In: Jongman, R.H.G. & Pungetti, G. (Eds.) New Paradigms in Landscape Planning: Ecological Networks and Greenways . Cambridge University Press, pp. 151-170. 1 Design of the Pan-European Ecological Network: A national level attempt Kalle Remm 1 , Mart Külvik 2,3 , Ülo Mander 2 and Kalev Sepp 3 1 Institute of Geography, University of Tartu, 46 Vanemuise St., 51014 Tartu, Estonia Phone: +372 7 375076, Fax: +372 7 375825, E-mail: kalle_r@ut.ee 2 Institute of Geography, University of Tartu, 46 Vanemuise St., 51014 Tartu, Estonia Phone: +372 7 375819, Fax: +372 7 375825, E-mail: mander@ut.ee 3 Environmental Protection Institute, Estonian Agricultural University, 4 Akadeemia St. 51003, Tartu, Estonia; Phone: +372 7 427435, Fax: +372 7 427432 E-mail: mart@envinst.ee , sepp@envinst.ee Abstract The main objective of this paper is to present a national level attempt at designing the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN) that is based on Estonian data from a one square kilometre grid. We propose an ecological network design comprising of three principal layers: (1) general topographical features like coastlines, the water network, major roads, and place names for locating the depicted network, (2) habitat- based field of suitability for the ecological network, calculated from network values of landscape features using a predefined algorithm, (3) ecological network as an administrative decision. The second layer serves as a tool supporting decision making while the third layer consists of traditional components of an ecological network, like core areas, corridors, buffer zones, and nature development/restoration areas. The CORINE land cover map, which was adjusted and supplemented using the soil and landscape data, served as the base for PEEN habitat classification. All habitats, linear structures and designated areas were ranked according to their expert-assessed values (from 0 to 10) based on their naturalness, rarity, and potential influence on biodiversity and landscapes. These values served as a basis for calculating the suitability (ranging from –3.65 to +3.75 in our study area) of each square kilometre for the ecological network. Ranking the suitability allows one to distinguish between the core areas, buffer zones and nature development areas. Suitability values were calculated including the influence of designated areas and without it. The natural suitability was calculated without the designated areas. The most common suitability for the ecological network in Estonia was found to be between 1.0 and 1.5. As a rule, the ecological network suitability of protected areas is higher than that of non-protected areas. The mean natural suitability value of square kilometres which contain more than 80% protected territory is 1.34, and the mean natural suitability of those square kilometres which do not include protected areas, is 0.819. The relative amount of protected areas per square kilometre decreases if the natural suitability for the ecological network decreases. Nearly a half (47.4%) of ecologically highly valuable areas in Estonia are under nature protection. On the other hand, it means that more than a half are not protected. We found a great similarity between the suitability map for the ecological network (both with and without including the designated areas) and the expert-made map of the ecological (green) network presented in the work on "Vision for Estonia 2010".