As part of FSC certification, an area covering five per cent of your forest estates will be excluded from felling. This area should include the most valuable sites for biodiversity, such as sites protected under the Forest Act and the Nature Conservation Act, buffer zones around waterbodies, and other valuable sites. In addition, special sites will be selected to increase forest biodiversity or diversify the structure of the forests through continuous cover forestry, for example. Special sites and areas to be excluded from felling must total at least ten per cent.
FSC® certification boosts your wood sales and makes forestry more profitable for you
FSC certification is given to forests where forest management and forestry promote the responsible use of the forests in a way that takes social, economic and ecological aspects into account, both now and in the future. We pay more for FSC-certified wood, which also makes certification financially profitable for you.
Nature Site Service makes conservation easier
If your forest estates do not have enough valuable nature sites to be excluded from commercial forestry or other suitable sites as required by law or the FSC, you can benefit from our Nature Site Service if you wish. Through this service, Metsä Group leases valuable nature sites to its contract customers who belong to our FSC group. Protection can thus be targeted at the most valuable nature sites, and the forest owner does not need to protect ordinary commercial forests. The Nature Site Service creates a network of interconnected protected areas and larger protected entities.
Joining both Metsä Group’s FSC group and our Nature Site Service is free of charge for you.
Four examples of how FSC certification shows in the forest
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Five per cent of forest area excluded from commercial forestry use
Five per cent of forest area excluded from commercial forestry useAt least five per cent of the forestland on a forest estate will be permanently excluded from forestry use. The FSC determines the type of sites to be conserved in forests, including legally protected areas and areas such as buffer zones around waterbodies. In addition, up to ten per cent of the forest area must be designated as special sites, where the primary goal of forestry is to protect the environment with measures such as continuous cover forestry or growing forests dominated by broadleaved trees.
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Retention trees
Retention treesLiving trees that are the most valuable for biodiversity, such as hollow trees, nesting trees and especially sturdy old trees, are the primary choice for retention trees. During felling, at least ten retention trees are left in place per hectare. Retention trees must have a breast height diameter of more than 20 centimetres in Southern Finland and 15 centimetres in Northern Finland. In addition, at least 10 retention trees with a 10-centimetre diameter are left per hectare in regeneration felling unless half the retention trees are sturdy, meaning a breast height diameter of at least 30 centimetres in Southern Finland and 25 centimetres in northern Finland. All dead wood is retained.
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Buffer zones
Buffer zonesA buffer zone, determined based on the water system, the channel and the type of the surrounding trees, is left around waterways and small waterbodies. Around ponds and lakes, this buffer zone must be at least 10 metres wide. The buffer zones along rivers and seashores must be at least 15 metres wide, and there must be an additional 10-metre continuous cover buffer zone along seashores. In addition to a 20-metre buffer zone, an additional 10-metre continuous cover buffer zone is left around natural streams, rivers and springs. A 10-metre continuous cover buffer zone is left along heavily straightened and cleared streams.
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Sites that are always conserved
Sites that are always conservedIn addition to habitats that are defined in law as being important for the biodiversity of forest nature, the FSC requirements also specify other sites that promote biodiversity and must always be conserved. Examples of these include forests rich in decaying wood, alluvial forests, as well as bogs that are in a natural or semi-natural state in terms of water resources management. These forest sites can be counted towards the five per cent share excluded from forestry under the FSC.
The FSC requirements concerning forest use and management are reviewed and updated in extensive cooperation with stakeholders every five years. To learn more about the current requirements and status of updates, please visit the FSC website.
Logo license of Metsäliitto Cooperative's FSC group certification: FSC-C111942
Join FSC certification through Metsä Group
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1
Let your forest specialist know that you want to join the FSC certification scheme.
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2
The forest specialist will review your forest plan to ensure it is up to date and, if required, will request a new plan.
The forest specialist will agree with you on the measures required by FSC concerning special forestry measures and the exclusion of land from forestry use.
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3
The forest specialist always indicates, in the forest plan, the nature sites to be conserved and carries out a survey of the terrain, if required.
This stage also clarifies whether Metsä Group’s nature site service would be useful for certification purposes.
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4
The preliminary audit will determine whether your forest meets all the requirements of certification.
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5
If the preliminary audit gives your forest the green light, the forest specialist will conclude an agreement on certification with you.
You will also agree on FSC compensation and any use of the FSC nature site service.
Join our FSC forest certification
As a contract customer of Metsäliitto Cooperative, you can join Metsä Group’s FSC group certificate and get your forests certified free of charge. If you would like to learn more about FSC certification, you can start by contacting your own forest specialist.