Frequently asked questions

The Metsä Conservation Foundation is a Finnish foundation focusing on the conservation of forests. Our mission is to safeguard biodiversity of Finnish forests and strengthen the state of nature outside commercial forests. The Foundation was founded by Metsäliitto Cooperative in 2025 to complement the nature conservation work funded and implemented by other bodies.

Forests are vital for biodiversity and provide numerous ecosystem services. For example, forests regulate waters, maintain soil functions, serve as recreational areas and provide habitats for thousands of species.

Although there are various methods to increase forest biodiversity in commercial forests, some endangered species require old-growth forests that are close to their natural state, and that are clearly distinct from commercial forests. It is therefore important to also conserve forests with high biodiversity value from active forestry.

We are an independent and non-profit foundation, working with various public and private actors to achieve common biodiversity goals. Government authority makes the final decision to establish a private nature conservation area to sites the Foundation protects. The Foundation’s conservation compensation is also similar to that of the public METSO conservation programme.

The annual reports can be found on our website under About the Foundation. The Foundation will publish its annual report for 2025, which is its first annual report, in spring 2026.

You can contact us by email at metsafoundation@metsagroup.com or by post to Metsä Conservation Foundation, Revontulenpuisto 2, 02100 Espoo, Finland. 

We permanently conserve forests of high biodiversity value by applying to establish a private nature conservation area from the Economic Development Centre. The Foundation’s conservation work does not change the land ownership. The Foundation pays the forest owner a one-time compensation for the conservation of the forest when the application to establish a private nature conservation area has been approved by the Economic Development Centre, and the decision is legally valid.

Yes. The forest owner always initiates the conservation process. Through the Foundation, we offer a one-time compensation for the permanent conservation of selected sites. The Foundation also handles the application of the establishment of a private conservation area on behalf of the forest owner by submitting the application to the Economic Development Centre.

Primary conservation principles: 

• Age of the tree stand
• Amount and quality of decaying wood
• Forest management history
• Site diversity

Principles supporting the conservation assessment: 

• Tree species
• Canopy layers
• Key biotopes
• Connection to other conservation areas
• Area and shape
• Species

More detailed conservation basis can be found on the Conservation basis page. A site is always considered as a whole, and a single factor does not guarantee conservation funding. In principle, the Metsä Conservation Foundation protects areas of at least one hectare.

The quality of other sites participating in the same conservation round also influences the decision, as the Foundation has limited resources, and funding is directed towards the most valuable sites participating in that round.

The habitat types conserved are entirely or mainly forests. In addition to the conservation of forest habitats, the rules of the Conservation Foundation allow the conservation of non-forested habitats, provided that they are in connection with a conservable forest. Typically, a large forest area also includes non-forested sites.

The Foundation typically conducts one conservation round per year due to the limited time frame for field visits. All applications that have been included in the conservation round are reviewed by the Conservation Committee. The Conservation Committee evaluates applications based on conservational biology and prepares a proposal of sites to be conserved, within the limits of the Foundation’s resources. The Foundation's Board of Directors makes the final funding decisions.

The expert group consists of the Chair, Vice-Chair and two members. Ilari Sääksjärvi, Professor, Head of Biodiversity Unit of the University of Turku, chairs the Committee. The Vice-Chair is Kimmo Syrjänen, Project Manager at the Finnish Environment Institute. In addition, the members are Silja Pitkänen-Arte, Sustainability Manager from Metsä Group, and Timo Lehesvirta, Leading Nature Expert from Metsä Group. Thanks to their expertise, education, networks and work experience, the members of the Conservation Committee are qualified to carry out committee tasks.

Any forest owner in the private sector can apply for conservation funding from the Metsä Conservation Foundation. The Foundation also accepts applications for the conservation of jointly-owned forests.

The Metsä Conservation Foundation conserves forests of high biodiversity value throughout Finland. When evaluating applications, the Conservation Committee also takes factors that depend on site location into account. This is to ensure conservation throughout Finland. For example, the amount of decaying wood usually decreases the further north the site is located, which is taken into consideration when evaluating a site.

No. Conservation is permanent, and the conservation site is completely excluded from forestry.

In principle, the application to establish a private conservation area seeks only a prohibition on forestry measures, i.e. protection from all forest management. Recreational use is still usually allowed in the area. Other use can only be restricted if the conservation of the area’s fauna or flora requires it according to the Economic Development Centre. In such cases, this is agreed separately with the landowner and the Economic Development Centre.

No. The conservation value of the selected sites is ensured by a prohibition on all management. Sites and habitat types whose conservation values can only be preserved through active restoration and management are not selected for conservation by the Metsä Conservation Foundation.

You can, for example, donate to the Metsä Conservation Foundation and share information about the Foundation and its work. On social media you can use the hashtags #MetsänSuojelusäätiö or #MetsäConservationFoundation. You can also offer your own diverse forest site for conservation.

Yes. All donations help us protect diverse forests and Finnish nature. You can contribute to our conservation work as an individual, a company or another actor. For more information, please visit our donation page.

All donations are used for the protection of forests and conservation work including compensation paid to forest owners for conservation. The aim is to keep the administration of the Foundation as light as possible to ensure that majority of funds are spent directly on conservation compensations.

Yes. Please contact us by email at metsafoundation@metsagroup.com if you wish to bequeath or donate property to the Metsä Conservation Foundation.