Puhatu Nature Reserve is a nature reserve situated eastern

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

, in

Ida-Viru County Ida-Viru County ( et, Ida-Viru maakond or ''Ida-Virumaa'') is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is the most north-eastern part of the country. The county contains large deposits of oil shale - the main mineral mined in Estonia. Oil shale is used ...

. The nature reserve is centred on one of the largest wetlands in Estonia, composed of

mire A mire, peatland, or quagmire is a wetland area dominated by living peat-forming plants. Mires arise because of incomplete decomposition of organic matter, usually litter from vegetation, due to water-logging and subsequent anoxia. All types ...

s, alluvial forest and the Poruni River. The wetland has decreased due to

oil shale Oil shale is an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock containing kerogen (a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds) from which liquid hydrocarbons can be produced. In addition to kerogen, general composition of oil shales constitute ...

mining, peat production and drainage. The nature reserve is the home of 21 different protected species of plants, and a number of unusual mammals and birds, including three kinds of eagle. The reserve also serves as an important stopover for migratory species. A study trail has been constructed for visitors.

References

Nature reserves in Estonia Geography of Hiiu County {{Estonia-geo-stub