METSO - Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland 2008-2016

1. Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

2. 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 Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

3. 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 Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

4. 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. Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

5. 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 Background - Forests in Finland Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

6. 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 METSO Programme; The goal Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

7. 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 Objectives Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

8. 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 Framework for METSO Programme Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

9. Ecological site selection criteria; significant wooded habitats, particularly significant structural features Restoration and nature management of habitats in protected areas Development of Finland’s network of protected areas Safeguarding biodiversity in privately-owned forests; nature management plans, subsidies for natural values in commercially managed forests, changes in forest legislation Cooperation network Natural values trading and related cooperation Nature management measures in commercially managed State forests Ensuring biodiversity in municipal recreation forests and State hiking areas Advice to forest owners and training of forest professionals Communications Improving the knowledge base Developing monitoring, information systems and statistics Inventories of habitats and species Monitoring and evaluation of Programme Programme elements Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

10. 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: 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 Selection criteria Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

11. Schedule of implementation Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

12. 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 Natural values trading Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

13. 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 METSO - a new way of thinking Implementation through ecologically effective, voluntary and cost-effective means Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

14. http://wwwb.mmm.fi/metso/international/ http://www.mmm.fi/en/index/frontpage/forests/metso.html For more information on METSO Programme: Thank you! Finland’s Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry