Matsalu National Park

Lääne County, Estonia

---

Matsalu National Park is a large wetland‑rich national park in western Estonia, mainly in Lääne County with parts extending into Pärnu County, covering about 486 square kilometers around Matsalu Bay, the Kasari River delta, and numerous small islands and shoals.

Originally established as Matsalu Nature Reserve in 1957 and later upgraded to national‑park status in 2004, it is best known as one of Europe’s most important bird areas, with more than 270 recorded species and a key stopover on the East Atlantic Flyway where over two million migratory birds pass through or pause each year.

The park protects extensive floodplain meadows, coastal grasslands, alvars, reed beds, and wooded meadows, many of which are rare or disappearing elsewhere in Europe, while also safeguarding the cultural landscape of the Väinameri region.

Matsalu is a Ramsar‑listed wetland of international importance and has received recognition such as the European Diploma of Protected Areas, making it a premier destination for birdwatching, hiking, and nature photography in the Baltic.