Green Assist and Forestry Europe: exploring voluntary nature credits in Estonian private forests

Understanding how markets can value forest biodiversity practicesBiodiversity is a cornerstone for forest health and climate change resilience, underpinning key ecosystem services such as timber production, carbon storage, water regulation, and disaster prevention. These services are critical not only for environmental sustainability but also for long-term economic viability.In Estonia, the organisation Forestry Europe is leading a pilot project to explore how voluntary nature-positive actions in forests, such as continuous cover forestry, deadwood retention, habitat conservation, and protection of old-growth stands, could create opportunities for additional income. The initiative assesses how these practices might be recognised and valued within voluntary certification schemes or emerging biodiversity financing mechanisms.Reflecting Estonia’s active forest sector and diverse land ownership, the project places a strong focus on local governance. It encourages dialogue and trust-building among key stakeholders, including forest managers, private landowners, environmental organisations, and green technology providers.The pilot also draws on EU-level guidance, particularly the voluntary Commission guidelines to strengthen the environmental pillar of sustainable forest management published in 2023 under the EU Forest Strategy[1]. These provide a useful reference for identifying forest management practices that contribute to biodiversity objectives and inform the development of...