UPM-Kymmene has given its support to the action plan designed to protect biodiversity in southern Finland.
The Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland (METSO) 2008-2016 includes proposals to promote natural values trading, which allows forest owners to make voluntary conservation agreements with the government in return for compensation; increase the involvement of regional forestry and environmental centres in the tenders for conservation areas; and see the volume of protected areas in state-owned forests increase by 10,000ha by 2016.
“METSO 2008–2016 is an important step towards creating acceptable and established methods for protecting forest biodiversity,” says Timo Lehesvirta, environment manager for UPM Forest.
“We want to participate in the creation of a new operating culture where nature protection is a normal and conflict free part of sustainable forestry.”
The METSO 2008-2016 action plan proposal was presented to Kimmo Tillikainen, Finland’s minister for environment, on January 8.
