Silma Nature Reserve covers the bays on Haapsalu and former area of the strait, that did divide Noarootsi peninsula from the main land. The Nature Reserve was created in 1998 and the surface area is 4 780 ha. The main task of the nature reserve is to protect and maintain shallow sea, coastal lagoons, reed-bed, meadows and the biota of these habitats.

The administrator of the nature reserve is Silma Nature Reserve Administrator. The management plan (2004-2008) to develop the nature reserve was fixed in 2004. On Silma Nature Reserve there are three LIFE-Nature project areas: Kudani, Kulani and Tagalaht.

From Habitat Directive’s 92/43/EEC I appendix following habitat types appear on Silma Nature Reserve: Coastal lagoons (1150), Large shallow inlets and bays (1160), Boreal Baltic islets and small islands (1620), Boreal Baltic coastal meadows (1630), Nordic alvars and Precambrian calcareous flatrocks (6280) and Alkaline fens (7230).

Kulani coastal meadow

One vascular plant from Habitats Directive’s I appendix that grows on Silma is Liparis loeselii. From Bird Directive I appendix on the nature reserve nest or stop on migration Gavia stellata, G. arctica, Cygnus columbianus, C. cygnus, Branta leucopsis, Anser erythropus, Mergus albellus, Haliaeetus albicilla, Pandion haliaetus, Circus aeruginosus, Tetrao tetrix, Crex crex, Grus grus, Recurvirostra avosetta, Pluvialis apricaria, Calidris alpina, Philomachus pugnax, Limosa lapponica, Tringa glareola, Phalaropus lobatus, Sterna caspia, S. sandvicensis, S. hirundo, S. paradisaea, S. albifrons, Chlidonias niger, Alcedo atthis, Sylvia nisoria and Lanius collurio.