PEFC certification is well suited to small forest owners

Four examples of how PEFC forest certification shows in the forest in Finland

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  Groups of retention trees

  

  Groups of retention trees

  When felling is carried out on a certified forest estate, at least ten retention trees per hectare are left in place. They can be located in larger groups, and they must be left in place, even if they fall over. Retention trees are supposed to decay in the forest. By leaving living retention trees in place, you can secure the continuity of decaying wood and ensure that your forest contains robust individual trees in the future.

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  Preserving decaying trees

  

  Preserving decaying trees

  Decaying wood, especially robust trunks, are preserved in forest management. Robust, far decayed trunks must not be touched when carrying out forest work, but fresher ones can be moved off logging roads.

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  Buffer strips around waterways and bogs

  

  Buffer strips around waterways and bogs

  Waterways are lined with buffer strips that capture nutrients in run-off. No land management is allowed in buffer strips. Some of the trees can be removed from the buffer strips. The shrub layer is left untouched, and this automatically creates different canopy layers and protective thickets important to animals. Buffer zones are also left around natural bogs. Keeping the buffer zones around bogs covered and layered helps secure the habitats of fowls.

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  Multiple-use forests

  

  Multiple-use forests

  To promote the multiple use of forests, hiking trails are kept accessible. For example, logging residue must not be left on paths.