Principles of Protected Area Management in Finland

The majority of the surface area in the Finnish network of protected areas is owned by the state and managed by the government agency Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland. Already in 1992, Metsähallitus adopted a recommendation on the principles of nature reserve management, which has been updated and supplemented several times. The structure and focal points of the guidelines have been substantially changed since the previous version published in 2014. Numerous additions and clarifications have been made to the principles. Links between protected area activities and the changing broader operating environment are further elucidated and the examination of measures taken in anticipating and adapting to climate change is enhanced.

The publication describes Finland’s protected areas and their objectives, and the role of protected area networks in promoting the objectives of nature conservation and sustainable use. The basis of adaptive planning and management principles for protected areas are also presented. The practices and principles for the conservation and management of natural habitats, species and cultural heritage are reviewed, as well as the steering of recreational use, wildlife management and other forms of use in protected areas, to ensure their sustainability.

A significant part of the principles of protected area management is derived directly from national statutes, while some are best practices defined by Parks & Wildlife Finland as the owner and manager of the areas. In connection with the update, the principles have been revised to correspond to the amended Nature Conservation Act (9/2023) and other up-to-date legislation as well as the European Commission’s guidance on the management of Natura 2000 sites.

The publication is not a binding guideline referred to in normal legislation – it is primarily a tool intended to support the practical work of Parks & Wildlife Finland’s own personnel. It is also a way to inform stakeholders about the operating principles of Parks & Wildlife Finland.

The Principles of Protected Area Management in Finland apply to the following areas governed and managed by Parks & Wildlife Finland:

• statutory nature reserves
• wilderness areas
• sites designated in national Nature Conservation Programmes and in the EU Natura 2000 network that will be established as statutory nature reserves by proper site-specific enactments.

Where applicable, the principles can also be used to support, among others, management of state protected forests and hiking areas governed by Parks & Wildlife Finland. The principles do not apply to the management of privately-owned protected areas, for which separate guidelines are updated under the direction of the Ministry of the Environment.

The Principles of Protected Area Management in Finland guidelines were approved policies for Parks & Wildlife Finland on 7 December 2022. Decisions on principles are made and reviewed continuously as necessary, and they can be updated in a separate appendix to the publication. The publication is updated as a whole, every few years. The text has been updated in 2024.