Eesti-Šveitsi koostööprogrammi teise etapi taotluse esitamine

Riigi Tugiteenuste Keskus 06.02.2024 nr 4-5/24/2 Eesti-Šveitsi koostööprogrammi teise etapi taotluse esitamine 21. novembril 2022. a allkirjastatud Šveitsi teise toetuse rakendamise raamkokkuleppe kohaselt edastame teise etapi taotluse toetusmeetme „Elurikkuse programm“ elluviimiseks. Programm koosneb kahest komponendist, mida rakendavad Keskkonnaagentuur ja Keskkonnaamet. Palume esitada lõpptaotlus Šveitsi osapoolele. Lugupidamisega (allkirjastatud digitaalselt) Kristen Michal kliimaminister Lisad: Taotlus koos lisadega Teadmiseks: Rahandusministeerium, Keskkonnaamet, Keskkonnaagentuur Kairi Toiger, 626 2931 [email protected] Suur-Ameerika 1 / Tallinn 10122 / 626 2802/ [email protected] / www.kliimaministeerium.ee/ Registrikood 70001231   Annex 11: Feedback on the r ecommendations on the 1st stage Support Measure proposal : No R ecommendation Feedback 1 The context and relevance of the proposal shall be expanded to clarify how our jointly supported programme is embedded into the national objectives of biodiversity, to demonstrate the complementarities with other existing and planned instruments and mechanisms. This addition shall be presented in plain language and thus complement the current more technical part of the proposal. The Support Measure contributes directly to the implementation of the Estonian Environmental Development Plan until 2030 (draft) . According to the draft plan the goal of nature conservation is that the status of native species, ecosystems and landscapes has improved. The Support Measure has a clear connection with Estonian Environmental Strategy for 2030 and with requirements and obligations stated in EU directives . For more information look for chapter 2.2 . 2 The stakeholder analysis needs to be presented in a more comprehensive way, including the roles and level of involvement of important – and currently left-out – groups, such as environmental NGOs, scientific institutions or national and local authorities. It shall be further highlighted how various stakeholder groups will be involved and participate in the policy dialogue, which will be an integral part of the programme On June 5 , 2023 stakeholders consultaion took place with 32 participants from NGO´s, universities, local authorities. NGO-s and universities have been important service providers and partners in conducting wildlife inventories, monitoring and c ompiling methods for monitoring and inventories. They have the necessary expe rtis e to point out problems in the field of biodiversity and propose ideas how to make relevant changes and overcome existing obstacles. The event introduced the goals and expected outcomes of the P rogramm e . Main focus w as on discussions where we received proposals and recommendations to refine the program me 's activities . Please see chapter 4.5 for more information. Also Environmental Board plans during the implementat ion activities tight c ooperation with local authorities, discussions on how local authorities can integrate management plans into general planning ( please s ee activity 2 in chapter 10.2). 3 A description of the situation at programme end shall be included on the basis of a deeper analysis which also explains how the system will achieve sustainability and thus function after the end of Swiss co-funding. The sustainability of Programme Com ponents is described in respective chapters. T hanks to programme wildlife monitoring will be taken on to next level. Thanks to the development of the IT systems, less human work is necessary and saved budget will be used to maintain the systems. The Support Measure will help to review current conservation management planning practices in order to match them with contemporary needs. Please find the updated information in chapters 2.8, 7.4 and 10.4 . 4 It is encouraged to strengthen the civil society pillar in the programme, which will create added value to the programme. Please find information in chapter 7.2 “ Activities and Expected Results ” and also in Annex 8-1 (activity “ Promoting citizen science and creating network of volunteers” ) . U se of citizen science and involvement of volunteers in environmental monitoring is an increasingly important topic around the world. It creates new opportunities to engage people, collect more data and improve the quality of data, promote cooperation between different parties, involve civil society organisations in policymaking, prevent and solve problems as well as increase environmental awareness in society. Among other things, it helps to pay greater attention to emerging environmental problems, prevent loopholes both in legislation and monitoring data as well as improve data collection process. A network of volunteers will be created in the frames of Programme Component 1 , v oluntary monitoring will be integrated into wildlife monitoring methodologies . 5 The impact hypothesis and intervention strategy shall be completed, considering the above mentioned comments on relevance, sustainability, stakeholder analysis and civil society. We confirm that we reviewed and elaborated those aspects throughout the entire proposal . The impact hypothesis was elaborated (annex 1). Swiss-Estonian cooperation programme (Environment Ag e ncy) Temporary jobs for the Environment Agency General Project Coordinator (full-time, period 2024-2027) – responsible for the project team management and the implementation of the actions, preparation of the public procurements, documentation and budget , organizing study trips, communication and translation of the documents . Monitoring specialist ( full-time , period 2024-2027) – responsible for the develop ment , testing and implement ation of new monitoring methodologies, including contributi on to the preparation of the acquisition of mobile 3D bird radar and responsible for the implementation and integration of the equipment into the national monitoring methodolog ies . In cooperation with scientists and technical experts, map possible novel methodologies, solutions (eDNA) and equipment (night observation equipment, transmitters, remote sensing solutions, etc.) to be used in the wildlife and ecosystem monitoring. Arrange testing of mapped novel monitoring methodologies, equipment, and solutions . Also, monitoring specialist will be responsible for the involvement of volunteers and organization of the campaigns. Monitoring assistant ( full-time, period 2024-2027) – additional employee , who will help to implement the new REM (Random Encounter Model) methodology, contributes to the collection of data through track cameras, data management and training of the artificial intelligence (AI) to be created. It is more cost-effective to hire a person than outsource the service. It also ensures operational efficiency and better control of the work. Development of new methods, technology, and approaches , like REM and eDNA methodolog ies for example, are especially important regarding climate change and cost efficiency because of the demand for more and higher quality data. Some of the field works ( e.g., track counting) is currently done in winter and the presence of snow cover has been always essential for data collection . Due to the climate change, there are winters with poor snow cover and some areas might be entirely snow-free. Alternative solutions are necessary to adapt with new conditions and for that REM is one methodology to be tested . Also, high-quality data on species and ecosystems distribution is necessary for the transition of green energy and preparation of the developments of wind farms. For that reason, eDNA analysis has potential and should be tested. S ince collecting more data means more work, we need to find solutions to do it more cost-effectively . Also, as the number of expert s is limited, we need to develop alternative solutions that could reduce human work. These are the main challenges in wildlife monitoring, but this is also an opportunity to take wildlife monitoring to the next technical implementation level. I T specialist ( part-time, workload 0 .5, period 2024-2027) – contributes to the compil ation of the initial IT tasks : advises the IT developer, tests and introduces the results . A person with the same load will start working in the IT Centre of the Ministry of the Climate in the period 2024-2027. Data specialist ( full -time, period 202 4 -2027) – organises the entry and updating of data in Estonian Nature I nformation S ystem (EELIS) collected within the framework of inventories ordered by the Environmental Board . Also contributes in the development of IT systems. TOTAL: 4 temporary jobs for the period 2024-2027 and one person from the Environmental Agency with a workload 0.5 will be dedicated to the project. Project activities and results Acquisition of mobile 3D bird radar – due to the geographical location of the country, being on the c o n version area of the migration routes of many bird species, there is a very topical need in Estonia to develop a monitoring capability based on modern mobile 3D bird radar technology, for which there are no alternative solutions ( e.g., weather radar). Improving our monitoring capabilities will give us better and more comprehensive knowledge of the use of migratory corridors by different bird species, including their flight altitudes , which will help to ensure their protection in the development of wind farms and other possible large scale construction developments . Radar will be used for national monitoring, as well as for studies of major national importance. Device it is necessary for the collection of operational and high-quality data, which ensure better knowledge, for example, when making decisions and approving plans. Details of the technical requirements for the radar will be set up with experts during the first year of the programme, including study trip (2 -3 persons) to country in Europe , where device provider and/or most relevant type of usage has been appearing. Most likely it will be Netherlands, where radar usage for bird migration monitoring a s well as solutions for wind farms, but also one of the top radar producers are present. As an alternative, it is possible to rent the system for a minimum period of 1 year, the cost of which is 250 000 euros without a maintenance contract. The closest country where it could be rented is Poland and waiting lines could be 2-3 years, which does n`t ensure sufficient operational efficiency in collecting data to meet Estonia's needs. The expected lifetime of the system is 10-15 years. After that, the system is morally obsolete and should be replaced. Considering the rental costs and expected lifetime , the purchase of the equipment pays off in 3-4 years and it could be used at least 6-10 more years if purchased. Result s : acquisition of mobile 3D bird radar, the use of which has been integrated into national monitoring methodologies. Wider deployment of REM methodology and training of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – The Environment Agency has tested the REM method to collect data in a small area using track cameras and created a prototype of AI that can identify different animal species from tra ck camera photos and assess their abundance. The prototype will be further developed, and 700 track cameras have been procured (financed from the European Union Cohesion Fund) , allowing them to be installed all over Estonia. So, it is a very good timing to start implement ing Swiss-Estonian cooperation programme from the beginning of 2024 as the main fieldwork period for REM will be spring and autumn. New cameras will be placed in the nature with the help of new specialist (monitoring assistant) first time in Spring 2024. It is a good example, how to use two different funding mechanism to create synergy and increase the impact of the investment s and accelerate the progress. In order for the new methodology to justify itself and replace currently used traditional methods - excrement and animal track counting - it is necessary to apply the new and old methodolog ies in parallel. A prerequisite for the introduction of the new methodology is to train AI more intensively, as well as to collect training material. Over the next year s , the number of track cameras and photo s they take, will increase at least by 7 times, which means more workload to install and maintain them and to work through the photos cameras automatically take . It is temporarily necessary to hire a person to introduce a new methodology and train AI , which would allow replacing the old methodology with a new one. Use of new, automated methodology ensures better quality of data and decisions, a decrease in subjectivity and data will no longer depend so much on weather ( currently used method, animal track counting takes place in winter and it is very important to have snow cover, but because of climate change, winters in Estonia have become milder and there are fewer snow-covered days, which also directly affects the quality of the data). The activities are under the responsibility of a monitoring assistant . It is more cost-effective to hire a person than outsource the service. It also ensures operational efficiency and better control of the work . Output : A I trained, R EM fully developed and tested. Result: The REM methodology has been applied all over Estonia . Alternative method for monitoring of the game species developed and time - consuming photo- analys is automated with usage of AI . Acquisition and testing of new technologies for wildlife biodi versity monitoring – the aim is to map and test new technologies and solutions in wildlife monitoring to increase the quality and reliability of data. More specifically, the ambition is to create remote sensing solutions for mapping the spread of forest losses and reeds, automatic renewal of the maps of ecosystem services completed in previous projects , acquiring modern technology and testing them in wildlife monitoring (new night observation equipment for monitoring e.g . Western Capercaillie ( Tetrao urogallus ) and Great Snipe ( Gallinago media ) , drones with thermosensor s , binoculars measuring height and distance for bird monitoring , etc.). Technologies and solutions must be mapped in cooperation with the experts in the field, which is why the list of activities is left open . I t is foreseen that at least 2 study trips (each at least for one project specialist and/ or one expert ) will be arranged in order to get experiences of best practice of different technolog ies in use in wildlife monitoring in Europe . Countries and relevant institutions , where these study trips will be arranged will be selected during the first year of the programme in discussions with monitoring experts, in order to get best experiences needed . If possible, one study trip (for on specialist) will be organized to United States to learn best practices how to monitor and catch wolves using most efficient and novel methods. Wolf relat ed conflicts are increasing and more accurate data is demanded by different stakeholders (farmers, hunters, decision makers, wolf protectors). Estonia has one of the best systems in Europe for monitoring protecting wol ves , but this is still insufficient, but unfortunately there are no countries in Europa whose me thods suits us and from whom we could learn. US is the leading country in the world regarding monitoring and protecting wolves and they have the long-term experience how to reduce conflicts and at the same time maintain the good status of the species. The activities are under the responsibility of a monitoring specialist. I t is more cost-effective to hire a person than outsource the service . It also ensures operational efficiency and better control of the work. Output: new methodologies/solutions have been tested and integrated into wildlife monitoring programme . Result: T hese new methodologies /solutions can supplement or replace existing ones . Data volume and quality improved. Environmental DNA (eDNA) testing in wildlife biodiv ersity monitoring – use of eDNA in biodiversity monitoring is a rapidly developing field , but its potential has not yet been tested in Estonia n nati onal biodiversity monitoring. It is a method that would provide additional important information about the distribution and abundance of species in a habitat (e.g. , in a water body) without disturbing them. In addition, DNA analysis should be used for a species of non-favourable state (e.g. , flying squirrel , European mink, etc ). Potential species or species groups will be mapped, pilot areas will be selected and eDNA usability will be test ed for biodiversity monitoring. For bes t practice purpose at least one possible study trip within Europe is foreseen for at least 1 person in order to get overview of the cases when eDNA has been used successfully in wildlife monitoring . Most relevant destination in Europe for that study trip wi ll be set up during discussions with experts within the first year of the programme. The activities are under the responsibility of a monitoring specialist. I t is more cost-effective to hire a person than outsource the service . It also ensures operational efficiency and better control of the work. Output : usability potential of eDNA is evaluated, method is tested and where appropriate it is integrated into wildlife monitoring methodologies. Result: Data volume and quality is improved , cost-efficiency is increased. Promoting ci tizen science and creating network of volunteers – use of ci tizen science and involv e ment of volunteers in environmental monitoring is an increasingly important topic around the world. It creates new opportunities to engage people, collect more data and improve the quality of data, promote cooperation between different parties , involve civil society organisations in policymaking , prevent and solve problems a s well as increase environmental awareness in society. Among other things, it helps pay greater attention to emerging environmental problems, prevent loopholes both in legislation and monitoring data a s well as improve data collection process . One way to improve wildlife monitoring is to co mbine it with ci tizen science. It can involve more people and cover a larger area than can be done in the classical context of wildlife monitoring . Wildlife monitoring is costly, as a result of which monitoring points/areas have been selected, but volunteers are able to cover larger areas and more common species. This will increase the volume of data collected and the possibility of improving the quality of the work done (analyses, summaries, reviews, assessments, etc.). The Environment Agency has created a mobile application called Nature Observation Application , which will be further developed in 2023-2024 ( funded by the EU Cohesion fund) . This has provided the basis for campaigning and the involvement of volunteers. In addition, it is planned to develop a web form that would allow observations to be entered from the computer, including mass data. It is important to establish a function al network , train trustees and consistently involve volunteers in data collection as well as in analysis and decision-making. It is also important to recognise volunteers and motivate them . The Swiss-Estonian cooperation programme creates opportunities for network expansio n, for more campaigns and for bringing citizen science in Estonia to the next quality level . It is important to reach more people and ensure bilateral communication. To involve and recognize volunteers, different actions will be implemented, including several campaigns and networking events over the next four years. After the end of the Swiss-Estonian cooperation programme , Environment Agency will maintain the results and continue to involve volunteers in wildlife monitoring that will be financed from the agency`s budget. Our experience with involving volunteers in the monitoring of amphibians has shown that it could compl e ment the data of national monitoring and reduce costs. S uch way s aved monitoring budget could be used in the involvement of volunteers even better way and maintaining the working network. The activities are carried out under the responsibility of a monitoring specialist. The same person is also responsible for developing and testing new monitoring methodologies. It is reasonable to reconcile the two actions. Output : a network of volunteers is created . At least 20 campaigns (some campaigns will be repeated every year) have been organised in 4 years : 2 bigger events for volunteers. Voluntary monitoring is integrated into wildlife monitoring methodologies. Result: involvement of volunteers in wildlife monitoring is improved and data volume is increased. Development of IT systems – in Estonia national monitoring data is kept in the Environmental Monitoring Information System (KESE) and information o f protected species and nature observations is kept in the Estonian Nature Information System (EELIS) . Data about the protected species is currently copied manually from KESE to EELIS, which is time consuming and therefore there is a risk, that relevant and updated information is not used in decision making and analysis. Necessary business analys is has been done and according to the analys is , t his work can and should be automated. There are also other information systems and databases in Estonia that collect and keep wildlife data, but do not belong to the Environment Agency . T he data of these databases could also be used for analysis and decision-making. One such information system is eBiodiversity Portal (using online and citizen science based database called PlutoF ) which is managed by the University of Tartu. It is necessary to ensure an interface between these data systems and set up the exchange of data to ensure that most complete set of data is taken into account in decision-making. This also ensures the convenience of using the data, as the data does not have to be searched from different systems. Often the data is not used because it is not easy to collect it from different databases and it leads to ignorance by the decision makers and analysts . To this end, the necessary connections and automation of the cross- flow of data need to be established. It is also important to make data interactive, allowing the user to process and visualise it more quickly. As much as possible data must be made public and cross-usable , which, among other things, contributes to increasing environmental awareness. Also, i n order to facilitate fieldwork, it is necessary to create a fieldwork tool that allows the field-workers to enter the monitoring and inventory data directly to the system already in the field . This would reduce the workload of officials and ensure a faster data delivery into system. One of the problems today is the fact that new data does not reach the systems operati vely and is not taken into account in decision-making. It is essentially a matter of mobile application for field-workers . It is also necessary to create a management efficiency assessment tool for the Environmental Board in to EELIS . It should help officials assess the efficiency of the management of protected areas . The necessary tool/method is currently being developed, and the next step is to create the necessary IT solutions where it is possible to assess management of the protected areas more efficiently. IT specialist working in the Environment Agency and IT specialist working in KEMIT will be responsible for the I T development s (developer, contact for the developer s ). Output : the necessary connections and tools for the exchange of data between the IT systems have been established; management efficiency tool in EELIS ha s been created ; fieldwork tool has been created . Results: time-consuming manual human work is decreased, data transfer between different IT systems is improved and quality of the automated analys i s is increased. Thanks to this, quality of the environmental decisions is improved. Procurement s: The Environmental Agency in collaboration with The State Shared Service Centre (RTK) organises the following procurements for the implementation of the project activities: — Acquisition of 3D radar (international procurement); — IT procurements (t wo or more); — A public procurement for the testing of eDNA ; — Procurement of equipment, if necessary. Procurements are organised on the basis of the Public Procurement Act and the procedure for conducting procurements of the Environmental Agency . Second Swiss Contribution Estonia Support Measure Proposal 05.02.2024 Title Bio-Diversity Programme Executing Agency Ministry of Climate Partner State Support Measure Code (if any) n/a Support Measure Type Programme The instructions for this template are provided with hidden text (blue text in boxes): The hidden text is not displayed in the reading mode of Word. [In order to hide this text, uncheck the box “hidden text” in the menu under “Options” -> “Display”.] As default setting, this text is not printed. If desired, this can also be changed in the menu under “Options” -> “Display”. When creating a pdf (with common engines), the hidden text is not shown in the pdf. This template shall be used during the entire approval process, i.e. for both of the two stages of the approval process according to Article 4.7 of the Regulations . The following table shows the distinctions of the needed information per Support Measure Proposal type and approval stage: Programme s Projects other than those referred to on the right Infrastructure Projects Projects identified through calls for proposals 1 st stage Sections 1 to 3 plus 5 Sections 1 to 8 (for projects only 1-4 are relevant) 2 nd stage Sections 1 to 6 (for projects only 1-4 are relevant) (sections 1 to 3 shall be updated and complemented) Sections 1 to 8 (for projects only 1-4 are relevant) ( if required: revised , complemented, additional annexes) The Executing Agencies are responsible for completing the template. The NCU has the responsibility to appraise the Support Measure proposal and to ensure the completeness and quality . Thus the Partner State shall first approve the proposal at both approval stages before submitting it to Switzerland for approva l (see Article 4.7 of the Regulations). Terms and Concepts of Result Based Management and Project Cycle Management are based on international standards defined by OECD DAC . Content TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u 1. Basic information PAGEREF _Toc150256888 \h 5 2. Strategic Support Measure description PAGEREF _Toc150256889 \h 6 2.1 Lead PAGEREF _Toc150256890 \h 6 2.2 Context and relevance PAGEREF _Toc150256891 \h 6 2.3 Impact hypothesis / Objectives PAGEREF _Toc150256892 \h 10 2.4 Intervention Strategy PAGEREF _Toc150256893 \h 12 2.5 Beneficiaries PAGEREF _Toc150256894 \h 13 2.6 Programme Component Characteristics and regional focus PAGEREF _Toc150256895 \h 13 2.7 Overview Swiss Support Measure Partners PAGEREF _Toc150256896 \h 14 2.8 Sustainability PAGEREF _Toc150256897 \h 14 2.9 Overview tentative budget PAGEREF _Toc150256898 \h 15 2.10 Other strategic issues PAGEREF _Toc150256899 \h 16 3. Support Measure readiness PAGEREF _Toc150256900 \h 16 3.1 Context PAGEREF _Toc150256901 \h 16 3.2 Preparation process and documents PAGEREF _Toc150256902 \h 16 3.3 Application for funds from Support Measure Preparation Fund PAGEREF _Toc150256903 \h 17 4. Operational Support Measure description PAGEREF _Toc150256904 \h 17 4.1 Applying organisation (Executing Agency) PAGEREF _Toc150256905 \h 17 4.1.1 Financial and personnel information (only to be completed for non-state institutions) PAGEREF _Toc150256906 \h 17 4.1.2 Organisation structures of Executing Agency and Support Measure PAGEREF _Toc150256907 \h 18 4.1.3 Support Measure management team PAGEREF _Toc150256908 \h 18 4.1.4 Programme and project management experience PAGEREF _Toc150256909 \h 18 4.2 Detailed intervention strategy and activities PAGEREF _Toc150256910 \h 19 4.2.1 Detailed description of activities and intervention strategy PAGEREF _Toc150256911 \h 19 4.2.2 Detailed description of selection process for Programme Components PAGEREF _Toc150256912 \h 20 4.2.3 Communication activities PAGEREF _Toc150256913 \h 21 4.2.4 Detailed implementation schedule PAGEREF _Toc150256914 \h 21 4.3 Logframe PAGEREF _Toc150256915 \h 21 4.4 Swiss Support Measure Partner(s) PAGEREF _Toc150256916 \h 24 4.5 Stakeholder consultations PAGEREF _Toc150256917 \h 25 4.6 Tentative Budget PAGEREF _Toc150256918 \h 25 4.6.1 Detailed tentative budget PAGEREF _Toc150256919 \h 25 4.6.2 Tentative Disbursement Plan PAGEREF _Toc150256920 \h 25 4.8 Monitoring and Steering PAGEREF _Toc150256922 \h 27 4.9 Other operational issues PAGEREF _Toc150256923 \h 27 5. Annexes PAGEREF _Toc150256924 \h 27 Annex 2: Overview of Implementation locations PAGEREF _Toc150256925 \h 28 Basic Programme Component Information PAGEREF _Toc150256926 \h 29 6. Programme Component Operator PAGEREF _Toc150256927 \h 29 6.1 Basic Information PAGEREF _Toc150256928 \h 29 6.2 Programme Component Operator Management PAGEREF _Toc150256929 \h 30 6.3 Programme Component Management PAGEREF _Toc150256930 \h 30 6.4 Programme and Project Management Experience PAGEREF _Toc150256931 \h 30 7. Programme Component Description PAGEREF _Toc150256932 \h 30 7.1 Short Summary PAGEREF _Toc150256933 \h 30 7.2 Activities and Expected Results PAGEREF _Toc150256934 \h 30 7.3 Beneficiaries PAGEREF _Toc150256935 \h 30 7.4 Sustainability PAGEREF _Toc150256936 \h 31 7.5 Budget PAGEREF _Toc150256937 \h 31 7.6 Risk Analysis and Risk Management PAGEREF _Toc150256938 \h 31 8. Annexes PAGEREF _Toc150256939 \h 31 Basic Programme Component Information PAGEREF _Toc150256940 \h 31 9. Programme Component Operator PAGEREF _Toc150256941 \h 32 9.1 Basic Information PAGEREF _Toc150256942 \h 32 9.2 Programme Component Operator Management PAGEREF _Toc150256943 \h 32 9.3 Programme Component Management PAGEREF _Toc150256944 \h 33 9.4 Programme and Project Management Experience PAGEREF _Toc150256945 \h 33 10. Programme Component Description PAGEREF _Toc150256946 \h 33 10.1 Short Summary PAGEREF _Toc150256947 \h 33 10.2 Activities and Expected Results PAGEREF _Toc150256948 \h 33 10.3 Beneficiaries PAGEREF _Toc150256949 \h 33 10.4 Sustainability PAGEREF _Toc150256950 \h 33 10.5 Budget PAGEREF _Toc150256951 \h 34 10.6 Risk Analysis and Risk Management PAGEREF _Toc150256952 \h 34 11. Annexes PAGEREF _Toc150256953 \h 34 Basic information Title Bio-Diversity Programme Support Measure Type Programme Objective Protecting the environment and the climate Themati c Area Nature conservation and biodiversity Planned Duration [months] 48 Requested Swiss contribution (CHF) 6 930 000 Requested co-financing rate of Switzerland [%] 85% Name of the Executing Agency Ministry of Climate Type of entity National administration If type of entity is “other”, describe the type briefly - Name of c ontact person Kairi Toiger Position Senior Officer , Financial Department, Ministry of Climate Correspondence a ddress Suur-Ameerika 1 , 1 01 22 Tallinn, Eesti E-Mail [email protected] Webpage and social media (if any) https://kliimaministeerium.ee/ https://www.facebook.com/kliimaministeerium https://twitter.com/MOEestonia https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfeXgaJw0LCpLx7-X169F6w https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfeXgaJw0LCpLx7-X169F6w Phone +372 6262 931 Mobile Has the Executing Agency previously received funding from the Swiss Contribution? Yes ☒ No ☐ Abbreviations: EELIS – Estonian Nature Information System KAUR – Estonian Environment Agency KeA – Environmental Board of Estonia KeMIT – Information Technology Centre of the Ministry of the Environment KESE – Environmental Monitoring Information System Mo C – Ministry of Climate NCU – National Coordination Unit Strategic Support Measure description Lead Describe briefly the goal, strategic focus and relevance of the Support Measure . Length: max. 1’000 characters incl. spaces (3-5 lines) The goal of the Programme is the creation of precondition s for the improvement of conservation status of threatened habitats and species through decision making that relies on high-quality data , e. g . : Implementation of innovative monitoring solutions. Ensuring operative data transition between different databases. Making environmental data more accessible for public . Setting up and validating digital toolset for the governance. Evaluation of management effectiveness planning of protected areas , revision of site-based conservation objectives and measures for protected species and habitats and additional compilation of site-based management plans . The evaluation and additional compilation of national action plans for species and habitats and the revision of protected categories of species (category I, category II and category III). The intervention will build on the results of various past and ongoing initiatives, like applied research projects on nature conservation in relation to climate change and on existing state monitoring and planning systems for protected areas . Context and relevance Explain the most important contextual elements for and the relevance of the Support Measure : C ontext in the country or region and context of the particular situation in the relevant them atic area , linked with the intended changes of the intervention ; Relevance and gap analysis: which problem or intended change does the Support Measure address (based on studies, analysis, survey and baseline) ? Alignment with legal and policy framework, country ’s regional or thematic strateg ies and link to national SDGs’ objectives ; Complementarity/synergies with funding programmes of other donors ; For Support Measures, which continue with and/or build upon objectives from the first Swiss Contribution, briefly summarise key results and lessons learnt from this previous engagement; Relevance of the Support Measure with regard to social inclusion (see Regulations Article 2. 5 ) and climate change mitigation and adaptation (see Regulations Article 2. 6 ) ; The context analysis should not only focus on technical issues (capacities, resources etc.), but should also take into account the role and ownership of authorities and other stakeholders at the relevant levels. Short stakeholder analysis on their influence, interest s and roles in the Support Measure and its effects. Describe the stakeholders (including civil society, government(s), private sector, interest groups etc.), their visions, missions, interests and power positions. Analys e if and how they benefit from the intervention, if and how they support the intervention or restrain it. Inform about the c ollaboration with other donors, multilateral organisations, national and international coordination, civil society and the private sector. Length: 1 ½ - max. 3 page s Current Situation Estonia's land area is 45 , 339 km 2 , which is slightly larger than Switzerland and the sea area is 36 , 622 km 2 . 60% of Estonia is covered with forest and mires and 20.5% of the land is under nature protection. Also , 18.7% of the sea is protected. With a unique location, Estonian nature is very diverse, and it is especially important for migratory birds, who stay here to rest and nest. During the migration period, millions of birds pass through Estonia, and it is the bottleneck for most of the Artic waterbirds. Although in a significant share of Estonia nature values are protected, the status of biodiversity in Estonia is far from being without concern. Of the 15 , 000 species assessed during 2017-2021 for the update of the Red List in Estonia, only half are in status “Least Concern“ , which means that the other half of the species are „Near Threatened“, „Vulnerable“, „Endangered“, Critically Endangered“ or „Extinct in the Region“. Unfortunately , the population sizes of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles have seen an alarming average drop of 68% since 1970 in the whole world. According to the EU Habitats Directive reporting (2019) 57% of the habitats and 56% of the species in Estonia are in favourable status, which is better than in most of the EU member states (in EU, only 14.7% of the habitats and 27.5% of the species are in favourable status). But 44% of the species and 43% of th e habitats are in unfavourable ( inadequate or bad) conservation status in Estonia. We must continue to preserve and improve the status of the species and habitats. To do so, we have created a network of protected areas and system to assess the status of the species and habitats. However, it is not enough and Estonia must contribute to global target to protect at least 30% of land and sea area. At the moment, there are six national parks, 234 nature conservation areas, 148 landscape conservation areas, 312 limited-conservation areas and 1 , 847 species’ protection sites in Estonia (November 2022) ( HYPERLINK "https://keskkonnaportaal.ee/et/teemad/looduskaitse/looduskaitse-statistika" Looduskaitse statistika | Keskkonnaportaal ). Approximately 70% of the protected area in Estonia is managed according to management plans. However, all protected areas still do not have an appropriate management plan or existing management plans are based on out-of-date data. Only 52% category I ( i.e. rare and at risk of disappearence ) species, 12% of category II species (i.e. species in danger of disappearance if the existing factors continue operating ) and 2% of category III species (i.e. species whose population is endangered by the de terioration or damaging of habitats and has been reduced to a point where they are believed to move into the endangered category if the causal factors continue operating ) have a national action plan. Relevant and updated site - based management plans and national action plans with specific targets are necessary to assess the efficiency of the implemented measures. A systematic understanding is needed to understand which of the applied conservation measures are fit for purpose and what needs to be changed. Most management plans lack the level of detail. The compilation of management plans has been a time-consuming process and needs to be revised. To achieve and maintain the good status of protected areas in Estonia, it is crucial to continue the successful interventions and replicate them in areas where the status of habitats and the functioning of ecosystems is still not good . To do so, an appropriate framework in Estonia, including a methodology and an action plan for its implementation, for the assessment of effectiveness of biodiversity conservation measures needs to be established. An effective framework will allow Estonia to understand the main factors hindering the protection of biodiversity and design better targeted conservation and restoration measures. Also, surveys, inventories and monitoring must be carried out to observe how the conditions change over time. There are more than 50 different type s of biodiversity monitoring schemes impl eme nted every year and mostly it is carried out by humans. Also, the status and abundance of game species, including large carnivores is monitored. The volume of the monitoring depends on the available budget and also on the available specialists and developed methodologies. Often, monitoring can be carried out in a specific period ( e.g spring, summer, vegetation period, nesting period, etc.) and limited number of specialist s are not capable to cover the necessary area in one year. For decades, same methodologies have been used in monitoring, but technology is evolving at a tremendous rate and sometimes more specific data is needed (e.g. DNA data to assess whether the population is strong and genetically diverse and how it changes over time). New solutions and technology should be used more in biodiversity monitoring as this can be helpful in the absence of specialists and with the help of technology larger areas could be covered during the short suitable period for monitoring. Also, thanks to the new technology additional valuable information can be collected, which is necessary in decision making (e.g. the size of a specific species ` habitat etc). There are already 3D bird radars, bird sound recognition applications, artificial intelligence (AI), affordable cameras, remote monitoring solutions, etc., which could be adjusted and tested in the biodiversity monitoring. We have already tested some solutions on a smaller scale like AI in the monitoring of the game species, drones, sensors, acoustic and telemetry transmitters. Potential of the technology is not sufficiently recognized and as new methods are costly to test on a large scale and long time period, good solutions are often discarded ( e.g eDNA). It is necessary to implement old and new methods at the same time in a short period in order to allow smooth transition and providing enough time for the new solution to justify itself. Also, one reason for using the same methodologies for decades, is the reason of uninterrupted data series t hat new methodologies could affect. Implementing old and new at the same time is necessary to understand whether and how much the results differ and this gives the opportunity to continue uninterrupted data series. Nature related data is inserted and processed mainly in two systems in Estonia: Estonian Nature Information System (EELIS) and Environmental Monitoring Information System (KESE) . Both systems need to be improved to make them more user-friendly and easier to use, both for public servants and ordinary citizen s . Those systems are not prepared for today ’ s and future needs. The c urrent system does not provide sufficient information to assess whether the conservation actions are adequate to sustain resilient ecosystems and halt biodiversity loss. The present system does not take into account socio-economic impacts. Also, some of the important data is maintained in third-party systems ( e.g PlutoF Biodiversity Platform) and ignoring this data in decision making would be a mistake . It is necessary to create connection s which would enable data transfer between systems. Authorities lack the tools and sufficient competences to analyse the effectiveness of conservation measures and conduct a multi-purpose interpretation of large datasets in an interdisciplinary manner . Decisions made using the monitoring results depend on the volume and quality of the data. Among other things, it is necessary to speed up the data flow. For example, information of the protected species must be transformed from one system into another manually (from KESE to EELIS) , which is time-consuming and there is always a risk that important data is not taken into account in the planning process or while issuing permits. Also, the analytical capacity should be improved , which can be done by improving information systems and creating automatic solutions that can quickly analyse great amount of data in a few moves. T his will ensure the quality, transparenc y and reliability of the data. Nature information must be public, easy to understand and attractive. According to the survey carried out in Estonia in 2020, 21% of Estonians think that environmental data is not accessible and according to the survey carried out in 2022, interest in the environmental issues has decreased compared to 2020. Information systems as important resources were rarely mentioned . It is also necessary to promote citizen science. Citizen science can be defined as the non-professional involvement of volunteers in the scientific process, commonly in data collection, but also in other phases such as quality assurance, data analysis and interpretation, problem definition and the dissemination of results. Citizen science can play an important role by filling data gaps where conventional data sources may not be sufficient, providing complementary temporal and spatial data that supports official monitoring systems. However, and despite its value and potential, it is still underused. Besides collecting additional data, promoting citizen science gives the opportunity to raise environmental awareness, which is one of the keys in the implementation of the Green Deal and moving towards a sustainable economy. We have already developed the Nature Observation application, but at the moment it is not possible to submit observations via the website. Also, where possible, the volunteers should be integrated into the monitoring schemes. Strategies The Support Measure contributes directly to the implementation of the Estonian Environmental Development Plan until 2030 (draft) According to the draft plan the goal of nature conservation is that the status of native species, ecosystems and landscapes has improved - Estonia is nature positive. The targets to achieve the goal are : We preserve and improve native species and habitats and biodiversity rich key landscape features such as small water bodies and other wetlands, coastal and the condition of coastal areas, semi-natural grasslands and primary and old-growth forests, including forest key habitats. We ensure a timely and relevant overview of the status of wildlife for decision making in the field of nature conservation, among other things, we use innovative monitoring and inventory solutions and applied research more than before and update and supplement databases and web applications. We will improve the system for evaluating the effectiveness of protection measures to ensure the operational renewal and improvement of current measures . The proposed S upport M easure contributes directly to the targets 2 and 3 , which are also the basis for achieving the first target. The Support Measure has a clear connection with Estonian Environmental Strategy for 2030 and with requirements and obligations stated in EU directives, regulation and strategies and international conventions : EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030; EU Nature Restoration Regulation (draft ); Sustainable Development Goals and Development Plan. Especially to following goals: 3. Good Health and Well-being; 6. Clean Water and Sanitation; 7. Affordable and Clean Energy; 12. Responsible Consumption and Production; 13. Climate Action; 14. Life Below Water; 15. Life on Land . Convention on Biological Diversity and its Global Biodiversity Framework ; CITES convention; Ramsar convention; Bern Convention; Bonn convention , including AEWA and Eurobats agreements ; H ELCOM ; United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris agreement . Complementarity/synergies with funding programmes of other donors Technical Support Instrument financed by the European Commission. An ongoing project with the objective to develop the relevant assessment methodology for Estonia. This methodology will be implemented under the Swiss Contribution. European Structural Funds 2014-2020 . T he methodology of the National Assessment and Mapping of Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services was developed. We will continue to improve it and it will be taken into account in the planning and assessment process. Also, development of the Estonian Nature Information System was partly financed from Structural Funds. European Structural Funds 2021-2027. D evelopment of the Artificial Intelligence for the monitoring of games species is financed under this programme. It is an ongoing project. State budget. National monitoring is financed from the state budget. Swiss Contribution does not replace it but enhances and helps to further develop existing methodologies and solutions. Also, it helps to speed up and expand the development of IT systems, which are being developed at the moment . Environmental Investment Fund. Some of the assessment s of the protected areas and monitoring of the species are financed from the national fund. Also, the Nature Observation Application was financed from the Fund, which is used to involve volunteers in the biodiversity monitoring. Cohesion Fund 2021 – 2027. Restoration of habitats to increase preparedness for adaptation to climate change. Species and habitats actio n plans and protected areas m anagement plans prepared by Swiss contribution will be used to select the restoration sites at the end of this financial period and in the following period . First Swiss Contribution With the help of First Swiss Contribution, the capability of environmental (water, air and radiation) monitoring was increased, but specifically monitoring and protection of the biodiversity was not supported. Social Inclusion and Climate change mitigation and adaptation Structure of the management plans will be improved, and new topics will be covered. Topics that have not been covered or have been covered insufficiently in existing management plans are how to mitigate the impact of climate change on species and habitats, what the social impacts of protected areas are, how protected areas are integrated in the overall green infrastructure, how to manage forest habitats in buffer zones, how cumulative impacts on habitats and species need to be analysed. Also , Citizen Science will be improved and volunteers will be involved in the biodiversity monitoring. Where possible, this will be integrated into the monitoring schemes and necessary solutions will be developed. Developed systems will be helpful in preparation and implementation of different nature observation campaigns that would increase citizen awareness about species and nature conservation issues. W ith that, we will create better conditions for social inclusion and initiatives. New technical solutions will help to speed up the transition towards green energy and climate neutrality. Nature conservation restrictions and the lack of knowledge about species and habitats are often the reasons behind the pace of developments. Developed IT systems and solutions help to make environmental data easier to access, use and understand for the citizen. It is necessary to make data more visible and attractive, which helps to increase interest in data and environmental awareness and improve behaviour and decision making of the public. Stakeholders Stakeholders of the measure are basically all citizen s , who will benefit from the preservation and improvement of the status of species and habitats. Ecosystems provide different services from clean air to meditation opportunities. Quality and condition of ecosystems affect the quality of people. Also, developed systems and solutions will bring nature conservation and citizens closer together. Citizens will be involved in nature observation campaigns and wildlife monitoring. Developed systems will be used in order to make participation e asier and more convenient , which hopefully will increase the number of volunteers. It is necessary to collaborate with environmental experts and scientists . Support Measure will increase the knowledge about the biodiversity and support science and innovation. Also, it gives the opportunity for the scientist s to test and implement new methods and ideas in wildlife monitoring. Some of the ideas ( e.g. eDNA) have been proposed by the scientists . Their role is also to validate and evaluate the suitability of the new solutions. It is also necessary to create collaboration between scien t ist s of the natural sciences and IT experts, who must find solutions how to use new technologies for biodiversity monitoring. As it is necessary to speed up the transition towards green energy and climate neutrality , wind-farm developers are the important stakeholders . Nature conservation restrictions and the lack of knowledge about species and habitats are often the reasons behind the pace of developments. In the design of the wind farms, it is often mandatory to carry out time consuming surveys and the number of specialists is also limited, which affects the development. Thanks to support measure , n ecessary studies could be carried out over a shorter period. New tools and solutions are necessary for the public authorities , who are responsible for the biodiversity protection, monitoring and decision making. Better knowledge is needed to make science-based decision s to prevent damage to biodiversity and at the same time contribute to economic activity, including the development of clean energy. The information acquired from the project will help local municipalities in their general planning process. The decisions made in spatial planning will take more nature protection needs into account. The developers and business organisations can refer to the data and when assessing the effect of their activities on habitats and species. The stakeholder consultations w as carried out on 5 th of June 2023 to elaborate the support measure proposal for the second loop. Impact hypothesis / Objectives Describe the impact hypothesis (or similar: intervention logic/model, theory of change) that explains and plausibly argues on the basis of the context analysis, how and why products/services from the Support Measure (outputs) will produce short-term and medium-term effects (outcomes) and long-term changes (impact) for the beneficiaries . Regarding the description of the impact: Explain the contribution of the Support Measure to the reduction of socio-economic disparities , within the EU and within the Partner State; strengthening the bilateral relations between Switzerland and the Partner State. The impact of the Support Measure should be described, given an applicability, on the population level (beneficiaries), the institutional/organisational level (system) and the policy level. Explain within this, how the impact contributes to social inclusion , climate change mitigation and adaptation a s well as gender equality and the countr y’ s respective objectives/SDGs. T he objectives of the Support Measure (impacts, outcomes and outputs of the Project/Programme including Programme C omponents ) shall be outlined here and described in more detail in the log-frame in Section 4.3 : «key performance indicators», «means of verification» of those indicators and «external factors, assumptions and risks» with regards to the intervention strategy are listed there as well. For Programmes, describe how the Programme Components contribute to the overall impact and outcomes of the Support Measure. Length: ¾ page The goal of the Programme is to create the precondition for the improvement of conservation status of threatened habitats and species through decision making that relies on high-quality data . Being part of Europe, our environmental decisions and developments affect the ecosystems and species populations more widely. Preserving and improving the quality of the ecosystem services helps to strengthen the socio-economic situation in different fields providing income and jobs, but also decreasing the negative impact of human activity and climate change. As Estonia is small and the planned actions of this intervention cover the whole country, it will affect more or less all people . Better technological tools and hence the overviews of protected sites make understanding the need for habitat and species protection more understandable for the public and accurately described protection measures give the possibility for other institutions to take the initiative and participate in protection activities. High-quality data helps to increase the developments , including the developments of wind farms, which will ensure the necessary energy and security for citizens. Also, developments of wind farms would decrease the pressure for forest cutting and wood burning. This has positive effect on habitats and green network. Taking into account that most of the car industries are planning to stop the production of cars with an internal combustion engine by 2030, the need for electricity will increase significantly in the next decades. This is one example of the potential positive impact of the measure, but the main objective is to preserve and restore the natural values through decisions based on high-quality data. If the protection measures are planned using up-to-date data and a reliable assessment procedure is carried out, it is easier to explain the need of the measures to the government, ministries and other policy makers, also developers and local people . For example, in Estonia there is some political resistance to restoring river habitats and people do not understand the necessity of restoring peatlands. To achieve th e goal of the Programme the existing planning and assessment methodologies and information systems should be improved. It is important to improve the connection of planning and assessment with the national monitoring schemes and information systems. With the help of Swiss support, the existing systems and solution s will be taken to the next level. Planned intervention logic is presented in Annex 1 and in log-frame (4.3). In summary , i f comprehensive and high-quality information, including in sufficient volume is available, then preconditions for improvement of the conservation status of species and habitats are created, because planning and decision making is more justified, relevant information is taken into account and assessing the effectiveness of the actions is based on more reliable, qualitative and accurate information. Intervention Strategy Describe the intervention approach , methodology and instruments and cost-effective n ess reflections related to the chosen approach . Describe the needs and objectives for a policy dialogue. Describe briefly or simply list here how key outputs will contribute to reaching the outcomes. Describe the partner organisations, their roles, experiences, added value and capacities as well as the form of cooperation and coordination between involved partners . Length: ½ -1 page The Programme Operator is the Ministry of Climate ( Mo C ). The task of the Ministry of Climate is to create conditions that guarantee a species-rich natural environment and a clean-living environment for the people of Estonia today and for future generations and that ensure s the sustainable use of natural resources. Mo C coordinates the Support Measure Programme preparation and implementation and is responsible for Programme design and monitoring, also for communication activities at the programme level. The Programme goal will be achieved by implementing two Programme components that are linked by a common theme - biodiversity . Programme Components will be implemented by state authorities under the jurisdiction of the Mo C ( Administrative area | Ministry of Climate (kliimaministeerium.ee) ). Programme Component 1 “Development of innovative monitoring technologies/solutions and improvement of Environmental databases and systems” For Programme Component 1 the Programme Component Operator - is Estonian Environment Agency ( Keskkonnaagentuur or abbreviated KAUR ). KAUR is a state authority administered by the Ministry of Climate . KAUR is responsible for the fulfilment of the national environmental monitoring programme, the preparation of national and international reports in the field of environment, evaluating environmental status, ensuring vital services, including weather forecasts, and the maintenance and renewal of monitoring stations and equipment. The tasks of the KAUR in the field of biodiversity are to collect, process and publish information about nature and nature protection in Estonia, fulfil the national and international reporting obligations and maintain nature protection databases. The information on nature and nature protection collected in databases are the foundation of the preservation of objects under protection, species and their habitats. The KAUR will be responsible for delivering outputs connected to development of new technologies and innovative monitoring solutions and improvement of databases and systems . As a partner organisation t he Information Technology Centre of the Ministry of the Environment ( KeMIT ) will be involved, since KEMIT is responsible for IT tools and services for the employees in the administrative area of the Ministry of Climate and environmental e-services for the public. Programme Component 2 “Implementation of a systematic assessment of the social and conservation outcomes of protected areas” For Programme Component 2 the Programme Component Operator is Environmental Board of Estonia ( Keskkonnaamet or abbreviated KeA) . KeA is a government agency which operates within the area of the Ministry of Climate . The main task of KeA is to implement state policies on environmental use, nature conservation and radiation safety and to monitor the fulfilment of the laws and norms established for the protection of the natural environment. KeA provide s services related to nature conservation, for example: p lanning of activities related to the organisation of nature conservation , m anagement of permits for activities related to nature conservation restrictions , o rganisation of nature conservation work , o rganising surveys of biodiversity values and assessing the effectiveness of nature conservation . The KeA will be responsible for delivering outputs connected to the enhancing the process of the effective conservation management planning . As the conservation objectives and measures are revised and they are more specific and goal-oriented, it is easier to plan conservation activities. The support measure helps to set site-specific, clear, precise and quantifiable conservation objectives, underpinned by scientifically reliable favourable reference values. To fulfil their main tasks KeA uses the data provided by the KAUR. Also KAUR receives the input into KAUR databases from KeA. Thus, two Programme Components are closely related to each other. For example, the use of the output of Programme Component 1 that is up-to-date data and new technological tools that help carry ing out assessments of conservation effectiveness and conservation measures , make conservation management planning in Estonia more effective and less time-consuming and can be used by KeA to update conservation management plans of protected areas and action plans for species and habitats. Beneficiaries Describe briefly the b eneficiaries : who will benefit from the Support Measure directly / indirectly (e.g. government agency , min istry, municipality, NGO , general population, specific group of people, private sector etc.) . Provide also information on the number of beneficiaries and the geographical area of the intervention ( at least on the level of NUTS-2 , ) . Start completing the table “Overview of Implementation locations” (see template in the annex of the Support Measure Annual Report template) and annex this table to the Support Measure Proposal. If the Support Measure has a potential to foster social inclusion, describe how the disadvantaged groups (including gender aspects) are concerned and how they will benefit from the Support Measure . If there is a need for a targeted approach for specific groups, it shall be mention ed here too. Length: ¼ page Direct beneficiaries Direct b eneficiaries of the Support Measure are KAUR and KeA who are responsible for the implementation of the monitoring schemes , organization of the protection of protected areas and assessment of the efficiency of protection measures. Also K EMIT as responsible for IT tools and services and development of the databases and systems . Indirect beneficiaries Indirect beneficiaries are the State Forest Management Centre who carr y out protection activities on state land a ccording to conservation management plans and also local municipalities who use the data of habitats and species and also the information provided by conservation managem ent plans in their overall planning of green infrastructure. As the benefici a r i es are public authorities, they work for the public. Decisions and developments affect the w hole population . I t also has a cross-border e ffect as Estonian protected areas are part of the EU Natura 2000 network and only a few species live only in Estonia. So, measures implemented in Estonia affect the popula tions which are part of much wider populations. Most Estonians (1.3 M people) benefit more or less directly from this Measure and more or less indirectly the whole Europe benefit s f rom it. Programme Component Characteristics and regional focus For Programmes, start completing the table “ P rogramme C h aracteristics” attached to the Reimbursement R equest and annex this table to the Support Measure Proposal . If Programme Components are not yet defined, please indicate how the Programme Component s and Programme Component Operators will be selected ( selection criteria and responsibilities ) . For Projects, fill out the following table below . Is the benefit of the P roject national or regional ? National ☒ Regional ☐ If regional, indicate the benefiting NUTS-2 region(s): Overview Swiss Support Measure Partners Is/are a/several Swiss Support Measure Partner(s) foreseen to be involved in and contributing to the implementation of the Support Measure? Yes ☐ No ☒ If the answer to the above question is yes, then fill out the following table. If the answer is no, delete the table. In case of several Swiss Support Measure P artner s , please copy the table below and fill it out for every partner. If you foresee a Swiss Support Measure Partner but have not yet identified it, write «Not yet identified» as name of the partner organisation and leave the rest of the table blank. The role (s) and task ( s ) of Swiss Support Measure Partners shall be described in detail in Section 4.4 I nstitutional partnership is not planned, h owever, the Environmental Board will organise two study trips to Switzerland ( they have contacted the Swiss National Park): five days for six specialists each, the emphasis of one or the study trips is habitat protection and the emphasis of the other study trip is species protection. The aim of the trips is to learn about conservation management planning/strategies, habitat and species data collection, using GIS). Also Environ ment Agency will have one study trip to Switzerland in late stage of the programme to share the experiences and present the results . Some of the planned public procurements exceed international t h reshold and Swiss or g ani zations can participate in the process and make their offer. Name of the partner organisation If collaboration foreseen in Programme Component, indicate name of Component Partnership status Choose an element. Type of organisation Choose an element. Type of support or partnership Choose an element. Name of c ontact person Position Correspondence a ddress Webpage and social media (if any) E-Mail Phone Mobile Has the partner organisation been previously involved in the Swiss Contribution Yes ☐ No ☐ Sustainability Describe briefly how you assure that the results of the Support Measure persist after the Support Measure has ended. I n terms of financial viability ; In terms of capacity building; In terms of necessary legislative and policy changes In case of an innovative Support Measure with pilot character : in terms of scalability , institutional policies and strategies as well as the potential beneficiaries once the intervention were scaled up Possibility for post-implementation monitoring What are the challenges and what are the risks? Could delays in implementation of the Project hamper the sustainability of the project? Length: ½ - 1 page Sustainability in terms of financial viability: National budget is reserved for implementing routine monitoring schemes and maintaining the information systems. Developed methods should be cost-efficient and development of IT systems should decrease the human workload. Improvement of the decision making will have a positive effect as well as the decision s will be more science-based and take into account possible negative consequences to the ecosystems. Preserving the condition is cheaper than restoring them. After the project, thanks to the monitoring programme, we are able to maintain and further develop the methods and systems. The main result for the KeA is that the protection effectiveness of protected areas will be assessed and the process of preparing conservation management plans and national action plans for species and habitats is more effective. KeA will be able to carry on conservation management planning using the national budget. The Support Measure will hel p the KeA to review its current conservation management planning practices in order to ma tch them with contemporary needs. Sustainabil ity in terms of capacity building: One of the challenges for the KeA is the lack of experts in Estonia who can carry out inventories and gather the data of habitats and species. In order to carry out inven t ories of habitats and species it is necessary to raise the level of expertise among conservation management planning and conservation management specialists in the KeA . The competence of the specialist s can be improved by organising seminars and study trips in the frames of Prog r amme . It is also possible to use foreign experts (e.g . Swiss experts) . Another challenge is the opposition to conservation measures and activities among the representatives of local people and developers. So, it is necessary to involve stakeholders in the conservation planning process and find the solutions that are acceptable to the people living in or near the site. Involving stakeholders to conservation management planning can be time-consuming, so it is necessary to analyse how it should be carried out effectively and plan it regarding the specifics of the area. Overview tentative budget For the Support Measure budget overview, provide a budget estimate for the eligible expenditure s. Eligible expenditures are defined and described in Chapter 6 of the Regulations. Use for this purpose the budget template in excel and attach it as an annex to the Support Measure Proposal. The same structure shall be used for the 2 nd stage proposal, the annex to the Support Measure Agreement and for the reporting in the Reimbursement Request. For the 1 st stage only estimates are needed for the budget items marked in blue. The budget will be completed and updated in the 2 nd stage (see Section 4. 6 below ). Budget items may be changed, if they are justifiably not suitable for the character of the Support Measure. If the budget items are changed, provide a justification for the change . The “Support Measure management” item may include expenditures for internal and external evaluations that are to be mandated by the Executing Agency. According to the Regulations, Article 6.2, paragraph 2: « Costs for the staff assigned to implementing Projects or Programme Components, comprising actual salaries plus social security charges and other statutory costs included in the remuneration, are in principle eligible if the respective functions or tasks are incremental and demonstrably required for implementing the Support Measure and accordingly agreed with Switzerland in the budget of the Support Measure Agreement or foreseen in the Programme Component budget. » . Therefore, if the expenditures for staff are not zero, justify why this is necessary for the implementation of the project. Please note that in case of future dela ys and prolongation of P rogrammes, management costs have to be justified and reduced to the maximum (reallocation of staff to other tasks). Please see 4.6. Provide an aggregated estimate for the non-eligible expenditure s, if any. Inform also about the funding source of these expenditures. Explain non-eligible expenditures, if any. Other strategic issues If there are any other strategic issues that are relevant for the implementation of the Support Measure and that should be known by the authorities assessing this proposal , include them here. Otherwise, delete this section. N/A Support Measure readiness Context Is the Support Measure proposal a continuation of a Project or P rogramme supported under the Swiss Contribution (I)? Yes ☐ No ☒ Was the Support Measure proposal declined during a funding-application process by other donors (e.g. EU, Norway/EEA)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If it was declined, explain why. Preparation process and documents In case for not yet fully defined Programme Components, inform about planned preparation works and selection process and selection criteria of Programmes Components . Feasibility study None necessary / Not applicable Baseline study, assessment or analysis None necessary / Not applicable Describe the scope and objectives of the feasibility and/or baseline studies made and/or planned. N either a feasibility study nor a baseline study is necessary. Estimated n umber of tender dossiers to be prepared # of dossier not yet prepared 4 # of dossier provisionally prepared 0 # of dossier completely prepared 0 Permit(s)/Authorisations required and pending? Yes ☐ No ☒ If permit(s)/authorisation(s) required, specify (e.g. building, environmental, purchase of land etc.) and note when the corresponding permit(s)/authorisation(s) are expected. Are legislative changes necessary to implement the Support Measure? Yes ☐ No ☒ If legislative changes are necessary, explain and note when the corresponding change is expected to have been made. Are other (political) decisions necessary to implement the Support Measure? Yes ☐ No ☒ If other (political) decisions are necessary, explain and note when the corresponding decisions are expected to have been taken. Please estimate the time needed to complete the preparation works specified in the table s above. Indicate if there are any other outstanding preparations to be completed before implementation. Describe and assess to what extent the planning could be delayed due to political hurdles or other delays in the preparation process. In case the elaboration of the Support Measure proposal was supported by funds from the Support Measure Preparation Fund , please elaborate the results of this support. Start completing the table “Procurement Plan” attached to the Reimbursement Request and annex this table to the Support Measure Proposal. Implementation of the Programme can start immediately after the signing of the Support Measure Agreement. Application for funds from Support Measure Preparation Fund Financial assistance under the Support Measure Preparation Fund for the preparation of second-stage proposals may be requested, according to Article 5.2 Paragraph 1 of the Regulations. Is support from the Support Measure Preparation Fund requested? Yes ☒ No ☐ If yes, then describe in an annex to the Support Measure Proposal the preparatory activities including at least their form, purpose, scope, content, methodology, timeframe and budget. List the procurements to be carried out in the framework of the preparatory activities. Indicate the contact person responsible for the preparatory activities and the source of co-financing. Support Measure Preparation Fund wa s requested by the Mo C to cover Programme Operator ’ s costs connected to the preparation of the second-stage Support Measure Proposal. The Preparation Fund was used for Programme Operator ’ s staff costs assigned to preparation of the second-stage Support Measure Proposal . Also for stakeholders consul t ation, signing ceremony and study trip to Switzerland. Operational Support Measure description Applying organisation (Executing Agency) Financial and personnel information (only to be completed for non-state institutions) Date of establishment N/A Tax number (if applicable) N/A Number of employees N/A F inancial Turnover for each of the 3 previous years [i n Choose. ] N/A Ministry of Climate is a governmental authority which performs the functions provided by law and the functions assigned by the Government of the Republic pursuant to law. Organisation structures of Executing Agency and Support Measure Indicate the general organizational set-up of the applying organisation , including Programme Component operators (if applicable) . Use for this text and include an organisation chart . In case Programme Component O perators are not yet known, then indicate the types and number targeted according to the criteria and selection process described under 4 .2 .1 . For Programme Components to be defined after the Programme approval as part of the Programme implementation, the selection criteria and process are described in 4 .2. 2 . Indicate how the Support Measure is organised. Length: max 1 .5 page or Annex The Programme Operator is the Ministry of Climate ( MoC ) , that was formed on the basis of the Ministry of the Environment on 01.07.2023 . By t h is reorganisation t he area of responsibility of the Ministry of the Environment was significantly extended : transport, energy, housing and construction , maritime economy were transferred from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications to the formed Ministry of Climate. The main aim of this reorganisation is to implement the green reform more effectively . The structure and responsibilities of the Mo C are assigned by the statute of the ministry ( https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/108072023005 ) . The management structure of the Mo C is presented on the scheme bellow ( scheme 1 ) . M inistry is directed by the M inister. The Secretary General of a ministry direct s the work of the structural units of the ministry, co-ordinate s the activities of state authorities within the area of government of the ministry and manage s the operations of the ministry. There are seven Deputy Secretary Generals and 24 departments in the MoC . The main departments that are directly involved into implementation of the Support Measure are Financial Department and Biodiver sity Protection Department ( they are marked with coloured rings on the scheme) . T he main tasks of the Financial Department are to coordinate and organise the budgeting and financial management of the ministry and the area of government, including monitoring and analysing budget implementation, organising financial reporting, organising the development and use of support programmes and measures financed by external funds and monitoring their use . The main tasks of the Biodiversity Protection Department are to design and organise the implementation of nature protection policy, including soil protection policy . Other departments (for example Public Relations Department, Legal Department etc) of the MoC will be involved upon need based on the procedures of the MoC . The tasks of the departments are fixed internally in the statutes of the departments. Scheme 1 : management structure of the MoC 75565 1944478 0 0 4923850 2177894 0 0 The jurisdictional structure of the Mo C is presented on the scheme 2 . Both Programme Component Operators are within the area of government of the ministry and financed from state budget. Estonian Environmental Agency is the state authority and Environmental Board is governmental authority (they are marked with coloured rings on the scheme) . The management structure of Programme Component Operators is presented in 6.2 and 9.2. Scheme 2 : jurisdictional structure of the MoC 4665057 1773650 0 0 3448733 1480353 0 0 Support Measure management team Will external management personnel be hired to implement the Support Measure? Yes ☐ No ☒ What personnel capacity will be dedicated for the management of the Support Measure implementation (in full-time equivalents FTE)? Internal resources 0,3 FTE External resources The table above indicates the information for Programme management within the Ministry of Climate. The information on management of Programme Components is presented in 6.3 and 9.3. Indicate the Roles, tasks and responsibilities of the Support Measure management team at Project/P rogramme and Programme C omponent level ; Steering and governance mechanisms within the Support Measure management team ; D escribe how it will be ensured that an adequate and effective control system exists . Indicate the name of the responsible personnel, if already known. Programme will be managed by the Progr amme Operator ( MoC ) . 0,3 FTE of the internal resources will be dedicated for this task : 0,15 FTE in F inancial Department and 0,15 FTE in Biodiversity Protection Department. The Financial Department acts as the main managing unit within the P rogramme Operator. Financial Department will have the coordinating role and will be the main contact point at the Programme level. Biodiversity Protection Department is responsible for the Programme’s thematic area . The tasks of the employees and officials of the Mo C are regulated with job descriptions and other relevant documents . The Programme Operator will guide and monitor the implementation of the Programme Component s . Annual activities are defined in the annual work plan of the ministry. During year work plan is regularly monitored . Each Programme Component Operator will nominate the Programme Component manager, who will coordinate the implementation of the concrete component. The management team at the Programme Component level is described in 6.3 and 9.3. There will be Task Force for ongoing monitoring, that will meet at least two time s per year and will consist of Programme Operator, Programme Component Operators, National Coordination Unit and Partner (KEMIT) . As prescribed by the Regulations there will be the Steering Committee established by the National Coordination Unit , that will be composed at least from the NCU, SCO, Programme Operator and Programme Component Operator . The Steering Committee will s upervise the progress of implementation and make suggestions for improvements and a pprove modifications to the Support Measure . The Steering Committee will meet at least once per year. The Programme Operator will al so participate at Annual Meeting s of the Cooperation Programme . T he function mentioned in Regulations Article 6.8 p.3 will be implemented by the State Shared Service Centre . In accordance with the Regulations Article 3.4.2. no Intermediate Bodies shall be set up for the implementation of the Support Measure. State Shared Service Centre, which acts as the competence centre for the implementation of structural and other funds in Estonia, carries out the tasks in accordance with Article 6.8 p.3 of the Regulations for the implementation of the Support Measure. The activities that are carried out in accordance with Article 6.8 p.3 by the State Shared Service Centre are financed from the Support Measure. The fulfilment of the functions of the National Coordination Unit, which is located in the same organization and is financed from the Technical Assistance Fund, is completely separated from these activities. The implementation scheme of the Programme is attached in Annex 7 . If deemed relevant, provide in an Annex : CVs of the members of the Support Measure management team The terms of reference for the functions to be established Are CVs attached to this documentation? Yes ☐ No ☒ Are terms of reference for the management functions to be established attached to this documentation? Yes ☐ No ☒ Programme and project management experience Describe in this section the experience of the applying organization with Programme and project management. For this, programmes and projects similar to the Support Measure described in this form, managed – as main executing agency, not as subcontractor – over the last 5 years, should be described. Indicate: name of programme/project budget, duration funding-source and co-financing main purpose: short description executed procurements as part of the programme/project whether member of the programme/project team are still part of the applying organization reference person or institution, e.g. from an eventual donor of the programme /project If the applying organization managed more than 3 corresponding programmes/projects in the respective period, indicate the total number and limit the detailed description to 3 of them . If the applying organisation executed a programme/project support ed by the previous Swiss Contribution, this programme/project and the role of the Ex ecuting Agency should be mentioned. Max Length: 1 page The m inistry has a comprehensive experience on use, management and monitoring of grants allocated by the European Union or other donors , as pursuant to the act of Government of the Republic , the minister monitor s the accurate and purposeful implementation of the budget and the purposeful use of funds, aid and grants in the area of gover nment of the ministry. Ministry coordinates and organises the development and use of support programmes and measures financed by external funds ( European Regional Development Fund, Cohesion Fund, Just Transition Fund, Recovery and Resilience Facility, European Economic Area and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms , Swiss-Estonian Cooperation Programme ) and monitors their use. Also, ministry is involved as project leader or partner into implementation of concrete projects. As described in the previous sections the Ministry of Climate was formed on the basis of Ministry of the Environmen t ( MoE ). MoE was the intermediate body for the programme “Enhancing public environmental monitoring capacities ” supported by the previous Swiss Contribution in amount of 8 426 189,90 CHF . The objective of the programme was to enhance public environmental monitoring capacities for the whole country in order to reduce environmental pollution, to increase the quality of environmental information and living standards and to promote sustainable economic development. As clean water resources, high ambient air quality and radiation safety are of vital importance for humans and ecosystems, the p rogramme was focused on development of surveillance capacities in these sectors. The biodiversity monitoring was not covered by previous contribution. Mi nistry of Climate acts as l ead p artner in several LIFE Integrated P rojects : “ Comprehensive management of forest and farming landscapes to improve the conservation status of Natura 2000 habitats and species ” ( LIFE18 IPE/EE/000007 , ForEst&FarmLand , 3 FTE ) . Implementation period 01.01.2020 - 31.12.2029. Total eligible budget is 19 561 784 EUR , from which EU contribution is 11 611 434 EUR. The main objective of the project is to implement the most critical part of the Estonian Prioritised Actions Framework (PAF) for Natura 2000 related to forests and agricultural land. The aims are 1) to improve the conservation status of forest and farmland habitats and species to achieve results that benefit whole ecosystems; 2) to improve conservation practices and collaboration between administrative authorities; and 3) to raise awareness and capacity of main stakeholders and general public , including the use of innovative conservation tools and solutions. “ Development of an integrated water management and its modern tools in Estonia - strategic choices for future ” (LIFE17IPE/EE/000007, CleanEST ). Implementa tion period 01.01.2019 - 31.12.2028). Total budget is 16 666 000 EUR . The main objective of the project is to implement the most critical part of the East Estonian water management plan . The project's main fields of activity are reducing harmfulness of residual pollution, identifying and restoring the goods of ecosystems, developing solutions to reduce the pressure from agriculture on the environment, identification of the need for reclamation of the local management systems, liquidation of migration barriers to improve the ecological status of the rivers, increasing environmental awareness. There are 4,8 FTE from MoC involved in this project. “Implementation of national climate change adaptation activities in Estonia” ( LIFE21-IPC-EE-LIFE-SIP AdaptEst /101069566 ). Implemen tation period 01.01.2023 – 31.03.2032. Total eligible budget is 18 859 312 EUR, form which EU contribution is 11 294 017 EUR . Climate Change Adaptation Development Plan until 2030 sets eight subgoals based on the priority sectors of the economic and administrative structure in the Republic of Estonia (independently and partially combined) from which the implementation of five is supported by the project : (1) h ealth and rescue capacity , (2) l and use and planning, (3) n atural environment, (4) b ioeconomy, (5) s ociety, awareness and cooperation. “ Pursuing Estonian national climate ambition through smart and resilient renovation ” ( LIFE20 IPC/EE/000010 ) . Implementation period 01. 1 1.202 1 – 31. 12 .20 28 . Total eligible budget is 16 226 711 EUR, form which EU contribution is 9 500 000 EUR. The long-term objective of the project is to increase the ambition, and pave the way for reducing CO ₂ emissions, of Estonia’s existing building stock by up to 100% (~4.5 million tCO ₂ / yr ) by 2050. In the short-term, the project aims to pursue the 2030 goal of reducing the CO2 emissions by 32% (~1.4 million tCO ₂ / yr ). Achieving the objectives will help to mitigate the effect that energy performance of buildings has on climate change. Detailed intervention strategy and activities Detailed description of activities and intervention strategy D escribe in detail the P rogramme components or projects including activities/intervention strategies . Describe the rationale why these activities are proposed and how t hey are interlinked with other P rogramme components or projects . Link it to the objectives and explain how you want to achieve it, based on which evidence /good practice . Describe if you evaluated alternative activities and why you dismissed them. Describe here the activities undertaken to produce the outputs listed in the previous section in detail. If an (extensive) documentation is attached to this proposal in an annex, provide here – next to a reference to the relevant annex – only a summary. The detailed description of the activities (or the attached documentation) shall allow (experts in the respective fields) a detailed assessments of the activities, especially regarding the reasons why certain activities are proposed; whether activities correspond to best practices and are adequate for the relevant context; a llow experts in the respective fields a detailed assessment of the activities. the expenditure-effectiveness of the foreseen activities (cost-benefit analysis) , also with regard to possible alternatives . Especially in case of new technological solutions, the added value compared to available alternatives should be analysed. Describe partner organisations, their roles, experiences, added value, and capacities. Describe the form of cooperation and coordination between involved partners. In case the activities and Programme C omponents are not known yet in detail , describe the type of activities to be financed. Inform in the next chapter 4 .2.2 also about the decision making processes for the selection of future grant or Programme C omponent proposals . Length: max. 1 page One of the objectives of the program me is to enhance wildlife monitoring through the testing and implementation of new solutions and technologies. New technology will be integrated into monitoring schemes. For example, 3D bird radars will be used in bird monitoring, which will increase the accuracy of the data and also , it will increase the efficiency and operativeness . There are few programmes that support testing new solutions and tools in wildlife monitoring and this is one of the reason that this fi el d is not developing as fast as it could. It is especially important to implement new and old methods at the same time in order to calibrate the results, so the longtime series of data sets will be continued. Also, eDNA, laser binoculars and other suitable tools and solutions will be tested and integrated in to monitoring schemes. Environment Agency is developing AI for the monitoring of game species. According to the existing method, data of the game species is collected in winter and the presence of snow cover is important. Due to the climate change, Estonian winters are smoother and there are fewer days with snow cover, especially in areas that are close to the sea. Developing and using AI is one alternative for the existing method. That also requires great amount of tracking cameras. Development of the AI and purchasing of the tracking cameras is financed from other funds, but additional personnel is necessary in order to speed up the training and using of the AI and implement new Random Encounter Model in game species monitoring. At the moment there are around 100 cameras is use, but by 2024 there will be 700. There are 7 times more work in installing cameras and managing data. After the new system is in place and AI is smart enough to sort empty pictures and recognize different species, this extra person is no longer required. As the main objective of the Swiss Support is to improve decision making through qualitative data, it is important to improve IT systems and databases that would decrease human work, help to analyse great amount of data and make it easier to understand. Data is often scattered in different systems and quality of data varies. It is necessary to bring the data together, develop analytical tools and make it more attractive, visible, and understandable. Also, it also necessary to improve citizen science. Citizen science can play an important role by filling data gaps where conventional data sources may not be sufficient, providing complementary temporal and spatial data that supports official monitoring systems. Besides collecting additional data, promoting citizen science gives the opportunity to raise environmental awareness. The second component of the pro gram me is related to enhancing the protection of natural values in protected areas and endangered species. So far, the effectiveness of protection measures has been evaluated in few protected areas, so it is not clear which protection measures are the most effective for protecting species and habitats. Therefore, an evaluation of effectiveness of protected areas is carried out, and based on these results, it is necessary to update area-based conservation management plans. M anagement plans must also take into account those aspects that have not been paid attention to, e.g. how to contribute to the survival of species and habitats in changing climate conditions. Also, how to integrate conservation management plans (the state's responsibility) into the green networks specified in general plans of municipalities . Improving the effectiveness of the green network is also important for achieving the conservation objectives of the protected area by providing green corridors for the spread of species between the areas. In order to evaluate the effectiveness, it is necessary to carry out additional inventories, otherwise it is not possible to have adequate up-to-date information about the status of species and habitats in protected areas. In order to ensure the uniform quality of the inventories, the inventory methodologies will be updated , and inventory guidelines will be prepared for those habitat groups where they are still missing. Area based conservation objectives are not enough to achieve the favorable status of species and habitats. For this purpose, nationwide objectives will be set, including favorable reference values for each species and habitat, and measures on how to achieve the objectives. For this purpose, n ational action plan s for habitat and species will be prepared for those habitat groups and protected species, where this has not yet been done. In addition to determining the threatness of species according to the Red List , species are divided into different protection categories, which are subject to different rules. For example, 100% of the localities of species of protection category I must be protected, at least 50% of localities of species of protection category II, and at least 10% of localities of species of protection category II I . The current distribution needs to be reassessed because, for various reasons, the status of some species has improved in the meantime and that of other species has deteriorated. Designation of updated protection categories will help to protect more effectively those species that need it most. The inventories made by the Environmental Board are inserted into the database managed by the Environmental Agency, the results of the inventory are the basis for national monitoring, while additional information about the natural values of protected areas can be obtained based on the monitoring results. Creating an automatic transfer between the Estonian nature information system (data on protected areas, protected species, inventories) and the monitoring database enables the use of relevant information, so that there is no need to use different databases. Manual work load will be reduced. The information needed to manage the protected areas will be relevant, and easy to use for both state authorities and the wider public. The protection of natural values is more effective, is based on data that is comprehensible to all, and ensures the improvement of the sta t us of species and habitats. Greater involvement of interest groups and voluntary monitoring will help to improve the understanding of the need to protect nature more broadly. These are the basic conditions for the general improvement of the state of nature, which in turn helps to contribute to the fulfillment of the goals and the targets of G lobal Biodiversity Framework . Detailed description of selection process for Programme Components For Programmes and small grant schemes whose activities and Programme Component s might not be known yet in detail, i nform about the decision making processes for th e selection of future grant or P rogramme component proposals and beneficiaries as well as the criteria (including geographic and socio-economic criteria) used to select these grant or Programme C omponent proposals. It must be credibly shown how the level of quality will be maintained through the proposed decision making process (grant management). Switzerland has set following m inimum information for considering P rogramme approval : Description of the impact and the level of results to be achie ved with the components of the P rogramme as a whole. The theory of change must be presented in a plausible manner. The outline of a logical framework down to the output level, if possible . Clear delimitation of the t heme(s) and sector(s) that the P rogramme supports and which should contribute to the overall effect described. Geographical , socio-economic and ecological criteria according to which the Programme Component s are to be selected. Budget: total financial envelope and estimated budgets of the different components of the Programme . The Programme O perator must be known, as well as the type of institutions t hat are eligible as Programme Component O perators ( possibly subject of the call for proposals ) . Identification and selection process in the partner country: how (who) and according to what criteria the Programme C omponents and the respective operators, if any, are identified, the beneficiaries are selected and by what process (call for proposals, call for tenders). Presentation of how SECO / SDC will be involved in the approval process. Description of the delegation for the subsequent approval of P rogramme C omponents (steering committees, role of Switzerland) . Minimum requirements that guarantee supervisory powers by SDC and SECO Length: max. 2 page Not relevant, as all components have been selected. Communication activities Planned communication activities shall be integrated into the «detailed implementation schedule» in the next subsection. According to the Regulations article 13.3 paragraph 3 , at least a launching and a closing event for each Project and Programme shall be planned. Ideally, the communication activities include advocacy and outreach activities that are necessary to achieve the Support Measure objectives ; promote opportunities for strengthening bilateral relation , respectively the results of strengthened bilateral relations (such as thematic conferences or study visits ); communicate the results of the Support Measure; For the communica tion activities that are integrated into the «detailed implementation schedule» below, describe here Aims and target groups (including beneficiaries and the media) Communication tools Information on how the communication activities will be evaluated. Prog r amme´s launching and closing event is organized by the Ministry of Climate. We are planning to involve media , stakeholders and competent authorities on both events for the purpose of increasing awareness of Programme and also environmental awareness . We are planning to send joint press re leases and social media posts once a year during th e implementation period. Throughout the period, the public will be informed about the progress of the programme through various activities by Programme Component Operator s. Also we are monitoring media (articles, press rele a ses etc) through “Station” ( E stonian media monitoring programme) . T h ere will be communication activities (articles, social medias posts, television and/or radio) at the Programme Component s level (Annex 1, 3.1) : Environmental Agency We will use our social media channels (Facebook and Instagram) to post news of the results of the project (at least 20) . Our Facebook page has approximately 10 000 follow ers ; Social media boosts: we will boost important and attractive posts (2) and with that, our posts will reach at least 2 00 000 social media users ; We will publish at least 4 blog post s , which will be shared in the list of journalists . With that, we can reach biggest Estonian newspapers ( Postimees , Delfi, Päevaleht , Maaleht etc), both paper and web, which are covering most of the population in Estonia ; 8 a rticles of the new solutions and technologies in the wildlife monitor i ng (AI, 3D radars, etc) , target group wider public; 2 e vents where new solutions and technologies will be demonstrated , target group up to 1 5 0 persons, experts in the field and data users (scientists, hunters, windfarm developers, etc) . This will also enhance networking and collaboration among different stakeholders ; Citizen science campaigns (20) to involve volunteers in wildlife monitoring . During the campaigns we aim to reach up to 1000 people ; 2 bigger events for volunteers to present the results of the campaigns, recognize volunteers, enhance networking and collaboration for the futur e. This helps to strengthen the network and also this helps to bring the results of the project to more people through dedicated people. Target group up to 150 persons, volunteers, wildlife enthusiasts and specialist s , active community members and environmental specialist s of the local counties ; Television , we will propose our topics at least to 2 national broadcasts and shows like Ter evisioon (80 000 viewers) and Osoon (160 000 – 180 000 viewers ) ; A t least 8 appearances/interviews on radio shows ( e.g Vikerraadio , Ökoskoop etc) . Vikerraadio is the most listened radio (120 000 listeners/day and during a week they can reach up to 228 000 pe ople ) ; In the final stage of the project, we plan to make a presentation in Swit z erland to introduce the results of the project to interested target groups (wildlife experts and specialists, scientists, officials, financiers of the programme, etc) who could benefit from our experience and who could replicate the results. The Environmental Board T he overall communication and management costs for Programme Component 2 include newspaper and social media articles ( e.g more than 36,000 print circulation of the national newspaper, more than 12 ,000 Facebook users) articles and compilation of the web page . Examples of management plans and action plans are translated into En glish. When assessing the management effectiveness (Activity 1) of larger areas where different stakeholders are involved, meetings are organised to introduce the results of the assessment and get the input from stakeholders. There is a need to publish newspaper advertisements in local and/or national newspapers, introduce the topic on the webpage. When organising meetings with stakeholders it may be necessary to rent rooms and organise coffee breaks. During hybrid meetings it is necessary to rent extra technical equipment for audio and video solutions. The results of management effectiveness assessment will be introduced to the public: a digital report/summary will be published in Estonian and English. The report has to be digitally designed. In the process of preparing of site-based management plans ( Activity 2) interest groups are involved. The project will produce a total of 64 management plans. All of them are introduced to the public on the website ( www.keskkonnaamet.ee ), newspaper advertisements are published in local or national newspapers, meetings are organised (in-person meetings, hybrid meetings using MS Teams), letters are sent to stakeholders. When organising meetings with stakeholders it is necessary to rent rooms and organise coffee breaks. During hybrid meetings it may be necessary to rent extra technical equipment for audio and video solutions. When organising meetings with stakeholders it is necessary to rent rooms and organise coffee breaks. In the process of preparing habitat action plans (Activity 2) interest groups are involved. The project will produce at least three habitat plans. They are introd uced to the public on the website ( www.keskkonnaamet.ee ), newspaper advertisements are published in national newspapers, meetings are organised (in-person meetings, using MS Teams), letters are sent to stakeholders. During hybrid meetings it may be necessary to rent extra technical equipment for audio and video solutions. When organising meetings with stakeholders it is necessary to rent rooms and organise coffee breaks. In the process of proposing the changes in protection categories of species and preparing action plans for protected species (Activity 3) interest groups (mostly universities and experts) are involved. The project will produce 6 0 action plans. When preparing the action plans meetings with experts/universities are organised (in-person meetings, hybrid meetings using MS Teams) . When organising meetings it is necessary to rent rooms and organise coffee breaks. During hybrid meetings it may be necessary to rent extra technical equipment for audio and video solution Communication with local authorities (79 local municipalities) : one seminar per year (conservation management and green infrastructure ) is organised . The costs include advertisements, room rent, coffee breaks, renting equipment for audio and video solutions. Detailed implementation schedule Outline here – or include as Annex – the timeline for all Support Measure activities (including signature of SM Agreement, calls for proposals, communication , monitoring and evaluation activities , steering committee meetings ) by using a Gantt chart. The time shall be counted in relative terms (time since the start of the Support Measure /signing of Support Measure Agreement) and not in absolute terms (year/month) . Include the duration for administrative processes , e.g. for internal organisation after the start of the Support Measure , if necessary . If applicable, structure according to Programme Components. Please see annex 6. Logframe The impact hypothes i s outlined in Section 2.3 shall be presented here in more detail in form of a logframe. The logframe presents the causal link between an intervention (activities, outputs) and its effects (outcomes, impact). The intervention consists of the services and goods produced through Support Measures activities and delivered to the beneficiaries (outputs). It is useful to break the effect down into direct results (called outcomes) and lasting changes in society (called impact). Lastly, the logframe also contains a description of the context, i.e. factors that could influence the Support Measure and the assumptions made in the Support Measure design. Some basic info on logframes: Outcomes are the short and medium-term effects of an intervention’s outputs on the direct target group or end beneficiaries. Outcomes are not under the direct control of a Support Measure. Outputs are the products, capital goods, and services delivered by an intervention. They must be achieved with the resources provided and within the period specified. It is important to define outputs that are likely to make a significant contribution to the achievement of the outcomes. When designing the logframe, please consider the following intervention logic. Strategy of intervention Key Performance indicator Means of verification External factors Assumption/risks Impact (4) 119015 301801 Outcome (3) 123879 209685 0 0 Output (2) 104424 312123 99695 240881 0 0 -1130436 -52665 0 0 Activities (1) 104423 302692 0 0 113665 257391 (1) If input/means are provided AND the preconditions fulfilled, THEN activities can be undertaken (2) If activities are undertaken, AND the assumptions hold true, THEN outputs will be produced. (3) If outputs are produced, AND the assumptions hold true, THEN outcomes will be achieved. (4) If outcomes are achieved, AND the assumptions hold true, THEN the Project contributes to the development objective (impact). For the identification of the «key performance indicators», take into account the «Guidelines to Core Indicators of the Second Swiss Contribution». Provide for the indicators units, baseline values, the years in which the baseline values were measured, the means of verification. For Programmes, the logframe presented in this proposal should be elaborated on the level of the Programme . For Programme components that are not known yet in details, indicate outputs that need to be foreseen in order to achieve the set outcomes and impact. The Annual Support Measure Report ing (Regulations Article 4.13) will include reporting on the logframe elaborated in this proposal. Hierarchy of objectives Strategy of Intervention Key Indicators (incl. target values and baseline) Sources & Means of Verification Assumptions & Risks (External Factors) Impact Impact Indicators Impact : Sources and Means of Verification Improved conservation status of threatened habitats and species Proportion of habitat types and species with an improved status, 30% by 2030 . The baseline is the 2019 assessment of the Habitats Directive Article 17 report. A 30% improvem ent should be achieved compared to the results of this report (therefore baseline is 0). National reports and databases Depends on other measures implemented in Estonia . Outcomes (Support Measure objectives /purpose) Outcome Indicators Outcome: Sources and Means of Verification Outcome Assumptions & Risks 1. The efficiency and reliability of biodiversity monitoring has improved 2. The effectiveness of management planning of protected areas as well as protected species and habitats has improved 1. Data collected as part of the biodiversity monitoring programme reaches the databases within one year through automated process Baseline: no automated process, most of the date reaches databases within more than one year 2. New g uidelines for drawing up management plans of protected areas ha ve been implemented Baseline: The previous guidelines are outdated ( 2012, updated 2018 ) 1. Estonian Nature Information system; National Biodiversity Monitoring Programme 2. Support Measure Comple tion R eport with examples of guidelines, management and action plans Insufficient financing of national biodiversity monitoring programme and biod iversity protection in the future due the national security and changes in priorities and that can affect the sustainability of the support measure Institutional re f orms Changes in legislation Outputs : Support Measure deliverables/results per outcome Output Indicators Output: Sources and Means of Verification Output Assumptions & Risks 1.1. Existing IT systems (databases and portals) and their connectivity is improved At least 4 additional connections or tools for the exchange of data between the IT systems have been established Baseline: 0 for additional connections and tools (overall, IT system s has already many other existing connections and tools) Support Measure Completion describing the connectivity of IT systems Risks : Price of the services and equipment will increase IT developments take longer than planned The number of potential service providers (including experts) is limited that impacts public procurements and public procurements may fail The quality of services is low Being unable to hire the personnel for the programme 1.2. New technologies and novel solutions for biodiversity monitoring are mapped, developed, tested and implemented At least 5 new developed and piloted solutions ( Random Encounter Method, Artificial Intelligence, 3D bird radar, eDNA and , other new technical solutions that will be worked out in first stage of the pro j ect Baseline: 0 National Biodiversity Monitoring Programme 2.1. Site-based and national conservation objectives and measures for protected species and habitats are revised The effectiveness of the management of at least 300 protected objects (different types of protected areas) is assessed Baseline: 0 (using new metho do logy) 5 action plans for habitats; 64 conservation management plans for protected areas using a new format , 5 action plans for habitats and 24 % of all the protected species in Estonia have action plans Baselines: 2 action plans for habitats ; 0 conservation managament plans for protected areas (using the new format) Baseline: 2 action plans for habitats; 0 conservation management plans using a new format; 16 % of all the protected species in Estonia have action plans . The protection categories of all the protected species’ groups (not separate species) are evaluated Baseline: 0 Draft document to change the regulations of protection categories is prepared Baseline: 0 The toolset for conservation management effectiveness assessment is set up and in use in the Environmental Board Baseline: 0 Support Measure Completion with examples of guidelines, management and action plans Final report of management effectiveness assessment Management plans and habitats action plans are compiled and are publicly available through the database The draft regulation for the change of protection categories of species is prepared. 2.2. The conservation management plans of protected areas, action plans for species and habitats are revised and updated 3.Competence of the specialists as well as public awareness and engagement is improved At least 21 trainings/seminars At least 8 study trips A network of volunteers is created At least 20 campaigns to involve volunteers in wildlife monitoring 2 bigger events for volunteers 2 bigger events for stakeholders At least 8 articles of the new solutions in wildlife monitoring At least 8 appearances in radio shows At least 2 appearances in TV shows 1 presentation in Switzerland to introduce the results of the project Annual Support Measure Report s Swiss Support Measure Partner(s) According to Article 4.2 paragraph 4 of the Regulations, a draft Partnership Agreement shall be submitted with this proposal. Therefore, include a draft agreement for all foreseen partnerships in an annex and include a reference in this section. If relevant aspects of the partnership with regard to the Support Measure implementation are not covered in the draft Partnership Agreement, describe them here. If applicable, structure the information according to Programme Components. Institutional partnership is not planned, however, the Environmental Board will organise two study trips to Switzerland (they have contacted the Swiss National Park): five days for six specialists each, the emphasis of one or the study trips is habitat protection and the emphasis of the other study trip is species protection. The aim of the trips is to learn about conservation management planning/strategies, habitat and species data collection, using GIS). Also Environment Agency will have one study trip to Switzerland in late stage of the programme to share the experiences and present the results. Some of the planned public procurements exceed international threshold and Swiss organizations can participate in the process and make their offer. Stakeholder consultations According to Article 4.4 of the Regulations shall be consulted ideally before the second-stage submission of the Support Measure proposal. Describe briefly how the stakeholder consultation has shaped the Support Measure proposal. Which inputs were included in the proposal, which inputs were omitted? Length: ½ - 1 page In addition, provide in an annex a report of the stakeholder consultation that outlines: The process of the stakeholder consultation What was done in terms of consultation activities? Who was present and which institution/organisation did they represent? The input Who contributed? What are their views and concerns? Input is grouped by common themes/points of view in order to avoid unnecessary repetition Assessment Which contributions were NOT taken on board and why? Stakeholder consultation took place on the 5 th of June 2023 . T he invitation was sent to about 150 pe rsons and institutions: to all local authorities, universities, organisations involved into monitoring or biodiversity protection (please see invitation letter in annex 10) . There were 32 participants (please see registration list in annex 10) . After the event there was an opportunity for written feedback ( please see afterword and event materials in annex 10) . At the beginning of the event the objectives and expected results of the programme were introduce d and an overview on the development trends in nature conservation was given . Afterwards e ach programme component operator introduced main actions to the participants and two different workshop s were organized where participants had the chance to point out problems, propose new ideas and actions. Ideas and actions that were described in the proposal and introduced to the stakeholder s , were all supported. Those were: 3D bird radar, development and training of the AI, including implementing the Random Encounter Model more widely in game species monitoring, testing new solutions and technology in wild life monitoring (eDNA, remote monitoring solutions, automation , laser binoculars, drones with thermos cameras, telemetry surveys), promoting citizen science and also development of the IT systems. Stakeholders agreed that data should be easier to collect, more accessible and more understandable . T he interface of different systems was considered necessary which would make data queries easier and faster . Data up-to- dateness was considered important , especially in decision-making. Stakeholder s pointed out that entering data into databases should be simplified , including creating solutions for mass-data. If possible, some of the IT systems should be as mobile applications. Testing the capabilities of eDNA was strongly emphasized . The project activities proposed by the Environmental Board, were also supported. The representatives of local municipalities said that they would like to participate more in the process of compiling management plans. They pointed out that updat ing species data and management plans is crucial in general planning processes and decision making. It is necessary to know which areas are suitable for development and planning the use of mineral resources. The Environmental Board will organise joint seminars for local municipalities in order to dis cuss how conservation management and principles of green infrastructure work together. The representatives of universities said that they are ready to carry out necessary inventories , give expert opinions and put together methodologies for habitats inventories . They agree d that protection categories of species need to be updated as well. Expert opinions about species give input to action plans and help decision making and law enforcement. It was pointed out that updated site-based management plans and action plans that describe objectives , pressures, risks and measures are necessar y for environmental impact assessment. In summary, the proposed i deas and activities were supported , n o one objected neither concept nor content of Programme . Tentative Budget Detailed tentative budget Complete and update the budget prepared during the 1 st s tage using the excel file provided in section 2.9. Highlight the main b udget items in the meaning of Art. 4.12 of the Regulations in bold. The budge t with these main budget items shall l ater be annexed to the Support Measure Agreement. For Support Measures in the field of infrastructure: The detailed budget should allow a detailed assessment of the Support Measure expenditure s ( by experts in the respective fields). Therefore needed are, for all works, supplies and services as well as for management expenditure s, detailed descriptions, the number of units and the assumed unit prices. Do not use more than one budget item for contingency. The budget is attached in Annex 4 . B udget is split between three main parts: Management costs : T his part includes costs only for Programme Management (costs done at the Programme level). Costs connected to the management and implementation (including involvement of partners) of the Programme Components are included into the budget of components. This part includes also the costs of State Shared Service Centre for the fulfilment of the function in accordance with Regulations Article 6.8 p.3 In accordance with the Regulations Article 3.4.2. no Intermediate Bodies shall be set up for the implementation of the Support Measure. State Shared Service Centre, which acts as the competence centre for the implementation of structural and other funds in Estonia, carries out the tasks in accordance with Article 6.8 p.3 of the Regulations for the implementation of the Support Measure. The activities that are carried out in accordance with Article 6.8 p.3 by the State Shared Service Centre are financed from the Support Measure. The fulfilment of the functions of the National Coordination Unit, which is located in the same organization and is financed from the Technical Assistance Fund, is completely separated from these activities. Programme Component 1 “Development of innovative monitoring technologies/solutions and improvement of Environmental databases and systems” Programme Component 2 “Implementation of a systematic assessment of the social and conservation outcomes of protected areas” Tentative Disbursement Plan Provide an estimate of when the Swiss Contribution will be spent, as a function of the six months reimbursement periods (see Regulations Article 8.2 paragraph 4) after the start of the Support Measure implementation. The first and last reimbursement periods may not last six months. Nevertheless, for now assume that all reimbursement periods last six months. Delete/add columns as necessary. The Annual Support Measure Report (Regulations , Article 4.13) will include an update of the disbursement plan elaborated below . Reimbursement Period 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Estimated reimbursement of Swiss Contribution in CHF 926 117,50 926 117,50 843 284,71 843 284,71 854 997,31 854 997,31 836 038,88 836 038,88 9 122,84 Risk Analysis and Risk Management Please list individual risks and corresponding mitigation measures in the following table. Add additional rows if necessary. Take the following risk categories into account : Development risk : Risk, that the activities do not achieve the intended development outputs and outcomes or that the results are not sustainable . The development risks are derived from the assumptions in the logframe. Converting these assumptions into negative statements leads to the development risks . Assess in this category also whether there are risks related to the capacity or experience of the SM management team or risks related to the political context (for example delays in regulatory reforms or change in government priorities that could jeopardize the effectiveness, efficiency , sustainability or the relevance of the SM ). Security risk : Risk to the implementation of the Project due to security aspects (e.g. threats to the security of infrastructure due to vandalism or natural disasters) . Fiduciary risk : Risk that the allocated resources are not or inefficiently used for the intended purpose. Assess in this category also whether there are risks from insufficient rules and procedures or deficient implementation oversight by the SM management team (for example, assess whether there is enough qualified staff in the relevant accounting and controlling positions). Financial risk : Risk that some or all of the invested funds are lost and/or funding is insufficient (foreign exchange fluctuations in the event the Executing Agency rather than the Paying Authority carries the currency risk , unexpected costs, insolvency of a partner, missing co-financing etc.) Environmental risk : Risk that the SM results have a negative effect on the environment. Social risk : Risk that the SM results have a negative effect on society in general or certain groups in society. This category englobes the r isk that the SM has an adverse impact on vulnerable social groups or discriminates people based on gender, religion or ethnicity. It also comprises the risk that the SM has an adverse effect on labour and working conditions such as for example exposure of the workforce to health or safety risks or the reduction in number of staff due to increased automatisation. The evaluation of an individual risk shall be determined by first assessing the likelihood (how likely an individual risk will materialise) and impact (severity of the consequences if a risk materialises) . When assessing the impact, think not only of potential negative consequences related to the achievement of objectives , but also of negative consequences for the reputation (for example negative impacts on the environment could result in critical media reports) . First rate both impact and likelihood on scales between 1 and 5: Impact: Insignificant (1), minor (2), moderate (3), major (4), severe (5) Likelihood : Very unlikely (1), unlikely (2), possible (3), likely (4), very likely (5) Then, based on this impact/likelihood rating, determine the risk (low, medium-low, medium-high, high) using the following rating matrix. Impact Severe (5) medium-low medium-high medium-high high high Major (4) medium-low medium-low medium-high medium-high high Moderate (3) low medium-low medium-low medium-high medium-high Minor (2) low low medium-low medium-low medium-high Insignificant (1) low low low medium-low medium-low Very unlikely (1) Unlikely (2) Possible (3) Likely (4) Very likely (5) Likelihood Consider that: Assessing the severity of a consequence or how likely it is that an individual risk will materialise is not an exact science, especially since it refers to events that may occur fully, partially or not at all. The assessment of a risk is considered as snapshot of the current situation. Therefore, when assessing the risk level, refer to gross risks. Planned mitigation measures should not be factored into the risk level. For mitigation measures , take the following into account: M odalities and mitigating measures integrated into the Support Measure outputs/activities and design (as thus are part of the Support Measure’s objectives in the logframe) should not be mentioned in the risk analysis. Because risk analysis are always forward-looking, past mitigation measures should equally not be mentioned. S pecify the responsibilities and the implementing-deadlines. For continuous mitigation measures, indicate “continuous” measure. The risk description and the description of the mitigation measures should each be up to 500 characters incl. spaces . The Annual Support Measure Reporting (Regulations Article 4.13) will include reporting about the risk analysis elaborated in this proposal. Risk Impact [1 – 5] Likelihood [1 – 5] Risk level Mitigation measure(s) Institutional reforms 1 3 Low Internal institutional reform is ongoing in the Environ m ental Board , but it has low imp act o n support measure, because the project activities can be adjusted to the new structure of the institution. Changes in legislation 3 3 Low-Medium N ecessary adjustments in the programme will be made following the legislative ch anges Price of the services and equipment will increase 3 3 Low-Medium To mitigate the risk, we have taken this into account in the preparation of the budget and we have added necessary buffer. In case buffer will be not needed we will make a proposal to transfer it to another budget line. IT developments take longer than planned 3 4 Medium-High We are already developing procurement documents to save time and start as soon as agreement is signed. The number of potential service providers (including expe rts) is limited that impacts public procurements and public procurements may fail 3 3 Low-Medium To mitigate the risks, we have involved stakeholder in the preparation of this programme and we will actively spread the information of the public procurements and as the number of potential service providers is limited in Estonia, we will use international public procurements if necessary and mandatory according to the law. T he quality of services is low 3 3 Low-Medium When ordering services it is necessary to plan well ahead and provide the quality criteria that need to be followed. The services have to be described in detail in contracts, if work does not conform to the contract, a chance to improve the work is given. It is necessary to check the quality services offered regularly. B eing unable to hire the personnel for the programme 4 2 Low-Medium It is necessary to p r ovide the salaries that motivate, also, services can be chosen instead. Please describe the overall risk of the Support Measure. It should be a compilation of the individual risks outlined in the table above and, in addition, consider the general context and the potential evolution of the latter . Overall Risk Level Support Measure Medium-low Comments on the overall risk level (if any) I n general we think the risk is low, but there are some risk mentioned above that evaluated as low-medium. Monitoring and Steering Description of the results-oriented monitoring system with focus on outcome level, timing and responsibilities for results-oriented monitoring and steering. Reference to steering committees or other bodies for monitoring and steering. Reference to planned (internal/external ) evaluations . For Programmes, structure according to the different Programme Components. Indicate resources foreseen for monitoring and steering. Length: ½ -1 page In accordance with Regulations the Support Measure Steering Committee will be established to supervise the progress of implementation of the Programme and make suggestions for improvements , to approve in accordance with Regulations any modifications based on the proposal by the Programme Operator. There will be Task Force for ongoing monitoring of the Programme and Programme Components. The Task Force will propose any modifications to the Steering Committee. The re sources for Steering Committee and Task Force meetings are foreseen in the Programme Budget. Other operational issues If there are any other operational issues that are relevant for the implementation of the Support Measure and that should be known by the authorities assessing this proposal, include them here. Otherwise, delete this section. N/ A Annexes List here all Annexes to this form. E.g. Overview of implementation locations (see section 2.5, same template as in the Annual Support Measure Report) Programme Characteristics (see section 2.6, same template as in the Reimbursement Request) Budget (see section 2.9) Procurement Plan (s ee section 3.2, s ame template as in the Reimbursement Request) Implementation schedule (see section 4.2.4) Report stakeholder consultation ( see section 4 .5 ) Technical parameters of construction objects or goods to be delivered (projects) Provisionally prepared tender documentation (s) Draft Support Measure Agreement D raft Partnership A greement # Annex 1 Intervention logic 2 Overview of Implementation locations 3 Programme Characteristics 4 Budget 5 Procurement Plan 6 Implementation schedule 7 I mplementation scheme 8 Detailed Information to Programme Component 1 8-1 E n vironment Agency actions and personnel 9 Detailed Information to Programme Component 2 10 Stakeholder consultation 11 Feedback on the recommendations Annex 2 : Overview of Implementation locations Each Project/ Programme Component should have at least one location, which shows where the activities are being implemented. Please list the location names and the address in the list below. “Location names” can be the name of a building, name of an organisation or a city /municipality. “Address” should be provided as street address including name of town. If providing an exact address is not possible, it is sufficient to add the name of the locality (city, town, municipality or region). In some Projects/ Programme Components, there may be many locations in which relatively small activities take place. Only those locations where a «substantial» part of the implementation takes place should be listed below. As a rule of thumb, «substantial implementation» is a location where investments of more than 50’000 CHF are foreseen . General ( Programme Management) Location name Address Ministry of the Climate ( Kliimaministeerium ) Suur-Ameerika 1 , Tallinn Programme Component 1 “Development of innovative monitoring technologies/solutions and improvement of Environmental databases and systems” Location name Address Estonian Environment Agency ( Keskkonnaagentuur ) Mustamäe tee 33, Tallinn Programme Component 2 “Implementation of a systematic assessment of the social and conservation outcomes of protected areas” Location name Address Environmental Board of Estonia ( Keskkonnaamet ) Roheline 64, Pärnu Annex [ 8 ] Detailed Information to Programme Component In principle, in case of Programmes, for each Programme Component this Annex needs to be filled out except detailed information about the components is available in form of feasibility studies or other documentation. Depending on the nature of the Programme and the readiness of the Programme components at the moment of the second stage submission, Switzerland and the Partner State may agree that parts of this Annex do not need to be completed or only at a later stage in view of the approval of the Programme Component by the Programme Steering Committee . In case a detailed description of the Programme Components is not yet possible at the moment of the 2 nd stage submission, put emphasis on information provided under point 4 .2.1. Describe there the type of activities to be financed. Inform also under point 4 .2.2 . about the decision making processes for the selection of Programme component proposals and beneficiaries as well as the criteria used to select the Programme component proposals. It must be credibly shown how the level of quality will be maintained through the proposed decision making process . According to Article 4.1 1 1b) of the Regulations, the Programme Steering Committee is in this case responsible for selecting Programme Components. Basic Programme Component Information Title Development of innovative monitoring technologies/solutions and improvement of Environmental databases and systems Planned Duration [months] 48 Requested Swiss contribution (CHF) 2 883 589,89 Requested co-financing rate of Switzerland [%] 85% Programme Component Operator Basic Information Name of Programme Component Operator Environment Agency Type of entity National administration If type of organization is “other”, describe the type briefly Name of c ontact person Mr Lauri Klein Position Wildlife monitoring coordinator Correspondence a ddress: Mustamäe tee 33, Tallinn, Estonia E-Mail [email protected] kaur@ envir.ee Webpage and social media (if any) https://keskkonnaagentuur.ee/en https://www.facebook.com/Keskkonnaagentuur Date of establishment 01.06.2013 Tax number (if applicable) EE101646790 Number of employees 208 (31.10.2023) Financial Turnover for each of the 3 previous years [i n EUR ] 2020 – 12 075 890; 2021 – 11 873 025; 2022 – 12 0111 311. Has the Programme Component Operator previously received funding from the Swiss Contribution? Yes ☐ No ☒ Programme Component Operator Management Indicate the different functions of the operational management of your organisation, either with text or with an organisation chart. Since 1 st of April 2022, matrix management is implemented in the Environmental Agency. There are three functional managers who are responsible for different functions and services. As seen in the chart, there are six main departments reporting to the director and functional managers. Wildlife d epartment will be the main department responsible for the management and implementation of the Swiss-Estonian cooperation programme . Programme Component Management Will external management personnel be hired to implement the Programme Component? Yes ☒ No ☐ What personnel capacity will be dedicated for the management of the Programme Component implementation (in full-time equivalents FTE)? Internal resources 0,5 External resources 4, 0 FTE Indicate the functions that will be established for the management of the Programme Component implementation. Indicate the name of the responsible personnel, if already known. It is necessary to use external resources to implement the actions planned with the Swiss-Estonian cooperation programme . All those people will be working in the Wildlife departmen t. General Project Coordinator (full-time, period 2024-2027) ( hereinafter the term “project” refers t o the term “ Programme Component ” ) – responsible for the project team management, documentation, communication, procurement, budget, organizing the study trips, etc. Potential project manager is already involved in the preparation of the application. Monitoring specialist (full-time, period 2024-2027) – additional employee, who will be responsible for the development and implementation of new monitoring methodologies, including contribution to the preparation of the acquisition of mobile 3D bird radar and responsible for the implementation and integration of the equipment into the national monitoring methodologies. In cooperation with scientists and technical experts, map possible novel methodologies, solutions (eDNA) and equipment (night observation equipment, transmitters, remote sensing solutions, etc.) to be used in the wildlife and ecosystem monitoring. Arrange testing of mapped novel monitoring methodologies, equipment, and solutions. Monitoring assistant (full-time, period 2024-2027) – additional employee, who will help to implement the new REM (Random Encounter Model) methodology, contributes to the collection of data through track cameras, data management and training of the artificial intelligence (AI) to be created. IT specialist in the Environmental Agency (part-time, internal specialist, workload 0.5, period 2024-2027) – contributes to the compilation of the initial IT tasks: advises the IT developer, tests and introduces the results. A person with the same load will start working in the IT Centre of the Ministry of the Climate in the period 2024-2027. He/she will be responsible for the business analyses, organizing IT related public procurements and he/she will be the main contact person for deve lopers. Also, he/she will be responsible for the quality of the services. Data specialist (full-time, period 2024-2027) – organi z es the entry and updating of data in Estonian Nature Information System (EELIS) collected within the framework of inventories ordered by the Environmental Board. Also contributes to the development of IT systems. It is more cost-effective to hire a person than outsource the service. It also ensures operational efficiency , better control of the work and sustainability of the results as it helps to preserve the institutional memory . At the moment terms of reference for the functions is not yet established, but main tasks and actions have been described in the annex. Attached, if deemed relevant can be: CVs of the members of the Programme Component management team The terms of reference for the functions to be established Are CVs attached to this documentation? Yes ☐ No ☒ Are terms of reference for the management functions to be established attached to this documentation? Yes ☐ No ☒ Programme and Project Management Experience Describe in this section the experience of the applying organization with programme and project management. For this, programmes and projects similar to the one described in this form, managed over the last 5 years, should be described. Indicate: name of programme/project budget, duration funding-source and co-financing main purpose: short description executed procurements as part of the programme/project whether member of the programme/project team are still part of the applying organization If the applying organization managed more than 3 corresponding programmes/projects in the respective period, indicate the total number and limit the detailed description to 3 of them . In the last 5 years, Environment Agency has implemented 9 environmental projects (15 additional FTE- s) and monitoring programmes (2019-2023). Most programmes are implemented on regular bases and are still ongoing. For example, implementing the national wildlife and landscape monitoring programme , developing the prototype of AI (game species), developing the nature observation mobile application. Wildlife and landscape monitoring programme is mostly financed from national budget. In the past years, the yearly budget has been 455 000 euros (without VAT, personnel costs excluded), which is used to outsource services ( e.g monitoring of eagles, amphibians, flying squirrels, bats, seals, forest birds, etc.) from wildlife experts. Every year there are around 50 monitoring works. Mostly public procurement is used or simpler procurements which is accordance with the law and internal procedures of the Agency. Monitoring team consist s of 12 persons and their salary is covered from the state budget. KAUR is the leading partner of the ELME project. The main objective of the project is mapping and assessment of Estonian ecosystems and related ecosystem services. Besides, new methodologies and technologies were tested in wildlife monitoring, including Random Encounter Methodology (REM), drones and acoustic sensors. Project activities started in 2016 and it will be finished in the end o f 2023. Total cost of the project is 1,65 million euros and it is financed from the EU Cohesion Fund. Co-financing comes from the state budget and National Environmental Programme . Employees responsible for managing the project and implementing the activities are still working in the Agency. Also, an AI prototype was developed in 2020-2021 (duration 15 months), which was financed from European Regional Development Fund. Total cost of the development was 95 400 euros. The aim of the project was to develop an AI prototype that could recognize species from the tracking camera photos. In the first stage, AI had to recognize pictures with animal and without animal and remove pictures where no animal was recognized. The prototype had to learn two species (roe deer and marten), but it was able to learn other species too (accuracy depended on the quality and number of training photos). Public procurement was used to find the best developer. Employees responsible for the preparation of the public procurement documents and development of the AI, are still working in the Agency. Programme Component Description Short Summary Describe briefly the goal, strategic focus and relevance of the Programme Component. Length: max. 1’000 characters incl. spaces (3-5 lines) Goal of this Programme Component is to develop and implement new monit oring methods, technical solutions and approaches in wildlife monitoring to improve the quality and volume of the data. Also, cost-efficiency is also taken into account . Wildlife monitoring has been done for decades using the same methodologies. On the one hand , it is important to use same methodologies so the data would be comparable and long time series would not be interrupted, but on the other hand, with the development of technology, it could be possible t o do the same work more efficiently, faster and with higher quality. Taken into account the costs, including salary and travel costs nec essary to conduct field works and at the same time, the limited number of specialists, new solutions are essential. But it takes time to test new methods, solutions and approaches and compare the data that was collected with old methodol ogies. It is also important to validate new solutions and data. With the use of modern technological solutions, we hope to achieve a new and higher level in wildlife monitoring. This will also improve the quality of the environmental decisions as smarter decisions can be made based on higher quality and more data. Activities and Expected Results Describe: Programme Component activities expected results (levels: Outcomes, Outputs) linked to the outcomes of the programme Length: 1 – 1½ pages Development and implementation of the new methods, techn o logy and approaches (Annex 1, 1.2.1) . This includes acquisition of mobile 3D bird radar and also other new technologies for wildlife biodiversity monitoring – the aim is to map and test new technologies and solutions in wildlife monitoring to increase the quality and reliability of data. More specifically, the ambition is to create remote sensing solutions for mapping the spread of forest losses and reeds, automatic renewal of the maps of ecosystem services completed in previous projects, acquiring modern technology and testing them in wildlife monitoring (new night observation equipment for monitoring e.g. Western Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) and Great Snipe ( Gallinago media), drones with thermosensors , binoculars measuring height and distance for bird monitoring, etc.). Technologies and solutions must be mapped in cooperation with the experts in the field, which is why the list of activities is left open. Output: 1 mobile 3D bird radar ac q uired and at least 3 new methodologies/solutions have been tested and integrated into wildlife monitoring programme. Result: These new methodologies/solutions can supplement or replace existing ones. Data volume and quality improved. Wider deployment of Random Encounter M ethodology (REM) and training of Artificial Intelligence (AI) (Annex 1, 1.2.1) – The Environment Agency has tested the REM method to collect data in a small area using track cameras and created a prototype of AI that can identify different animal species from track camera photos and assess their abundance. The prototype will be further developed, and 700 track cameras have been procured (financed from the European Union Cohesion Fund), allowing them to be installed all over Estonia. Over the next years, the number of track cameras and photos they take, will increase at least by 7 times, which means more workload to install and maintain them and to work through the photos cameras automatically take. It is temporarily necessary to hire a person to introduce a new methodology and train AI, which would allow replacing the old methodology with a new one. Output: AI trained, REM fully developed and tested. Result: The REM methodology has been applied all over Estonia. Alternative method for monitoring of the game species developed and time-consuming photo-analysis automated with usage of AI. Environmental DNA (eDNA) testing (Annex 1, 1.2.1) in wildlife biodiversity monitoring – use of eDNA in biodiversity monitoring is a rapidly developing field, but its potential has not yet been tested in Estonian national biodiversity monitoring. Potential species or species groups will be mapped, pilot areas will be selected and eDNA usability will be tested for biodiversity monitoring. O utput: usability potential of eDNA is evaluated, method is tested and where appropriate it is integrated into wildlife monitoring methodologies. Result: Data volume and quality is improved, cost-efficiency is increased. Promoting citizen science and creating network of volunteers (Annex 1, 1.1.2 and 3.1 ) – use of citizen science and involvement of volunteers in environmental monitoring is an increasingly important topic around the world. It creates new opportunities to engage people, collect more data and improve the quality of data, promote cooperation between different parties, involve civil society organisations in policymaking, prevent and solve problems as well as increase environmental awareness in society. Among other things, it helps to pay greater attention to emerging environmental problems, prevent loopholes both in legislation and monitoring data as well as improve data collection process. Output: a network of volunteers is created. At least 20 campaigns (some campaigns will be repeated every year) have been organised in 4 years: 2 bigger events for volunteers. Voluntary monitoring is integrated into wildlife monitoring methodologies. Result: involvement of volunteers in wildlife monitoring is improved and data volume is increased. Development of IT systems (Annex 1, 1.1.1) – Environmental data is kept in different systems in Estonia and often those systems are not linked to each other which means that data must be transferred manually from one system to another . Also, there is a risk, that relevant and updated information is not used in decision making and analysis. In order to facilitate fieldwork, it is necessary to create a fieldwork tool that allows the field-workers to enter the monitoring and inventory data directly to the system already in the field. This would reduce the workload of officials and ensure a faster data delivery into system. It is also necessary to create a management efficiency assessment tool for the Environmental Board into EELIS. It should help officials assess the efficiency of the management of protected areas. Output: the necessary connections and tools for the exchange of data between the IT systems have been established; management efficiency tool in EELIS has been created; fieldwork tool has been created. Results: time-consuming manual human work is decreased, data transfer between different IT systems is improved and quality of the automated analysis is increased. Thanks to this, quality of the environmental decisions is improved. The activities are described in more detail in the annex of the application. Beneficiaries Describe briefly: Beneficiaries: who will benefit from the Programme Component directly (e.g. government agency; ministry, municipality, NGO, etc.) and/or indirectly (e.g. specific group of people, etc.). In case of a Programme Component with pilot character, make a reference to potential beneficiaries once the intervention is scaled up (after the implementation of the Programme Component). Length: ¼ page Environment Agency is the main beneficiary, who will benefit direc tly from this Programme Component. In addition, 0,5 position, is planned for the IT Centre of the Ministry of the Environment. According to the law, it is mandatory to organize public procurements in order to outsource services and equipment. Indirectly universities (eDNA) and enterprises that provided spe c i f ic equipment (e.g. 3D bird radar ) or service (IT developments) benefit from this programme. After creating better tools (IT systems, AI) and using more efficient equipment in wildlife monitoring that allows to collect more and improve the quality of the data, different private and public organizations benefit from this programme – Environment Board, Ministry of the Climate, companies that do environmental impact assessments, universities and scientists using wildlife data, etc. Is the benefit of the Programme Component a national or regional benefit? National ☒ Regional ☐ If regional, indicate the benefiting NUTS-2 regions . Sustainability Describe briefly how you assure that the results of the Programme Component persist after the Programme Component has ended. In terms of financial viability; In terms of capacity building; In terms of necessary legislative and policy changes In case of an innovative Programme Component with pilot character: in terms of scalability as well as institutional policies and strategies Possibility for post-implementation monitoring Length: ¼ - ½ page After the end of the Swiss-Estonian cooperation programme, Environment Agency will maintain the results and finance the activities necessary to maintain the devel oped IT systems and implementing new monitoring methods. Aim of the programme is to develop more efficient systems and methods ( e.g REM and AI) , that would replace the old ones. Thanks to the development of the IT systems, less human work is necessary and saved budget will be used to maintain the systems. Capacity will be increased as the object of the programme is to reduce human work , use new technical solutions and use more automatic solutions that would increase the quality and volume of the data, make data transfers into the systems more efficient and increase the quality of the analyses . Environment Agency will continue with that also after the programme, but thanks to this cooperation, wildlife monitoring wil l be taken on to next level. Improved quality of the data improves also the decisions made by policy makers. Budget Provide here a detailed budget using your own format if not yet in detailed included and visible in annex . The detailed budget should allow a detailed assessment of the Programme Component expenditures (by experts in the respective fields). Therefore needed are, for all works, supplies and services as well as for management expenditures, detailed descriptions, the number of units and the assumed unit prices. Do not use more than one budget item for contingency. You may provide the budget in local currency or CHF . Detailed budget is included in the Annex 4 . Risk Analysis and Risk Management Please make a risk analysis on the level of the Programme Component. Refer to 4.6 for instructions. Main risks for the Environment Agency are: Price of the services and equipment will increase ( risk level: low mediuam ) . To mitigate the risk, we have taken this into account in the preparation of the budget and we have added necessary buffer. In case buffer will be not needed we will make a proposal to transfer it to another budget line IT developments take longer than planned (risk level: m edium high). We are already developing procurement documents to save time and start as soon as agreement is signed. The number of potential service providers is limited that impacts public procurements and public procurements may fail (risk level: low m edium ) . To mitigate the risks, we have involved stakeholder in the preparation of this programme and we will actively spread the information of the public procurements and as the number o f potential service providers is limited in Estonia, we will use international public procurements if necessary and mandatory according to the law. The quality of services is low (risk level: low medium). When ordering services it is necessary to plan well ahead and provide the quality criteria that need to be followed. The services have to be described in detail in Annexes List here all Annexes to this form. E.g. For Small Grant Schemes: Add the Grant Mechanism Manual if there is a draft one Technical parameters of construction objects or goods Provisionally prepared tender documentation etc. # Annex 8-1 Annex 8-1 Evironment Agency actions and personnel Annex [ 9 ] Detailed Information to Programme Component In principle, in case of Programmes, for each Programme Component this Annex needs to be filled out except detailed information about the components is available in form of feasibility studies or other documentation. Depending on the nature of the Programme and the readiness of the Programme components at the moment of the second stage submission, Switzerland and the Partner State may agree that parts of this Annex do not need to be completed or only at a later stage in view of the approval of the Programme Component by the Programme Steering Committee. In case a detailed description of the Programme Components is not yet possible at the moment of the 2 nd stage submission, put emphasis on information provided under point 4.2.1. Describe there the type of activities to be financed. Inform also under point 4.2.2. about the decision making processes for the selection of Programme component proposals and beneficiaries as well as the criteria used to select the Programme component proposals. It must be credibly shown how the level of quality will be maintained through the proposed decision making process . According to Article 4.11 1b) of the Regulations, the Programme Steering Committee is in this case responsible for selecting Programme Components. Basic Programme Component Information Title Implementation of a systematic assessment of the social and conservation outcomes of protected areas Planned Duration [months] 48 Requested Swiss contribution (CHF) 3 843 456,11 Requested co-financing rate of Switzerland [%] 85% Programme Component Operator Basic Information Name of Programme Component Operator The Environmental Board Type of entity National administration If type of organization is “other”, describe the type briefly Government Agency Name of c ontact person M s Riina Kotter Position Leading specialist Correspondence a ddress: Roheline 64, 80010 Pärnu , Estonia E-Mail [email protected] [email protected] Webpage and social media (if any) www.keskkonnaamet.ee ; www.keskkonnaamet.ee/en www.facebook.com/keskkonnaamet Date of establishment 1 January 2021 Merging the former Environmental Board and the Environmental Inspectorate Tax number (if applicable ) : EE101281142 Commercial register code: 70008658 Number of employees : 584.05 Financial Turnover for each of the 3 previous years [i n EUR ] State budget: 2021 20, 657 , 606 2022 20,979,697 2023 23,052,343 Has the Programme Component Operator previously received funding from the Swiss Contribution? Yes ☐ No ☒ Programme Component Operator Management Indicate the different functions of the operational management of your organisation, either with text or with an organisation chart. The Environmental Board is a government agency which operates within the area of the Ministry of Climate . The Environmental Board’s task is to implement state policies on environmental use, nature conservation and radiation safety and to monitor the fulfilment of the laws and norms established for the protection of the natural environment. It is also involved in the development and updating of legal acts and other official documents regulating the environmental field. The areas the Environmental Board operate s in are wide-ranging: from issuing fishing and waste management permits to placing natural assets under protection, and from publishing environmental fees to offering environmental education programmes. In total, the Environmental Board offer s 65 public services. The clients include individuals, companies and local authorities, and it provide s a lot of public services for the benefit of the state and society in the broadest sense. The Environmental Board is represented all over Estonia, with 31 offices around the country. The Swiss Support Measure programme will be managed by the conservation management planning department. DIRECTOR GENERAL MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL USE WILDLIFE SURVEILLANCE Administrative Department Climate and Radiation Department Conservation Management Department Surveillance Department Service Department Circular Economy Department Conservation Management Planning Department Environmental Compensation Department Personnel Department Water Department Natural-Resource Use Department Investigation Department Public Relations Department Forest Department Legal Department Strategy and Analysis Department Environmental Education Department Internal Control Adviser Programme Component Management Will external management personnel be hired to implement the Programme Component? Yes ☒ No ☐ What personnel capacity will be dedicated for the management of the Programme Component implementation (in full-time equivalents FTE)? Internal resources External resources 15 FTEs The General Pro gramme Manager (0.5 FTEs, 2024‒202 8 ) will be responsible for the general coordination of the project in the Environmental Board. He/She will coordinate the activities in general, be responsible for the use of the budget and procurements, organise the communication, seminars and study trips. She will also supervise and manage the personnel hired for the programme component activities . Activity 1: Conservation Management Effectiveness Assessment Management Effectiveness Assessment Coordinator ( 1 FTE July 2024 ‒ 202 8 ) will coordinate the management effectiveness assessment, supervise the assessors, be responsible for the use of methodology, analysing and summarising the assessment. Management Effectiveness Assessment Experts (2 FTEs, 2025‒202 8 ) – carry out the assessement , possible splitting (e.g. part-time assessors) . Data Analyst (0.4 FTEs, Dec 2024 ‒ 202 8 ) – initially coordinates the preparation and evaluation of the assessment tool, later summarises the results and makes proposals for further development of the tool if necessary, analyses the results of assessments, helps to get the necessary data . Activity 2: Conservation Management Planning Programme Coordinators (1.25 FTEs, 2024‒202 8 , will be split ) ‒ responsible for the coordination of Activity 2 regionally: methodologies of habitat inventories, instructions for preparing management plans, checking the quality of prepared plans etc . Habitat Action Plan Expert (1 FTE, Sept 2024 ‒ 202 8 ) – prepares national habitat action plans, plans habitat inventories, if necessary plans the preparation of basic expertise for drawing up plans, involves stakeholders, analyses the integration of habitat plans in other Estonian strategic documents . Conservation Management Planning Experts (3 FTEs, 2024‒202 8 ) – prepare site-specific management plans, help coordinate the preparation of hab it at inventory methodologies, plan site-specific inventories of habitats and species, plan the preparation of the basic expertise required for the preparation of the management plan, involve interest groups and stakeholders in drawing up plans . Data Analyst (0.3 FTEs, Dec 2024 ‒ 202 8 ) – with a background in statistics and mathematics, provides input to habitat protecion necessities by organising and analysing habitat data . Data Specialist (0.5 FTEs, Dec 202 4 ‒ 202) – helps organise habitat inventory methodologies, manages data entry and verification . Activity 3: Species Protection Programme Coordinator ( 0.25 FTEs, Dec 2024 ‒ 202 8 ) ‒ responsible for the coordination of Activity 3 , supervise the preparation of action plans. Species Action Plan Experts (3 FTEs, 2024‒202 8 ) – preparation of action plans, organising inventories and studies required for this purpose . Protection Categories Expert (1 FTE, July 2024 ‒ 202 8 ) – coordinating inventories and expert assessments in order to propose changes to protection categories, preparing proposals for changes to protection categories to the ministry . Data Analyst (0.3 FTEs, Dec 2025 ‒ 202 8 ) – with a background in statistics and mathematics, provides input to species protecion necessities by organising and analysing species data . Data Specialist (0.5 FTEs, Dec 2024 ; 2025‒2028) – is engaged in updating the data of protected species n the basis of inventories commissioned under the project . Why prefer FTEs to services? In Estonia, there are not enough competent bidders outside the Environmental Board to carry out planned activities (e.g. drawing up plans ); these are specific activities that are easier to coordinate and guide in a coherent manner; when coordinating the activities in the Environmental Board, we can ensure that the expertise will remain within the Environmental Board; the outsourced service is more expensive; in the case of outsourced services, the quality of the work performed is uneven and the work needs to be improved later; when ordering the service, the Environmental Board itself also has a heavy workload (preparation of initial tasks, preliminary work, acceptance of work, introduction of corrections, approval procedure). Indicate the functions that will be established for the management of the Programme Component implementation. Indicate the name of the responsible personnel, if already known. Attached, if deemed relevant can be: CVs of the members of the Programme Component management team The terms of reference for the functions to be established Are CVs attached to this documentation? Yes ☐ No ☒ Are terms of reference for the management functions to be established attached to this documentation? Yes ☐ No ☒ Programme and Project Management Experience Describe in this section the experience of the applying organization with programme and project management. For this, programmes and projects similar to the one described in this form, managed over the last 5 years, should be described. Indicate: name of programme/project budget, duration funding-source and co-financing main purpose: short description executed procurements as part of the programme/project whether member of the programme/project team are still part of the applying organization If the applying organization managed more than 3 corresponding programmes/projects in the respective period, indicate the total number and limit the detailed description to 3 of them. The Environmental Board is a partner in 25 ongoing similar international projects at the moment . The total budget of the projects is about 23 million euros. In recent years the amount of ongoing projects has been approximately the same. Restoring Semi-Natural Habitats 2023‒2029 The aim of the project is to restore wet semi-natural habitats (boreal Baltic coastal meadows, Northern boreal alluvial meadows, alkaline fens/wet meadows, molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils ( Molinion caeruleae ), hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine levels) in order to adapt to the changes of climate. The project partners are the Ministry of Climate, the State Forest Management Centre and the Estonian Seminatural Community Conservation Association. It is an ongoing project and the member team is part of the organisation . The project is funded by EU Cohesion Policy Funding. The project period is 2022‒2029, the total amount of the project is 5 million euros, EU funding is 4.25 million euros. Restoring the Baltic coastal habitat networks 2018‒2025 CoastNet LIFE (LIFE17 NAT/FI/000544) aims to improve the conservation status of Natura 2000 sites along the Baltic coastal zone. To achieve this, it carries out restoration work on four types of habitat : boreal Baltic islets and small, open habitats, mosaics of herb-rich, broad-leaved forests and semi-natural habitats, sun-lit habitats, as well as large coastal meadows and new forests on previously uncolonised land. The project’s work helps to increase the populations of numerous species by giving them new areas to colonise . It also helps to combat the effects of habitat fragmentation and isolation, as well as boosting the populations’ resilience to climate change. Several species covered by the Birds Directive will benefit from improvements to their nesting habitats and those on their migration routes. In Estonia restoration is carried out on 41 project sites, e.g. in Lahemaa National Park, Kolga Bay and Aegna Landscape Protection Area, Paljassaare Limited-Conservation Area. It is a joint Finnish-Estonian project, the partners in Estonia are the Environmental Board, Tallinn Urban Environment and Public Works Department. The lead partner is Metsähallitus from Finland. The total budget of the project is 8.7 million euros, Estonian budget is 1.1 million euros. It is an ongoing project and the member team is part of the organisation . https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/project/LIFE17-NAT-FI-000544/restoring-the-baltic-coastal-habitat-networks Restoration of Estonian alvar grasslands 2014‒2019 The LIFE to alvars (LIFE13 NAT/EE/000082) project’s main objective was to restore the most valuable, but currently overgrown, alvar grassland areas on 2,500 ha of land and to create the right conditions for local farmers to manage these areas after the restoration. In order to achieve this aim, the project planned to introduce effective large-scale restoration methods and to create the necessary infrastructure for continuous management of the restored sites. The project also aimed to directly involve private land owners and to raise awareness among the local community and the general public of the value of alvar areas and of the importance of managing them effectively. The LIFE to alvars project achieved all its objectives and improved the conservation status of Estonian alvar grasslands at all the project sites. Specifically, the project restored, in total, 2 501.5 ha of alvar grasslands. This included restoration work on 1,000 ha of private land, with the involvement of approximately 600 private landowners. The project won a Natura 2000 award in the socio-economic category in 2018. The total budget of the project was 3.7 million euros. The Environmental Board was the lead partner of the project, other partners were Tartu University, Estonian University of Life Sciences and the Estonian Seminatural Community Conservation Association. Some people from the member team still work in the organisation . https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/project/LIFE13-NAT-EE-000082/restoration-of-estonian-alvar-grasslands Programme Component Description Short Summary Describe briefly the goal, strategic focus and relevance of the Programme Component. Length: max. 1’000 characters incl. spaces (3-5 lines) One goal of the programme is to evaluate the effectiveness of the management of the protected areas with the new methodology created under Technical Support Instrument financed by the European Commission. Also, s ite-based inventories are carried out and site-based conservation objectives and measures for protected species and habitats are revised. The conservation management plans of protected areas, action plans for species and habitats and protected categories of species (category I, category II and category III) are revised and updated. The contents of management plans and action plans are revised and this helps prioritising what protection measures are most effective. The effectiveness of management of protected areas as well as protected species and habitats is improved because of national and site-based conservation objectives are better targeted and measures fully correspond to conservation objectives. Activities and Expected Results Describe: Programme Component activities expected results (levels: Outcomes, Outputs) linked to the outcomes of the programme Length: 1 – 1½ pages Activity 1: Conservation Management Effectiveness Assessment The operational guidance for the implementation of the TSI project action plan for carrying out the evaluation; development of the Management Effectiveness Assessment Tool (in cooperation with the Environmental Agency ) ( Annex 1, 2.1.1 ); additional training for the implementation of the Management Effectiveness Assessment Methology for the assessors and the staff of the Environmental Board (Annex 1, 3.1 ) ; application of the methodology – the main assessors are from the project. The assessment is carried out for approximately 300 natural objects ( Annex 1, 2.1.2) (There are 6 national parks, 241 nature conservation areas, 150 landscape protection areas, 308 conservation areas and 2018 species’ protection sites in Estonia). The assessment provides input for the preparation of management plans and proposes what kind of additional expertise and fundamental research is necessary for the preparation of management plans; analysis of the results, compilation of a summary (digital report in Estonian and English) and its introduction to the public (Annex 1, 2.1.1) . Activity 2: Conservation Management Planning Preparation and updating of inventory methodologies for habitats (habitat types listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive protected in Estonia). Inventory methodologies are prepared for lakes, springs, outcrops and caves. For all other habitats, the guidelines will be reviewed and, if necessary, updated. The completed and updated guides will be posted on the ministry’s website under the Natura 2000 network materials. The result is that there is an up-to-date guide for the inventory of all habitats (Annex 1, 2.1.3 ) ; organisation of training for the experts and specialists working in the Environmental Board carrying out inventories following the methodology and guidelines (e.g. a total of two training sessions per year ) (Annex 1, 3.1 ); ordering habitat inventories and, if necessary, expert assessments for the preparation of habitat action plans (e.g. rivers and streams, lakes, springs, outcrops and caves ) (Annex 1, 2.1.3 ); updating the data in the database ( in cooperation with the E n vironmental Agency ); p reparation of habitat action plans ( at least three action plans ), stakeholder involvement, introducing to the public (e.g. an action plan for rivers and streams, an action plan for lakes and springs, an action plan for outcrops and caves ); ordering inventories and expert assessments of habitats and protected species for the preparation of management plans (Annex 1, 2.1.3 ) ; integrating climate change issues into management plans. Discussions, seminars, training sessions (one training day per year) are organised. The guidance materials on how climate-related issues can be reflected in the management plans is compiled (Annex 1, 3.1 ) ; linking the issues of the Green Network to the preparation of management plans. Cooperation with local authorities, discussions on how local authorities can integrate management plans into general planning (one seminar per year with local authorities, i.e. four seminars). The guidelines for the preparation of management plans are supplemented by a guideline on how to integrate the green network into the management plan, a digital leaflet for local authorities (available on the website) is compiled (Annex 1, 3.1 ) ; preparation of site-based management plans, involvement of interest groups, publication of plans. The project will produce a total of 64 management plans. Activity 3: Species Protection O rder ing inventories, basic research and expert assessments for the preparation of species action plans (Annex 1, 2.1.3) . The need is determined when preparing the compilation of the action plan; on the basis of inventories, the data is organised and updated (cooperation with the Environmental Agency), the species data is updated before/at the time of preparation of the action plan; preparation and coordination of species protection action plans, stakeholder involvement, cooperation with research institutions. 60 action plans for protected species will be completed within the framework of the project; organising trainings/seminars to the specialist of the Environmental Board in order to explain the principles of the protection of species and discuss and discuss what the fundamental principles of discretionary decision making are (one training/seminar per year ) (Annex 1, 3.1 ); inventories, studies and expert assessments of species’ groups in order to find out what changes in protection categories are necessary (Annex 1, 2.1.4 ) ; preparation of proposals for amendment of protection categories to the ministry (Annex 1, 2.1.4) . Study trips to Switzerland (Annex 1, 3.1) O rganising two study trips to Switzerland (e.g. Swiss National Park): five days for six specialists each, the emphasis of one or the study trips is habitat protection and the emphasis of the other study trip is species protection . The aim of the trips is to learn about conservation management planning/strategies, habitat and species data collection, using GIS). Cooperation with other countries (Annex 1, 3.1) O rganising a study trip to Czech national parks in order to get experiences from their project activities of Swiss Support Measure, to study what the principles od habitat and species protection are in the Czech Republic; Possibility of organising similar trainings to Czech specialists in Estonia. National Procurement (according to Estonian legislation) The Environmental Board organises two national (Estonian) public procurements with open announcements per year (7 calls per project period, one in May and one in October, no longer tendered in the second half of 2027) which commission methodologies for habitat inventories; species inventories and surveys; one national ( Estonian) public procurement with an open announcement per year for the preparation of species conservation action plans (four procurements in total ); separate ongoing procurements as small purchases. Procurements are organised on the basis of the Estonian Public Procurement Act and the procedure for conducting procurements of the Environmental Board. Beneficiaries Describe briefly: Beneficiaries: who will benefit from the Programme Component directly (e.g. government agency; ministry, municipality, NGO, etc.) and/or indirectly (e.g. specific group of people, etc.). In case of a Programme Component with pilot character, make a reference to potential beneficiaries once the intervention is scaled up (after the implementation of the Programme Component). Length: ¼ page The d irect beneficiar y of the component is the Environmental Board who is responsible for the o rganization of the protection of protected areas and assessment of the efficiency of protection measures. Indirect beneficiaries are : t he Environmental Agency who can update the data of habitats and species in their database as the result of the inventories that are carried out ; the State Forest Management Centre who carr ies out protection activities on state land according to conservation management plans and action plans of habitats and species; local municipalities use the data of habitats and species and also the information provided by conservation management plans in their overall planning of green infrastructure ; the whole population of Estonia - as th e beneficiaries are public authorities, they work for the public , the aim of the component is to make conservation management more effective at the national level in order to make better environmental decisions in the future . Is the benefit of the Programme Component a national or regional benefit? National ☒ Regional ☐ If regional, indicate the benefiting NUTS-2 regions. Sustainability Describe briefly how you assure that the results of the Programme Component persist after the Programme Component has ended. In terms of financial viability; In terms of capacity building; In terms of necessary legislative and policy changes In case of an innovative Programme Component with pilot character: in terms of scalability as well as institutional policies and strategies Possibility for post-implementation monitoring Length: ¼ - ½ page The main result for the Environmental Board is that the protection effectiveness of protected areas will be assessed . The assessment will provide information how the current management planning practices can be made more effective and whe re the main drawbacks are. Hence, the process of preparing conservation management plans and national action plans for species and habitats will be more effective. The Environmental Board will be able to carry on conservation management planning using the national budget. The Support Measure will help the Environmental Board t o review its current conservation management planning practices in order to match them with contemporary needs. The expertise will remain within the Environmental Board, as the compilation of management plans and action plans will be part of our overall work. As the positions are open for all the specialist who have the required education and skills, specialist from the Environmental Board can also apply for these positions. The Environmental Board will then hire new specialists to fulfill their position s . As the project ends, the former specialists f rom the Environmental Board will remain within the Environmental Board. As the work requires special knowledge , the probability that other people who are hired to work in the proje ct will apply for the positions in the Environmental Board or other institutions who deal with similar topics is very high. Estonia will have several skilled environmental experts . All the seminars and train ing s are organised for larger audiences , other specialists from the Environmental Board will participate. O ne of the challenges for the Environmental Board is the lack of experts in Estonia who can carry out inventories and gather the data of habitats and species. In order to carry out inventories of habitats and species it is necessary to raise the level of expertise among conservation management planning and conservation management specialists in the Environmental Board . The competence of the specialists can be improved by organising seminars and study t rips in the frames of Programme. Another challenge is the opposition to conservation measures and activities among the representatives of local people and developers. So, it is necessary to involve stakeholders in the conservation planning process and find the solutions that are acceptable to the people living in or near the site. Involving stakeholders to conservation management planning can be time-consuming, so it is necessary to analyse how it should be carried out effectively and plan it regarding the specifics of the area. In the process of management planning, the Environmental Board proposes changes in the protection rules of sites in order to im prove the protection measures. Also, the proposal to change the prote ction categories of species will be prepared, updating the protection categories of species helps to choose better protection measures. Budget Provide here a detailed budget using your own format if not yet in detailed included and visible in annex. The detailed budget should allow a detailed assessment of the Programme Component expenditures (by experts in the respective fields). Therefore needed are, for all works, supplies and services as well as for management expenditures, detailed descriptions, the number of units and the assumed unit prices. Do not use more than one budget item for contingency. You may provide the budget in local currency or CHF. Detailed budget is included in the Annex 4. Risk Analysis and Risk Management Please make a risk analysis on the level of the Programme Component. Refer to 4.6 for instructions. The main risks for the Environmental Board are: Institutional reforms (risk level: low). Internal institutional reform is ongoin g in the Environmental Board, however, the project activities can be adjusted to the new structure of the ins titution; changes in legistletion (risk level: low-medium). Necessary adjustments in the programme will be made following the legislative changes. t he lack of competent experts to carry out inventories and give expert opinions (risk level: low medium ) . Accordingly, public procurements may fail. To mitigate the risk i t is necessary to plan the procurements well in orde r to provide possibilities for a wide range of experts . The period of the programme is long enough to carry out new procurements and change initial plans, the planning of procurements needs to be started right at the beginning of the programme; being unable to hire the personnel for the programme (risk level: medium low ). I t is necessary to p r ovide the salar ies that motivate, also, services can be c hosen instead . the quality of services is low (risk level: medium low). When ord ering services it is necessary to plan well ahead and provide the criteria that need to be followed . The services have to be described in detail in contracts, if work does not conform to the contract, a chance to improve the work is given. It is necessary to check the quality services offered regularly. the price of the services increases (risk level: medium high ). The budget can be overviewed, a buffer against it is planned. List here all Annexes to this form. E.g. For Small Grant Schemes: Add the Grant Mechanism Manual if there is a draft one Technical parameters of construction objects or goods Provisionally prepared tender documentation etc. # Annex N/A