HS Environment Metsähallitus pledges information on environmental forest resources from environmental researchers: “It is difficult to understand what the company is afraid of losing”

Metsähallitus the forestry company pledges information from researchers about the state’s forest resources. The company has not submitted data containing forest forest data to the Environmental Administration, despite the request.

According to Metsähallitus Metsätalous oy, the information is secret, and disclosing it for research purposes may also cause financial damage to the company. The company is responsible for the state’s commercial forests and their utilization.

The Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) has requested forest resource data from Metsähallitus for the implementation of the EU biodiversity strategy. The data would help identify sites that are valuable for diversity.

Group Manager, Syke Biodiversity Center Kimmo Syrjänen wonders Metsähallitus’ solution: “It’s hard to understand what the company is afraid of losing.”

“Metsähallitus Forestry is usually a responsible partner, and the identification of sites suitable for protection is part of an appropriate increase in the protection of biodiversity in state forests,” says Syrjänen.

Syrjänen is involved in the Natural Forests project, which aims to identify and locate unprotected natural and old-growth forests.

The project, implemented by Syke and another state research institute, the Natural Resources Center, was due to be completed by the end of 2021, but will now move into the spring.

Another project related to the implementation of the biodiversity strategy, “Towards a comprehensive network of protected areas”, is also due to be completed in the spring.

EU the goal is to restore biodiversity by 2030.

At least 30% of land and water will be protected. All remaining natural forests as well as old-growth forests must be subject to strict protection.

Most destinations are probably found in the northernmost part of Finland. According to Syrjänen, the area is only a small part of the forest land for wood production.

Strict protection means that no felling is allowed in the forests. However, the areas remain for recreational and camping use, as well as for reindeer grazing, for example.

Finland is committed to implementing the strategy.

In its material request to Metsähallitus, Syke emphasizes that “the Finnish state, as a party to the EU biodiversity strategy, is obliged to report to the Commission on the steps leading to the implementation of the strategy also with regard to state forests”.

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“It’s hard to see what the company is afraid of losing.”

Natural forests protection and the creation of a comprehensive network of protected areas require that sites of value for diversity be identified.

To this end, Syke needs pattern and forest data on state forests. The research institute justifies its search for material by the Public Access Act and by safeguarding the freedom of scientific research.

“The implementation of projects must be based on the best available spatial data. In this way, the good accuracy and reliability of spatial data analyzes in defining and locating sites valuable for diversity can also be ensured, also in the case of commercial forests in state countries, ”Syke states in a statement to Metsähallitus.

According to Syrjänen, instead, the refusal of information is detrimental to the investigation.

“Now we have to rely on incomplete information, and the survey of Metsähallitus’ areas is less accurate. The scope of the items to be considered is wider than if accurate data were available. Patterns are included incorrectly and more fieldwork is needed for the survey, even if more accurate material suitable for locating already exists, ”says Syrjänen.

Metsähallitus Metsätalous oy emphasizes that the company’s forest resource information concerning multi-purpose forests is covered by business secrecy. According to the company, handing them over could cause it financial damage.

“It is obvious that the possibility of financial damage cannot be ruled out,” Metsähallitus states in its reply to Sykelle.

Financial damage can occur if the information is passed on to outsiders, says the forestry company’s director of forest use and planning Hannu Lehtonen.

According to the company, this may happen even if Syke and its research partners do not engage in similar or competing business.

“Of course, we provide public information, including Excursion Map items, but forest resource information is covered by business secrecy,” says Lehtonen.

According to Lehtonen, the use of Metsähallitus’ materials requires knowledge of them and may also lead to erroneous conclusions.

“We have had bad experiences with various map exercises based on models without looking at the terrain,” says Lehtonen.

“It is better that the starting material of the surveys is the same for everyone and applies to all landowners. The data should also be checked in the field. ”

Metsähallitus Metsätalous oy is a subsidiary of Metsähallitus, which manages the state’s commercial forests and carries out their felling.

Metsähallitus’ business has an economic goal that it must generate revenue for the state. The revenue target for 2021 is EUR 99.2 million.

In addition to wood production, Metsähallitus has been set targets for biodiversity and the protection of species, as well as for increasing the carbon sinks and reserves of forests.

Finland According to the nature panel, meeting the biodiversity strategy and halting the loss of nature require significant additional protection of forests. It should start immediately in the state forests.

Read more: The state’s forests over 120 years of age must be banned from logging, the chairman of the Nature Panel demands: “The state still cuts a lot of its old forests”

The Scientific Panel of Experts believes that one national target is not enough, but a strict conservation target should be met in each province individually.