Changing natural and human impacts on the development of coastal land cover in Estonia

The structure of coastal land cover in Estonia is variable and shows considerable differences from site to site. The diverse geomorphology of the seashores is one of the key factors causing different velocity and magnitude of changes while the country's history of settling the coast has also shaped the character of land cover. The main objectives of the current paper are: 1) to give an overview of land use and the trends of development of land cover pattern in different parts of the Estonia's coast; 2) to analyze the relationships of natural and man-induced processes and their cumulative impact on the evolution of coastal land cover pattern in Estonia. The current paper focuses mainly on changes in land cover in agricultural areas and on small islands. In predominating agricultural coastal areas, the traditional open landscape of fields and grassland in the beginning of the 20th century has been replaced by woodland and grassland with shrubs by the start of the 21st century. Expansion of reed beds in the areas of former seashore grasslands is another striking phenomenon. The evolution of the landscapes on small islands is strongly dependent on the character of their formation and is well reflecting the relationships of vegetation, topography and moisture conditions. Cessation of traditional land use, rapid increase in coastal population and expansion of built-up areas in recent decades, together with higher storm activity, create stresses on the coast that threaten both nature and man