Rare and threatened plant communities of Estonia

This paper introduces the criteria for identifying rare and threatened plan t 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 preser ved very carefully. Once widely distributed minerotrophic mobile-water swam p forests and flood plain forests nowadays cover only a small area. Numerou s rare communities are associated with coastal regions and islands. Wooded meadows, the most species rich vascular plant communities in northern Europ e, as well as flooded meadows and many other communities require continuati on of traditional management for their preservation.