metsamaa

Metsamaa is a land category used in Estonia's land-use planning and cadastral records. It designates land where the predominant use or designation is the growth and maintenance of forests, including natural stands and forest plantations, as well as related forest infrastructure such as roads, clearings, and buffer zones. The term is formed from the Estonian mets meaning forest and maa meaning land.

Legal and management framework: Metsamaa is governed by Estonian forestry and environmental laws, including the Forest Act and related regulations. Management is typically carried out by private landowners or public authorities through forest management plans, sustainable harvesting, reforestation, and protection measures. Activities within metsamaa must comply with environmental protections, and certain areas may be subject to additional restrictions due to protected species, biodiversity goals, or Natura 2000 designations.

Uses and functions: The primary purpose of metsamaa is timber production and forest ecosystem services, including biodiversity conservation, soil and water protection, and recreational use. Non-timber forest products and tourism may also be pursued, subject to management rules. Access rights and hunting or gathering may be regulated.

Distribution: In Estonia, most forest land is recorded as metsamaa in official registers, with geographic variation in the share of land classified as metsamaa.

See also: Forestry in Estonia, Land use in Estonia, Natura 2000.