Saarde Parish changes stance, Kikepera rewetting works can resume

Saarde Parish Reverses Decision

Saarde Parish, which stopped rewetting (peatland restoration) works in Kikepera in January by demanding a building permit, has changed its legal position after five months. The parish now concludes that these works do not constitute construction activity, so it cannot require a building permit from the Estonian Nature Fund (ELF), and the works may continue.

Elder of Saarde Parish Urma Aava explained that under the Building Code, this activity is not construction, and the local government can only supervise based on the Building Code, not the Land Improvement Act. ELF has consistently held that rewetting is land improvement work, which does not require a building permit.

Delays Threaten Funding

Project co-leader Jüri-Ott Salm stated that the delay means the works will not be completed on time. Plans include filling 140 kilometers of ditches and building 1,400 dams across about 3,100 hectares. The project officially runs until the end of November, but only about half the volume will be achieved by then. Negotiations are ongoing with the funder about using money after the deadline, but no decision has been made. If the deadline is not extended, additional funding from RMK will be needed to complete the work. The risk of losing €600,000 in European funding is present.

Litigation Continues

The parish's decision allows ELF to resume work after the bird nesting prohibition period ends in August. However, on a small area near a local entrepreneur's property, works cannot proceed because the entrepreneur has challenged them in court. The court case regarding the legality of the rewetting works continues.