Text www.maavald.ee

Photo Arne Ader

Translation Liis

Threshing barn furnace. Smith Mart Salumaa

Many linguists are of the opinion that the Estonian word jõul (roughly Yule) is borrowed from the ancient Scandinavian language around a thousand years ago. But there are those who think that we have to do with our own indigenous word.

From time to time. Christmas starts at the winter solstice  and ends a few days after the new year. “Ajastaeg” is an old Estonian concept meaning year round. It expresses recognition of the world and awareness of the cycle of time and life and more broadly the oneness of world and being.

Estonian Fund for Nature  informs www.elfond.ee
Photo Arne Ader
Translation Liis

Spruce forest,  Elva River ancient  valley
Estonian article published 09.12.2016

The environmental organisations and the researchers from the University of Tartu and the Estonian University of Life Sciences who met in Tartu on December 8 considered  the current status of forest management and tried to find solutions that would improve the protection of Estonian forests. A joint statement underlined that Estonia must not pursue a forest policy that uses the wood resources at the expense of the future, is  hostile to the climate and not transparent to the public. A proposal will be made to the Ministry of the Environment to take in account also the ecological and social values of forests besides the economic interests, and to involve the respective interest groups in this on an equal  footing in creating a policy.