Maret Vildak

I am an environmental expert with over 20 years of experience in nature conservation at the Environmental Board of Estonia. My work focuses on protected areas, including Lahemaa National Park, and I have been serving as the head of the Lahemaa National Park Cooperation Council since 2011. My daily work involves setting conditions for the sustainable use of natural resources in protected areas and their surrounding zones. This includes both regulatory responsibilities and active engagement with local communities, as well as providing guidance and consultation on nature conservation issues. My academic background is in geography, which provides a strong foundation for understanding climate change, its drivers, and its practical implications. I see climate resilience and heritage preservation as closely interconnected: in addition to traditional settlement patterns, building techniques, and landscape use, the restoration of ecosystems previously altered by human activity—such as re-establishing natural hydrological regimes in peatlands and wet forests—is an important part of adapting to changing environmental conditions.