Estonian Association of Spatial Planners was formed in a year 2002 in a small southern town of Viljandi.

It’s an only NGO in Estonia which encompasses spatial planners from different vocations and fields of practice – we have geographers, architects, landscape designers, urbanists, ecologists, environmentalists and other interesting specialists.

At 2021 we have around 100 members who work in public sector (local governments or ministries), private (consultants) or third sector (NGOs) as well as academics or other researchers.

The aim of the association is:

• to elaborate and promote best spatial planning practices;
• develop inner Estonian cooperation;
• mediate empirical and theoretical information between different specialists in varied fields and planning levels;
• enable regular communication platform;
• systemization and spreading of planning knowhow.

The Association’s activities are mostly attended involuntarily, but some researches or projects are funded as well.

Since 2016 Estonian Association of Spatial Planners issues the occupational qualifications for spatial planners in Estonia. We have issued approximately 40 qualifications during the period 2016-2020.

During the years, Estonian Association of Spatial Planners has been organising and participating in different activities:

• organising tuitions, conferences, seminars, summer days etc in related fields of spatial planning;
• collaborating in recreating the planning and other involved fields of law;
• invigilating and spreading information on judicial practices and decisions;
• handing out expert opinions and acting as an opinion leader in spatial planning.

One of the yearly traditions has been to organise a study trip abroad. We have mostly visited European countries and cities, but as well some places farther away: Berlin, Riga, Tampere, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Slovenia (spring 2011), Gotland (autumn 2013), United States (spring 2014), Germany (spring 2015), Iceland (summer 2016), Vienna (2017).

With every study trip we are eager to meet our colleagues abroad and get to know about different ways of planning and we are always willing to introduce Estonian spatial planning history and best practices. If You would like to visit Estonia and get to know more about it’s spatial planning, then feel free to contact us. So far, we have welcomed spatial planners from United Kingdom, Latvia, United States and Norway. If You would like to host us in Your home country, please let us know.

Our Association is also a member in European Council of Town Planners (ECTP)  from 2009.

Study trip to Iceland in 2016