Rare and threatened plant communities of Estonia

This paper introduces the criteria for identifying rare and threatened plant communities in Estonia. An overview of such communities is given and the general problems associated with their protection are briefly discussed. Of forest communities, alvar forests and boreo-nemoral forests must be preserved very carefully. Once widely distributed minerotrophic mobile-water swamp forests and flood plain forests nowadays cover only a small area. Numerous rare communities are associated with coastal regions and islands. Wooded meadows, the most species rich vascular plant communities in northern Europe, as well as flooded meadows and many other communities require continuation of traditional management for their preservation.