The main purpose of the LIFE project was to take concrete conservation measures to improve the conservation of flying squirrels. The measures consisted of planning sites, implementing measures and monitoring impacts.

Flying squirrels need food and security to live. Suitable nesting sites in forests are cavities in aspen, twig dens in spruces (made by the red squirrel) or nest boxes. Aspen and other deciduous trees are important sources of food for the flying squirrel. Aspen is also an extremely important key species for forest biodiversity, which means that a large number of forest species depend entirely on it.

In Finland, we improved the continuity of aspen generations for the future by safeguarding aspen seedling establishment and growth. We also built and set flying squirrel nest boxes both in Finland and Estonia.

Aspen continuity in nature reserves and commercial forests (A8)

Aspen continuity means that aspens of different ages are available in the same area as food and shelter. The situation of available aspens representing various age classes, especially of large aspens, is worrying: there are extensive areas that will have to wait a hundred years before the next generation of large aspen trees reaches maturity, and some areas have scarcely any seedlings at all.

The aspen is a pioneer tree that needs open space to grow. We removed pines and broke the raw humus (mor) at some sites to make room for growth. At some of the sites, we also fenced seedlings for 10-15 years, so they can grow into young trees without being disturbed by herbivories.

In Finland we had 16 aspen continuity sites in state owned land. Ten of them are located in Natura 2000 areas and the rest in commercial forests. Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland was responsible of the plans of the Natura 2000 areas, although local ELY-Centers approved the plans. Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd was responsible of the aspen continuity sites in commercial forests and the plans were done as part of the forest management plans. Summary of measures implemented in aspen continuity sites (pdf 3,7 Mb, in English).

Nest boxes (A9)

In Northeastern Estonia, 250 nest boxes were placed to support the function of flying squirrel habitat networks with the help of new nesting possibilities. The nest boxes were placed particularly along movement corridors between habitat sites, mainly on Estonian state-owned land (Riigimetsa Majandamise Keskus/State Forest Management Center).

New nature reserves (B1)

During the project, the ELY Centres for North Karelia, North Savo and Southwest Finland established three new nature conservation areas covering a total of 33 hectares.