Environment

We safeguard biodiversity

We examine state-owned land areas as a whole in which nature reserves and the ecologically most important nature sites in multiple-use forests constitute a nationwide ecological network. In terms of species and landscape, the sites in the network are vital to the preservation of biodiversity in our country.

Development in the status of biodiversity is monitored annually using a biodiversity index jointly developed by the business units. The index describes trends in key structural biodiversity features, such as the amount of decaying wood, as well as the impact of measures to preserve and enhance biodiversity, including actions to preserve and restore nature sites.

We mitigate climate change and adapt to it

Finland has made a commitment to implement the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and Finland’s aim is to be carbon-neutral by 2035. We are contributing to the implementation of these goals, and our activities strive to mitigate climate change and adapt to the changing conditions caused by climate change by developing the necessary resources and expertise.

In early 2019, we launched a climate programme as part of our responsibility policy. The main target in state-owned areas is to

• nurture and strengthen carbon sinks and stores
• investigate possibilities to produce renewable raw materials and provide opportunities to produce renewable energy to save and replace fossil raw materials and reduce emissions in society’s value chains
• to save and replace fossil raw materials and energy in Metsähallitus operations
• to safeguard the functionality of ecosystem services and utilise the opportunities they offer in terms of mitigating climate change and adapting to it.