Metla Project 805701

Natural forests and mires in the green belt of Koillismaa and Kainuu (GreenBelt)

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Duration: 2004-2008   Keywords: forest restoration, aapa mires, decaying wood, forest-covered mires, mire restoration, natural forests, reforestation of forest roads
Research project group:

Objectives

The aim of the project is to safeguard the favourable conservation status of 13 Natura 2000 sites in Koillismaa and Kainuu in eastern Finland. The area is a part of the Fennoscandian green belt – an extensive network of forests, mires and arctic fells in Finland, Russia and Norway constituting the largest and most significant area of unspoilt natural habitat in Western Europe. The favourable conservation status of the project area will be safeguarded by restoring natural forest habitats where forestry has reduced natural diversity, by periodic controlled burnings, by restoring ditched mires, and by improving the nesting prospects for golden eagles. Monitoring the effects of restoration measures is a key element of the project which will provide urgently needed information, and also help in the development of restoration methods. Long-term monitoring of restored habitats will be started up at different sites, in order to obtain comparable information about the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of various restoration measures. Essential parts of the project are also the increase of the awareness on restoration and the cross-border cooperation.

GreenBelt LIFE (LIFE04 NAT/FI/000078) is supported by EU/LIFE-Nature fund. The beneficiary is Metsähallitus Natural Heritage Services Ostrobothnia-Kainuu. Project partners are the Finnish Forest Research Institute, the Joint Authority of the Kainuu region and Metsähallitus Forestry Western Lapland. The Finnish Forest Research Institute is responsible for the restoration plans and the monitoring of the restored habitats.

Project partners

LIFE EUMetsäntutkimuslaitosthe Joint Authority of the Kainuu region
the Joint Authority of the Kainuu region		 Metsähallitus Natura 2000

Project leader: Tolvanen, Anne
The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Oulu Unit, PL 413, FI-90014 Oulun yliopisto, FINLAND
Phone: +358 29 532 3782
E-mail: anne.tolvanen@metla.fi

Other researchers: Hekkala, Anne, MU (2005-07), Kukko-oja, Kari, MU (2005), Laitinen, Satu (2005), Nylund, Sannakajsa, VA (2005), Päätalo, Marja-Leena, MU (2005-08), Siekkinen, Juha (2005-07), Tarvainen, Oili, MU (2007-08)


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Updated 12.06.2012
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