamps, marshes, soils and sacred natural sites.
- Forests are valued and preserved as a natural and biodiverse environment. In the forest we can connect with nature and with our own deeper self.
- We manage forest without clear cutting: this means that the forest will always remain as an ecosystem. Part of the forests will be left completely untouched, so that nature can have her own way.
- We respect and carefully consider the effects or logging on all living beings and compositions. We do not do works in the forest when birds are hatching and animals are nesting.We aim not to cause negative effects on the soils, natural flow of water and to trees. We avoid clear cutting on larger then 1 ha areas and prefer to use group selection cutting. We preserve sacred natural sites in the forest.
- We understand and value everything that the forest provides us – wood for heating and construction, juice, mushrooms, berries, herbs, clear water, needles, whisks, silence, health, honey, knowledge, shelter and much more. With an open mind we value everything the forests provide and manage them using continuous cover methodology, so that forests always stay as forests.
- We have mapped and studied our forests to detail and we keep our knowledge about our forests up to date. We understand what takes place in a forest.