Metsähallitus Annual and Responsibility Report 2022 – Towards a carbon neutral, ecologically sustainable and equal society

In 2022 Metsähallitus Group’s turnover was EUR 423.3 million, and we made a profit of EUR 150.9 million. We managed to reach both our financial and operational targets and our work created added value for nature, people and society.

Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd increased its turnover and profit, while the volume of roundwood felling was lower than in 2021. Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd’s inputs in fostering biodiversity and fulfilling our other societal obligations grew to EUR 77.8 million.

Busy sales of sites early in the year, extractive business and, in particular, wind power project development contributed to the higher turnover and profits of Metsähallitus Property Development. In December, we reached an important milestone in offshore wind power projects as we signed a contract with Vattenfall on the development and construction of the planned wind farm off Korsnäs.

We continued our efforts to enhance biodiversity. The surface area in which restoration and ecological management work was completed in state-owned protected areas and multiple-use forests was more than 17,000 hectares in total, which was a new record. We also restored streams and fish habitats and removed barriers to fish migration.

National parks and other Metsähallitus destinations attracted a total of 8.4 million visits in 2022. While the number of visits to national parks decreased from the pandemic years’ peak figures, they were still higher than before COVID-19.

In spring 2022, we started drafting two new natural resource plans together with stakeholders. One of them covers the region of Ostrobothnia and Kainuu and the other the marine areas managed by Metsähallitus.

We promoted responsibility and Responsibility Programme systematically in all our operations. Our work also has significant impacts on society at large through value chains.

The GRI standard has been used as the frame of reference for the report. With the exception of the financial statements data, the information of the responsibility report has not been verified by an external party.