23 September 2026
Written by Elina Oksanen, UEF
The Myth
The biodiversity loss in Finland’s nature can be resolved by increasing protection of ecosystems alone. Otherwise, we can continue “business as usual”.
The Reality
Overall, around 13% of Finland’s land and sea area is under protection, with large additional coverage through the 5 million hectares of Natura 2000 sites. Although 86% of Finland is covered by forests, less than 7% of forest land in Southern Finland is protected, and the network of reserves is uneven. Protected areas help, but they often lack connectivity, enforcement, and funding. Protection is extensive in the northern part of the country but much more limited in southern Finland, especially for old growth forests1,2.
Forestry is highlighted as the greatest threat to biodiversity in Finland. In forest environment, actions are needed to increase ecological and closer-to-nature forestry practices with higher proportion of mixed forests, retain more deadwood and old-growth elements, extend set‑aside areas and buffer zones between forestry management sited and water ecosystems, as well as support continuous‑cover forestry where appropriate. These actions are also important for lake ecosystems, which have been deteriorated in many areas of Finland1,2.
Alongside forests, traditional rural biotopes are among the most threatened habitats in Finland: the majority of the 42 habitat types of traditional rural biotopes are classified as critically endangered, and the remaining two are classified as endangered. The surface area of most traditional rural biotope habitats has decreased by more than 90 % over the past 50 years. In the agricultural ecosystems, attempts should be made for increasing the share of non-cultivated areas and traditional rural biotopes in all arable land, increasing organic production, diversity in crop rotations, cultivated plants and farmed animals and landscape elements that promote biodiversity, and reducing the overall use of chemical pesticides, improving the quality of agricultural habitats3.
Biodiversity loss is also visible in the Baltic Sea and on the Finnish coast. Coastal waters are affected by many pressures, such as eutrophication, mechanical disturbances of the seabed, land use, construction in water and coastal areas, unsustainable use of natural resources, climate change, invasive species introduced by human activity, and other local and global pressures caused by human activity. The main actions for improved biodiversity in lake and marine environment are related to water protection measures for land use that causes diffuse loading, improved nutrient cycling in agriculture and reduced point source loading4.
Therefore, in addition to more extensive protection of diverse natural ecosystems and habitats by land-owners, management and business actors and governmental parties, we need sustainable and renewable land and water use practices, efficient restoration, reduced consumption and more efficient use of natural resources e.g., through circular economy and multidisciplinary local, national and global cooperation and interventions, which are fostered by cross-cutting education on biodiversity and Nature Based Solutions.
References
23 September 2026
18 June 2026
