Goals | Mabestonia

FOCUS THEMES OF THE STRATEGY

Our focus revolves around three essential themes that are at the core of our mission:

1. Natural Environment: Preserving the natural diversity of our region is of utmost importance to us. We cherish and highly value the richness of our ecosystems and work diligently to ensure they remain intact and thriving within our society.

2. Green Economy: As pioneers in the green economy, our region strives to be an innovative and competitive leader. We firmly believe sustainable practices can drive economic growth and create a better future for future generations.

3. Cultural Space: Thriving communities are the heart of our region. We take pride in preserving our cultural heritage and actively utilise these traditions to foster strong and vibrant societies.

To achieve our vision, we have developed a comprehensive strategy with clear objectives for the year 2030:

1. Awareness and Visibility: Our biosphere reserve is well-known and recognized among locals and visitors who share our passion for sustainable development.

2. Education and Science: We integrate the objectives of the biosphere reserve into educational curricula and activities, ensuring that future generations are inspired to protect and cherish our natural and cultural treasures. Scientific research further supports the development of our biosphere reserve.

3. Sustainable Solutions: As a pilot area for sustainable nature use, green economy, and cultural enrichment, we strive to lead by example and inspire others to follow suit.

4. Network and Governance: We believe that inclusive and sustainable management is crucial. Our broad-based collaborative network ensures that diverse voices are heard and involved in shaping the future of our biosphere reserve.

AWARENESS AND VISIBILITY

Action Directions: 1.1 Contribute to the appreciation of the biosphere reserve in society by implementing activities to raise awareness and involve various stakeholders. 1.2 Develop a unified message strategy to introduce the biosphere reserve to the local community, the wider Estonian audience, and international visitors. The message strategy will be based on distinctive stories (storytelling) derived from the cultural and natural heritage of Western Estonia, incorporating messages for community engagement and marketing messages targeted externally. Engage businesses in raising awareness of the opportunities the biosphere reserve offers and integrating biosphere reserve principles into product and service development. 1.3 Promote the use of the biosphere reserve logo and messages within the community, including engagement from entrepreneurs, local municipalities, and tourism service providers. Enhance the presence and visibility of the biosphere reserve in public spaces in the Western Estonian islands, including meaningful media collaboration with local media outlets. 1.4 Develop and implement a communication plan for the biosphere reserve in collaboration with the involved network, including reaching agreements on the development and use of central communication channels (such as a central biosphere reserve website, biosphere reserve coverage on local municipality and development center websites, social media channels, etc.). 1.5 Prepare and implement events, exhibitions, and expositions introducing the biosphere reserve. Encourage joint initiatives, circulation of exhibitions, and the placement of various formats of informational materials (both physical and digital) in the regions. 1.6 Develop and disseminate guiding materials that support the achievement of biosphere reserve objectives, targeting specific groups and increasing awareness. This includes guidelines for environmentally friendly event management, sustainable tourism guidelines, foundations for sustainable coastal fishing, guidelines for using the biosphere reserve logo, etc.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

Action Directions: 2.1 Integrating the objectives of the biosphere reserve and sustainable development goals into the curriculum of educational institutions (kindergartens, schools, vocational training institutions), establishing close collaboration with educational institutions to launch joint projects, and involving children and youth in the implementation of the sustainable development goals. Developing educational materials (textbooks, workbooks, digital learning resources) that introduce the biosphere reserve to schools. 2.2 Covering biosphere reserve-related topics and integrating them with other areas (such as youth entrepreneurship, cultural studies, local history, environmental studies, physical education, and sports) through non-formal education, including extracurricular activities. Collaborating with student groups to connect young innovative business ideas with the principles of sustainable development. 2.3 Developing adult education and lifelong learning opportunities and integrating them more closely with the objectives of the biosphere reserve. Collaborating with partners to develop training programs, citizen science and workshop formats related to the biosphere reserve to enhance people's skills and knowledge. 2.4 Strengthening cooperation with universities to popularize fields of study that align with the objectives of the biosphere reserve, inspiring young people to explore the Western Estonian islands, coastal areas, and broader biosphere-related topics. Collaborating with universities to initiate research and applied studies related to the biosphere reserve (including international joint projects with other biosphere reserves) and recognizing outstanding research projects related to the biosphere reserve. 2.5 Conducting impact assessments related to the biosphere reserve, evaluating the current status and development needs of environmental, economic, and cultural topics in the region, identifying the biosphere reserve's social, economic, cultural, and environmental impacts, and making recommendations for enhancing the program's activities. Conducting a nature inventory of the biosphere reserve.

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

Action Directions: 3.1 Implement pilot projects and initiatives focused on achieving the objectives of the biosphere reserve and supporting sustainable development, including sustainable energy, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, education, culture, creative industries, tourism, construction, planning, and other related areas. 3.2 Comprehensive support for environmental conservation and sustainable resource use to increase the share of organic farming, utilize and enhance local natural resources, achieve energy efficiency and a higher proportion of renewable energy sources, ensure sustainable management of traditional landscapes, support biodiversity, promote sustainable forest use (including introducing Responsible Forest Management certification opportunities), preserve marine resources, and create better conditions for coping with climate change. 3.3 Promote green and circular economy solutions and encourage the adoption of sustainable consumption habits, facilitate the exchange of good practices, implement awareness-raising campaigns, and support the implementation of environmentally friendly business models. 3.4 Support culture, creativity, and creative industries to ensure sustainable development and the vitality of the cultural space, implement cultural projects and events, preserve the spiritual and material cultural heritage of the islands, collaborate with local cultural and memory institutions, reflect biosphere reserve themes in museums and libraries, and contribute to the development of biosphere reserve visitor centers. 3.5 Develop nature-based and heritage-based tourism products and services based on green and sustainable tourism principles, considering the national tourism strategy and its priority focus areas, namely cultural, natural, and food tourism development.

NETWORK AND GOVERNANCE

Action Directions: 4.1 Developing a broad-based collaboration network and organizing its work. The network includes representatives from the government, local municipalities, third-sector organizations, and businesses from all biosphere reserve areas. 4.2 Implementing an updated governance model for coordinating the biosphere reserve, developing a performance evaluation system (including defining indicators, baseline, and target levels), and reaching an agreement on funding mechanisms between the government and local municipalities. 4.3 Local municipalities forming the biosphere reserve have the most strategic role in achieving the objectives of the biosphere reserve. It is crucial to enhance cooperation with all municipalities, develop regular collaboration formats to bring different communities together, and implement joint initiatives. It is essential to incorporate the objectives of the biosphere reserve and support activities into the development plans of all local municipalities and regional development strategies. 4.4 Collaborating with government agencies and organizations to secure funding for biosphere reserve projects and initiatives. This includes prioritizing projects aligned with the biosphere reserve objectives by local LEADER groups and directing funding from the Environmental Investment Centre (KIK) and the Agricultural Registers and Information Board (PRIA) towards implementing the action plan of the Western Estonian Islands biosphere reserve as a model area for sustainable development. 4.5 Developing international cooperation with other biosphere reserves in the Baltic Sea region and beyond, including initiating and participating in joint projects and exchanging best practices.