Legal framework and legislation
Since the first Forest Act of 1886, the basic principle of Finnish
forest legislation has been the prevention of forest destruction.
The most recent comprehensive reform of forest legislation was
undertaken in the mid-1990s. This involved reforming practically
all legislation on forests and nature conservation.
In the Forest Act (1997), the requirement of safeguarding biological
diversity in forests was raised alongside wood production
as an important aim of forest management. The earlier Forest
Improvement Act was revised and replaced with the Act on the
Financing of Sustainable Forestry. In addition to traditional
silvicultural works, it is today possible to receive government
funding also for the maintenance of biological diversity and
natural features, and for harvesting energy wood. As a result
of the reformation of forest legislation, legislation concerning
Metsähallitus, the Finnish Forestry Centre and the Forest Management
Associations was also amended.
Amendments have been enacted to the Forest Act in the 2000s
pursuant to changes in the operating environment. Amendments
to the Forest Act that came into force at the beginning of 2011
include additions and clarifications derived from the Finnish Constitution
and pertaining to authorisation provisions concerning
the legal protection of forest owners; also, some amendments
to content and technical corrections were made with regard to
forest regeneration. The Forest Act and Decree and the recommendations
for forest management will be revised and clarified
in 2012. Forest owners’ aims and their decision-making power
in the management of their own forests will be strengthened.
Provisions governing the handling of forests contained in the
Forest Act and Decree will also be simplified.
A new Act on the Forest Information System of the Finnish
Forestry Centre entered into force at the beginning of 2012.
The purpose of the Act is to improve the potential for leveraging
forest information while allowing for the right-of-access
principle and privacy protection. The Act will provide for the
purpose of the information system, its information contents,
use and disclosure of the information to third parties, and data
retention and deletion.
Instruments affecting forest management also include the Act
on Trade in Forest Reproductive Materials, the Forest Insect
and Fungi Damage Prevention Act, and the Act on Environmental
Impact Assessment Procedure. The Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry is revising the legislation on forest insect
and fungi damage prevention as well as on measurement of timber, in particular for energy wood during 2012. Such matters
as zoning are governed by the Land Use and Building Act. The
preparation of local plans and master plans involves coordinating
different uses for forests at the regional and local levels. Water
protection in the EU is harmonised by the Water Framework
Directive (2000). The water policy provisions required by the
Framework Directive are incorporated in Finnish legislation in
the Act on the Organisation of Water Management, adopted
in 2004, and three other acts concerning waterways.
Employment relations and occupational safety and health are
covered extensively by legislation. Forestry is also covered by a
special piece of legislation which applies to harvesting, among
other things.
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