Fostering our Future – Metsähallitus Annual and Responsibility Report incl. Financial Statements 2020

The year 2020 was a time of active development for Metsähallitus. We received our new ownership policy guidelines and reshaped our strategy and brand as well as crystallised the purpose of our existence. We also created Metsähallitus’ first value creation model, which helps us identify our societal effectiveness and implement and develop our new strategy, as well as create the conditions for responsible cooperation and sustainable solutions.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, our business continued to be relatively stable. Metsähallitus Group’s turnover was EUR 340.3 million and financial result EUR 114.2 million. In line with our target, we will transfer EUR 120 million of revenue to the state budget. As part of our business operations, we also made inputs in biodiversity, recreational use of nature, Sámi culture and reindeer herding amounting to EUR 73.3 million.

In 2020, we expanded our wind power development to offshore projects and at the end of the year we launched a project to develop offshore wind power with the municipality of Korsnäs. In addition, we sold the rights to two wind farm projects and launched the project development of two new wind farms in Simo and Kajaani.

Our Climate Programme launched in 2019 promotes the attainment of Finland’s climate targets and transition to a carbon-neutral society by 2035 through increasing carbon sinks, carbon storage and clean energy production as well as by cutting our emissions.

The year 2020 was record-breaking in recreational use. The number of visits to National Parks reached nearly 4 million, with an increase of 23 % on the previous year. The numbers of hunting and fishing permits sold were also the highest ever.

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

The Financial Statements include Metsähallitus’ separate annual report and financial statements for Parks & Wildlife Finland.