Developing the network of protected areas through the METSO programme
One of the METSO programme’s objectives is for landowners to voluntarily offer up areas, altogether equalling 96,000 hectares, either temporarily or permanently, for conservation – for a compensation. In addition, according to a government decision, 10,000 hectares of state-owned managed forests will be used to expand the conservation areas. These areas will remain permanently under conservation.
Expanding conservation areas by 10,000 hectares
In autumn 2008, Metsähallitus started up a project for expanding conservation areas with significance for maintaining the biodiversity of forests by 10,000 hectares. The work was completed in March 2009.
104 managed forest areas, mainly situated in Southern Finland, were given permanent conservation status. The total surface area of the conservation areas is 13,600 hectares of which 10,043 hectares fulfil the project criteria.
Mainly extensive areas which complement the existing conservation areas and support biodiversity have been chosen. Metsähallitus’s experts and information systems, environmental organisations’ conservation proposals as well as the Zonation software developed by Helsinki University researchers have been used in selecting the areas.
Almost all of the areas are located in the vicinity of existing conservation areas and they are used to augment the state-owned network of protected areas and improve the areas’ connectivity. Protected forests are created from the areas chosen for conservation and they are permanently removed from forestry use.
The value of the areas to be protected was also calculated in the project. The total value of the 10,043 hectares of land and forest to be protected was EUR 35 million. The conservation of the areas reduces logging opportunities by 35,000 cubic metres per year. The removal of the areas from forestry use will also reduce the number of jobs in the forest sector by 60 person-years.
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