Männiku Training Area to Shrink for Rail Baltic and Protected Species
Estonia's Ministry of Defense proposes reducing the Männiku training area by over 170 hectares to accommodate the Rail Baltic railway and protect habitats restored for endangered species.
The Estonian Ministry of Defense has sent a draft regulation to the government seeking approval to reduce the size of the Männiku training area near Tallinn. Currently covering more than 1,246 hectares with a 23-kilometer outer perimeter, the area would be reduced to just over 1,067 hectares with a perimeter of 19.71 kilometers after the change.
According to the ministry, there are two reasons for the reduction: Rail Baltic and nature conservation. During the planning process, 134.47 hectares were separated from the training area for the railway route and a local station, and transferred to the administration of the Ministry of Climate. The ministry stated that its own proposals were taken into account during the planning.
The training area also includes the Tallinn–Saku sand deposit, covering more than 42 hectares. After mining activities ended, the area was restored and now provides suitable habitat for protected species such as the natterjack toad and the sand lizard. As a result, this area is no longer used for training purposes.
The ministry emphasized that despite the removal of these land plots, the Männiku training area still meets the Defense Forces' training needs and its functions are not affected. The planning documents also note that once the Rail Baltic route is built, new defense structures—such as safety berms and bullet traps—may be needed to maintain the training area's operational capability.
