Entrepreneur highlights challenges of protecting biodiversity in Finnish forestry practices

A tick lands on the operator’s jacket and begins to scuttle towards his neck. Teemu Kärkkäinen, an entrepreneur from Forest-Linna, has left the cab of his forestry machine to examine the marked conservation areas where tree felling must be avoided. The area is marked with red ribbons in the forest and is also outlined on the map that Kärkkäinen follows while working.

Without these markings, the machine would inadvertently remove trees that protect the source of a small stream. As he proceeds, the terrain becomes wetter and the vegetation changes. “This area is clearly different from the surrounding forest; I wouldn’t drive machinery into such a wet place,” notes Kärkkäinen.

They reach the job site boundary, where the stream and its surroundings appear similar on both sides. The neighboring lot is designated as an ecologically significant habitat protected under forest law. Even areas not marked on the map must be navigated around by the machine operator.

Unfortunately, small patches vital for biodiversity in commercial forests are not always spared from logging. Reports indicate that some protected areas do not show up on maps, which complicates compliance. Identifying such protected habitats is the operator’s responsibility, regardless of prior knowledge.

The Finnish Forest Center has mapped protected areas but lacks resources to update data in line with new legal provisions and added conservation areas. Although around 2,000 sites were inspected this summer, expanded resources are necessary for better oversight.

Kärkkäinen emphasizes that careful on-site assessments help identify features that require protection, as unmarked springs and small streams can be particularly challenging to detect, especially in winter.