Protected areas are excluded from logging
One of the key measures to safeguard forest biodiversity is the protection of environmentally valuable areas.
"These areas are typically entirely excluded from commercial forestry in Finland," says Sami Oksa, UPM Forest and Timber's Stakeholder Relations Director in Finland.
When a decision is made to protect an area, the information is recorded into the protection database maintained by the Finnish Environment Institute, from where it can be downloaded for use by various parties. At UPM, this data is used as part of our geographic information system.
Some protection data is confidential and only released by authorities
"In such cases, UPM receives information about the protected sites when we plan our logging and submit the legally required “forest use declaration” to the Forest Centre. The “forest use declaration” is used to apply for a logging permit for a specific forest area.
If there is a protected site known only to the authorities in or adjacent to the area of the planned logging, the Forest Centre will also notify the ELY Centre (Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment). The ELY Centre then instructs the company to exclude the protected site from logging, as well as to establish sufficient buffer zones and take other measures to preserve the site's conservation value," Oksa explains.
UPM has used the protection data maintained by the Finnish Environment Institute as part of its geoinformation programs to ensure the preservation of protected areas and the smooth implementation of measures. The data is continuously updated in the company's systems to ensure that the latest information is always available.
Valuable habitats are safeguarded
Forests are diverse habitats. Even in a small area, variations in ground shapes and soil fertility create different growth environments, ranging from barren rocks to lush and wet depressions. Valuable habitats are often small in size and distinct from the surrounding nature; examples of these habitats include lush groves, springs, or treeless open bogs.
"Some valuable habitats are legally protected, while others are sites based on voluntary forest certification or forest management guidelines. Landowners or logging planners may not necessarily have prior knowledge of these valuable habitats, but they must be identified and protected during the planning of logging," Oksa explains.
"When a valuable habitat is identified during logging planning, it is recorded in UPM's geographic information system. This way, the site is visible on the map to the machine operator, who excludes the site from logging. Forest owners can also provide UPM with the protection data for their forest property, allowing previously identified valuable habitats to be effectively considered already in the logging planning phase."
Species protection requires expertise
Forests are a habitat for nearly half of Finland's species. Most of these species are viable, but there are also slightly over 800 endangered species. Endangered species are taken into account in various ways in forest management. For some species, such as the flying squirrel and the osprey, precise guidelines exist on how to preserve their habitats if logging is conducted in areas where these species have been sighted. For other species, plans are made on a case-by-case basis. Measures range from excluding the site from use to leaving deadwood and retention trees in the area.
Some endangered species have been placed under a strict protection order by decree. For these species, the ELY Centre can make protection decisions to secure their habitats. In such cases, the site is declared a protected area and becomes part of the protection data. The landowner is then entitled to compensation for not being able to carry out logging in this area.
Some endangered species are mammals, but the majority are small, even microscopic organisms that cannot be detected without prior knowledge or expertise.
"UPM uses the endangered species data maintained by the Finnish Environment Institute, which allows for the consideration of previously observed endangered species when planning logging," Oksa says.
Nature management in commercial forests aims to ensure biodiversity in the long term
Nature management in commercial forests involves preserving and increasing structural features which are valuable for biodiversity, such as deadwood or rare deciduous trees, or managing valuable habitats. For example, deadwood is the most significant structural feature that enhances forest biodiversity.
Deadwood is increased by leaving retention trees and creating buffer zones near water bodies in the forest when logging is conducted. Over time, the trees die and become deadwood. As they decay, they create habitats for decomposers, mosses, and insects, including endangered species. The change does not happen quickly, as many endangered species require a specific type and age of deadwood. However, time does its work. Every tree left for nature is valuable.
The management of habitats is another key measure to ensure biodiversity. Controlled burning of forests and the management of eskers create habitats for fire-dependent species and for species that compete for light with trees on eskers.
"UPM implements nature management measures in commercial forests as part of its everyday operations in every logging area. By doing so, we are creating opportunities to both utilize forests commercially and to protect and enhance the biodiversity of commercial forests far into the future," Oksa explains.
