metsähallitus 20061 metsähallitus ecosystem services in forestry

Metsähallitus 20061

Metsähallitus

Ecosystem services in Forestry


Metsähallitus's lands and waters

State (Metsähallitus)CompaniesOther Private forest owners

Ownership of forest land in Finland

Forest land in managed forests, 3.5 million ha

Poorly productive and non-productive land, 1.5 million ha (excluded from forestry)

Protected areas, wilderness reserves and other areas, 4.0 million ha

Water areas, 3.4 million haPublic water areas

In total 12.4 million ha


Organisation

Metsähallitus operates primarily within the framework laid down by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; Metsähallitus's nature conservation duties are guided by the Ministry of the Environment.

Board of Directors

Metsähallitus's Managing Director

Business operations Public administration duties

Forestry Forest use Deliveries to customersWild NorthLaatumaa

Natural Heritage ServicesProtected area managementGame and fisheriesNature conservationRecreational use of nature

Subsidiaries: Morenia OyForelia Oy and Siemen Forelia Oy

Group units and Service Centre


Key business figures 2006

• Turnover EUR 268 million• Profit EUR 72 million • Contribution to state revenue EUR 65 million• Person-years 2,003

Nature tours

Seed and seedling cultivation

Land and plot sales

Sale of soil resources

Forestry

Distribution of turnover by business sector


Forestry – the primary business

• Wood production and supplying wood to industry on a full-service basis.

• Customers consist of some one hundred sawmills and pulp and paper mills.

• Turnover approx. EUR 225 million, 85% of the Group's total turnover.

• The Forestry unit makes use of 38% of state lands– felling volume 4.7 million m3/a.

• Our special strength areas:– modern information systems– flexible deliveries– environmental expertise


Ecosystem services - definition

• resources like – food, – wood and – other raw materials

• services such as – pollination of crops, – prevention of soil erosion or – water purification.

“the benefits people derive from Ecosystems”


The Concept of Sustainability in Forestry

• The concept of long-term sustainability was defined in forestry science over two centuries ago. This has helped the development of a broader concept.

• The Brundtland report 1987: Satisfying the present day needs while ensuring the needs of the future generations.

• UNCED 1992, Rio de Janeiro

• The ministerial conference in Helsinki 1993: ”biodiversity, productivity, regeneration, vitality and enable to produce significant ecological, economical and social functions on local, national and global levels now as well as in the future without endangering other ecosystems.


The Dimensions of SustainabilityTime

Presence

SpaceCommun Region State Continent Ecozone

Elements

Economic

Social

Ecologic

Social Responsibility


The Pan-European Criteria (Helsinki Process)

Forest resources +

global carbon cycles

Forest health and vitality

Biological diversity

Socio-economic aspects

Productive functions of

forests

Protective functions of

forests

Sustainable Forest

Management


Interpretations of Sustainability

Biased interpretations weighting the views serving the interests of the respective party

Economically weighted interpretation: economical sustainability enables ecological approach and is a prerequisite

for social sustainability and hence of the first priority

Environmentally weighted interpretation: ecological sustainability is an absolute prerequisite of both economical

and social sustainability and hence of the first priority


Sustainability as a Process

The present day interpretation of sustainability is a multigenerational one: the needs of the present generation can

be satisfied if the rights of the future generations are guaranteed.

In practice the future generations as well as the “nature” are not present parties: the solutions must be found here and now.

The sustainability in the form of ecosystem benefits and impacts materialises itself as a socio-economical process


Ecosystem services - Metsähallitus

• The demand is higher than production potential.• The decisions on the production, distribution and use of these

resources must be made in the democratic political decision-making system of Finland.

• These services include among others– Timber for sawmills and pulp mills– Pure surface and ground waters– Biodiversity in general– Game– Pastures and other provisions for reindeer husbandry in Northern

Finland– Scenic values for nature tourism and for recreational use– Bioenergy– Non-wood forest products– Buffer against tundra in the north

The concept is ”anthropogenic”


The Act of Metsähallitus

Metsähallitus is to fulfill certain general societal obligations among its business operations. These obligations are:

1. to respect biodiversity, 2. to enhance recreational use of state forests, 3. to enhance employment, 4. to follow the obligations set in the Act on reindeer

husbandry - pastures and other provisions 5. to take into account the Sámi cultural heritage.


Biodiversity

Site specific• Occurences of species (threatened and other)• Key biotopes: herb-rich forests, old-growth forests,… • Ecological connections defined in the landscape ecological

plans• Biodiversity enhancement areas

Operational• Retention trees• Buffer zones along all the watercourses• Transition zones between heathlands and open mires• Valuable habitats delineated in the operational planning• Low productive areas• Extra labour costs


Recreational use

• Scenery• Cultural areas• Game habitats• Environmental forests• Hiking areas• Recreational and outdoor activity areas• Holiday and nature tourism areas


Reindeer husbandry incl. Sámi homeland area

• Important pasture areas – no forestry (regeneration fellings)

• Other limitations – logging arrangements


The Inputs - BiodiversityArea, ha Volume, m3

No Forestry 149 300 ha 19 207 000 m3

Selective + other ”unconventional” fellings

13 500 ha 1 531 500 m3

Fellings for higher volumes of retention trees

20 700 ha 1 759 400 m3

TOTAL 183 500 ha 22 742 400 m3

Other limitations 32 600 ha 1 913 700 m3


The Inputs – Recreational useArea, ha Volume, m3

Scenery 131 500 ha 11 241 600 m3

Cultural areas 17 600 ha 1 532 700 m3

Game habitats 104 900 ha 9 399 100 m

Environmental forests 6400 ha 704 700 m3

Hiking areas 8000 ha 1 142 400 m3

Recreational and outdoor activity areas

50 400 ha 4 481 500 m3

Holiday and nature tourism areas

11 700 ha 1 325 800 m3

TOTAL 330 500 ha 29 827 800 m3


The Inputs – Recreational useArea, ha Volume, m3

Pastures – no loggings 63 500 ha 4 502 800 m3

Other limitations – logging arrangements

16 800 ha 1 248 900m3

TOTAL 80 300 ha 5 751 700 m3


The value of the input in 2007

Site-specific

Extra Planning

costs

Other costs

TOTAL

Biodiversity 27,4 milj. € 1,7 milj. € 29,1 milj. €

Recreation 8,6 milj. € 0,8 milj. € 9,4 milj. €

Reindeer husbandry incl. Sámi homeland area

1,6 milj. € 0,6 milj. € 1,7 milj. €

3,9 milj. €

TOTAL 37,6 milj. €

27,4 milj. € 1,7 milj. €

42,4 milj. €


The benefits

The threatened species of Finland 2000

The threatened speciesTheir habitatsThe identified threats


Thank you for your attention!

metsähallitus 20061 metsähallitus ecosystem services in forestry

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