Transcript Document

May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
1
METSO - Forest Biodiversity Programme
for Southern Finland 2008-2016
METSO is both an acronym for the Finnish name of the Forest Biodiversity Programme for
Southern Finland, and the Finnish name of the capercaillie, a rare forest game bird
May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
2
Background - The area of strictly
protected forests is high in Finland
MCPFE classes: 1.1. = no interventions, 1.2. = minimal interventions, 1.3. = active management.
Data for Germany, Estonia and Luxembourg included in Natura 2000 areas.
Sources: State of Europe's Forests 2007. State of Finland's Forests 2007
May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
3
Background – Most of protected areas
are located in Northern Finland

The numerous protection
programmes and decisions
in Finland have contributed
to a three-fold increase in
the area of protected forests
in the last 30 years
Nature conservation areas by forest vegetation zones.
Source: State of Finland's Forests 2007.
May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
4
Background - Forests in Finland

Finland is the most forested country in the EU, with 74% of the land
area covered by forest

In Southern Finland, 72% of forests are owned by private families

About one in every six Finns is a forest owner (920.000 owners,
440.000 holdings)

Small-scale forestry: average holding size is about 24 hectares

Sustainable forestry: annual growth about 100 million m3 and drain
about 70 million m3

Certified forestry: 95% of forests PEFC-certified

Safeguarding biodiversity in Finnish forests highlighted, further action in
Southern Finland needed -> METSO’s voluntary schemes
May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
5
METSO Programme; The goal

May 2008
The new METSO Programme aims to halt the ongoing decline in the
biodiversity of forest habitats and species, and establish favourable
trends in Southern Finland’s forest ecosystems by 2016, in line with
internationally defined biodiversity targets
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
6
Objectives
 Improving Finland’s network of protected areas
 Continuing and enhancing application of nature management
methods in commercially managed forests
 Improving the knowledge base
 Collaboration between forest and environmental organizations,
advice to forest owners, training of professionals and
communication
May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
7
Framework for METSO Programme
May 2008

International dimension: METSO Programme is an integral part of
Finland’s implementation of various international agreements (CBD,
UNFF, MCPFE, etc.)

Part of Finland’s National Forest Programme

Pilot phase 2003 – 2007

Government resolution issued March 2008, including decision on
funding METSO Programme (182 million € for budget period 2009 –
2012) and to complete existing nature conservation programmes

METSO Programme aims to apply cost-effective measures to acquire
the most ecologically valuable forest sites in southern Finland for
temporary conservation or permanent protection
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
8
Programme elements
1. Ecological site selection criteria; significant wooded habitats, particularly significant
structural features
2. Restoration and nature management of habitats in protected areas
3. Development of Finland’s network of protected areas
4. Safeguarding biodiversity in privately-owned forests; nature management plans,
subsidies for natural values in commercially managed forests, changes in forest
legislation
5. Cooperation network
6. Natural values trading and related cooperation
7. Nature management measures in commercially managed State forests
8. Ensuring biodiversity in municipal recreation forests and State hiking areas
9. Advice to forest owners and training of forest professionals
10. Communications
11. Improving the knowledge base
12. Developing monitoring, information systems and statistics
13. Inventories of habitats and species
14. Monitoring and evaluation of Programme
May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
9
Selection criteria
Significant wooded habitats for biodiversity include:










Herb-rich forests
Heathland forests with plenty of decaying wood
Forests adjacent to springs and pools
Wooded mires and the wooded margins of open mires
Swampy woodlands and wooded flood meadows
Sunlit slopes on sandy esker ridges
Biodiversity sites along emergent coastlines
Wooded heritage biotopes
Wooded habitats on calcium-rich bedrock and ultra-alkaline soil
Wooded cliffs, bluffs and boulder fields important for biodiversity
Particularly significant structural features, ecological orientations and other habitat features:








May 2008
Decaying wood: decayed fallen trees, dead standing trees, stumps, snags, holed trees,
windthrows
Large, old deciduous trees: aspens, birches, goat willows, rowans
Trees of southern broad-leaved species
Burnt wood from large trees
Features associated with herb-rich woodland, spruce mires, springs, high moisture
levels, swampy terrain and fens
Influence of groundwater or calcium, nutrient-rich bedrock
Natural or easily restorable hydrological conditions
Diversity of tree species and ages, openness of the canopy layer
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
10
Schedule of implementation
May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
11
Natural values trading

Cooperation between regional environmental centres and forestry centres; annually a
joint invitation to tender natural values based on ecological selection criteria; taylormade
for each region; intensified marketing for specific conservation needs

Cooperation with forest management associations

Protection measures initiated by landowner

Reciving tenders includes a survey of basic information on the site

Good and comprehensive information for authorities facilitates procedure

On-the-spot visits; application of ecological criteria; assessment and calculation for sale
price or compensation to be paid

Landowners have opportunity to present their views on compensation or price to be paid

If agreement, preparation of transaction and/or concluding the contract for
establishment of private protected area or a contract for
a specific time period
May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
12
METSO - a new way of thinking

METSO has brought a new way of thinking to Finnish nature conservation

Innovative voluntary means for landowners to promote biodiversity against
compensation

A radical shift away from the designation of protected areas by the authorities to
voluntary conservation agreements based on supply and demand factors

Forest-owners are now increasingly responding to society’s desire to preserve
ecologically valuable forest habitats by offering their forests for temporary
conservation or permanent protection

The crucial difference is that such conservation is voluntary

Instead of acquiring sites for protection on a compulsory basis, the authorities call
for landowners to offer ecologically valuable sites in their forests for conservation,
through negotiated agreements that leave both parties satisfied
Implementation through ecologically effective,
voluntary and cost-effective means
May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
13
For more information on METSO Programme:
http://wwwb.mmm.fi/metso/international/
http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/frontpage/forests/metso.html
Thank you!
May 2008
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
14