Country fact sheet
Land cover 2012
Finland September 2017
Photo: © Toni García, My City/EEA Finland
Land cover 2012
Overview of land cover & change 2006-2012
The land cover development in Finland has similar intensity and structure as in the previous period, with only slightly lower overall change rate. With a mean annual change rate of 0.35% of total area, the dynamics of development in the Finish landscape is rather high, compared to other European countries. The extent of forest conversions in the country is huge, which is caused by extensive forest coverage itself. These conversions will always be the most powerful driver of development of the Finish landscape. The intensity of these internal forest flows is comparable to the previous period. On the other hand, conversions from forested and natural land to agriculture, which were remarkable during the period 2000- 2006, lost most of it intensity in the 2006-2012 period. The speed of urban sprawl in Finland remains stable, with an annual artificial land take rate of about 0.4%, which is slightly above the European average. Sprawl is driven by the extension of mines and quarrying areas, as well as dump, construction and industrial or commercial sites. On the other hand, the extensions of residential and sport and leisure areas, which were major sprawl drivers in the period 2000- 2006, show significant decline.
Note: The results presented here are based on a change analysis of 44 land cover types mapped consistently on a 1:100.000 scale across Europe over more than decade between 2000-2006-2012 - see Corine land cover (CLC) programme for details. Number of years between CLC2006-CLC2012 data for Finland: 6
1.1. Land cover 2012 1.2. Net change in land 1.3. Net change in land [% of total] cover 2006-2012 [ha] cover [% of initial year 2006] 12000 1% 9% 5% 8000 4% 2.0 6% 1% 4000 2% 0 0.0 -4000
-8000
72% -12000 -2.0
A rtificial areas A rable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies
Summary balance table 2006-2012 TOTAL TOTAL [hundreds ha] [hundreds Artificial areas Artificial Arable land & permanent crops & Pastures mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ soils bare Wetlands bodiesWater
Land cover 2006 4544 15633 13384 242269 7079 2006 21691 32054 338662
Consumption of initial LC 14.3 73.9 56.2 6272.3 0.0 1.8 32.2 2.5 6453
Formation of new LC 120.4 56.0 23.0 6156.1 0.0 5.7 92.1 0.0 6453 Net Formation of LC 106.1 -17.9 -33.3 -116.2 0.0 3.9 59.9 -2.5 0
Net formation as % of initial year 2.3 -0.1 -0.2 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.3 0.0 Total turnover of LC 134.7 129.9 79.2 12428.4 0.0 7.5 124.3 2.5 12906
Total turnover as % of initial year 3.0 0.8 0.6 5.1 0.0 0.4 0.6 0.0 3.8
Land cover 2012 4650 15615 13351 242153 7079 2010 21751 32052 338662 1 Finland
Land cover trends comparison 2000-2006 vs. 2006-2012
2.4. Annual land cover change [ha/year, % of total area]
0 30000 60000 90000 120000
2000-2006 0.33%
2006-2012 0.32%
2.5. Annual turnover of LC types 2.6. Net annual change of LC types [ha/year] [ha/year]
0 100000 200000 -8000 -4000 0 4000 8000
Artificial areas Artificial areas
Arable land Arable land & permanent crops & permanent crops
Pastures Pastures & mosaics & mosaics
Forested land Forested land
Semi-natural Semi-natural vegetation vegetation Open spaces Open spaces / bare soils / bare soils
2000-2006 Wetlands Wetlands 2006-2012 Water bodies Water bodies
Summary trend figures 2000-2006 2006-2012 Annual land cover change [ha/year] 112389 107554 Annual land cover change as % of initial year 0.33% 0.32% Land uptake by artificial development as mean annual change [ha/year] 1803 1851 Agricultural land uptake by urban and infrastructures development as mean annual change [ha/year] 333 223 Net uptake of forests and semi-natural land by agriculture as mean annual change [ha/year] 7474 -88 Net conversion from pasture to arable land and permanent crops as mean annual change [ha/year] 0 0 Forest & other woodland net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] -6347 -1936 Dry semi-natural land cover net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] -1 83 Wetlands & water bodies net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] -2602 957
2.7. Intensity of main change drivers (LC FLOWS) [ha/year]
90000 2000-2006 2006-2012
60000
30000
0 internal lcf7 Forests creation and management agriculture conversions farming lcf2 Urban management lcf4 Agriculture lcf4 lcf1 Urban land lcf1 Urban natural land tonatural land creation and management lcf5 Conversion to natural and from forested & multiple causes lcf3 Sprawl of infrastructures lcf9 Changes due lcf8 Water bodies Water lcf8 residential sprawl lcf6 Withdrawal of lcf6 Withdrawal economic sites and 2 Finland
Artificial surfaces sprawl (2006-2012) 3.8. Artificial land take [ha/year, % of initial year]
2000 0.41% 0.41%
1000
0 2000-2006 2006-2012
Slowdown of residential and sport and leisure sprawl
The urban sprawl rate in Finland is slightly above average, compared to other European countries, and stable in time, as it was almost identical in the 2000-2006 as in 2006-2012. Geographically, it is situated not only on the south, but around all major Finish cities, with the highest concentration in the surroundings of capital city of Helsinki. The largest area has been taken by mines, quarries and waste dumpsites – with much more intensive formation than in previous period. Also the area of construction sites and industrial and commercial units grows much faster, compared to 2000-2006. In contrast, the sprawl of discontinuous urban fabric and sport and leisure facilities, which was the main driver of the artificial land development in the 2000-2006, continues with significantly lower intensity during the period 2006-2012. The main source for these newly built urban areas is former forested land.
3.9. Artificial surfaces 2012 3.10. Artificial land take 2006-2012 [% of total area] [ha/year]
1% 7% const. 0 300 600 900 3%
14%
75%
3.11. Mean annual artificial change by class [ha/year]
2000-2006 500 2006-2012 400 300 200 100 0 -100 Airports Port areas Dump sites Dump units Construction sites Construction Green urban areas Green associated land Mineral extraction sites extraction Mineral Continuous urbanfabric Industrial or commercial Sport and leisure facilities leisure and Sport Discontinuous urban fabric urban Discontinuous andRoad rail networks and 3 Finland
Agriculture (2006-2012)
Decrease of conversion from natural land to agriculture
In the long term, the development of the finish agricultural land is driven exclusively by external exchanges with another land cover types – internal conversions of agricultural land are not observed in the country. During the previous period 2000-2006, the conversions from forest and wetlands to agriculture were frequent in Finland and caused significant formation of arable land. However, in the 2006-2012, these conversions lost most of their intensity, which means both arable and pasture land have negative net change balance, with prevailing consumption of land. There still remains some amount of conversion from transitional woodland to agriculture, which, together with opposite withdrawal of farming with transitional woodland creation, are the main drivers of the agricultural land development in Finland in the period 2006-2012. 4.13. Development of agricultural areas 2006-2012 4.12. Agricultural areas 2012 – detailed balance [ha] [% of total area] 8000
Consumption of initial land cover
4000 Formation of new land cover 0.36% 0.04% 16.96% 0
-4000 0.17% 0.47% 6.67% - - - 30.96% - 243 46% 211 -8000 54% Pastures Vineyards Rice fields Rice Agriculture arable land Olive groves Permanently Non-irrigated irrigated land irrigated with nat. veg. nat. with
242 trees Fruit 222 0.03% 231 Agro-forestry areas
0.003 plantations berry and
0.3% patterns cult. Complex % Annual/permanent crops 211 Non-irrigated arable land 4.14. Mean annual agricultural change by class [ha/year] 7000 212 Permanently irrigated land
213 Rice fields 5000 2000-2006
2006-2012 221 Vineyards 3000
222 Fruit trees and berry plantations 1000 223 Olive groves -1000 231 Pastures
241 Annual crops associated
with permanent crops Pastures Vineyards Rice fields Rice 242 Complex cultivation patterns patterns crops Agriculture arable land Olive groves land Non-irrigated Complex cult. with nat. veg. nat. with
243 Agriculture land with plantations Annual/ permanent Annual/
significant areas of natural vegetation Agro-forestry areas Fruit trees and berry and trees Fruit 244 Agro-forestry areas irrigated Permanently
4 Finland
Forest & nature (2006-2012) 5.15. Forest & nature areas 2012 [% of total area]
11%
7%
1% 79% 2%
Forest
Semi-natural vegetation
Open spaces/ bare soils
Wetlands
Water bodies
Extensive internal forest flows
About 72% of the landscape in Finland is covered by forests and therefore, changes in forested land are the main drivers of land cover development in the country, mostly represented by internal forest conversions. The intensity of these flows is comparable with the previous period, with slightly prevailing recent felling and transition over forest creation from transitional woodland, which also shows the same trend as in the 2000-2006. Net change of forested land is characterized by the consumption of coniferous forest and formation of mixed, broad-leaved forest and transitional woodland and shrub, the last one significantly higher compared with previous period. Concerning external exchange of natural land, the conversion from wetlands to agriculture, which was frequent in the period 2000-2006, almost disappeared from the Finish landscape and the conversion from forest to agriculture occurs with significantly lower intensity. Another interesting trend in the frame of natural land development in Finland is the creation of wetlands (in particular peatbogs), mostly through the conversion from coniferous forest and arable land. This trend of peatbogs creation had been observed already during the previous period, but not through the conversion from arable land.
5.16. Development of forest & nature areas 2006-2012 – detailed balance [ha] 400000 300000 Consumption of initial land cover 200000 Formation of new land cover 100000 1.84% 0.81% 1.87% 0.37% 0.19% 0.42% 1.28% 11.30% 0 -100000 -200000 0.00% 0.19% 2.53% 0.26% 7.42% 5.24% 0.07% 0.53% 0.13% 1.29% ------
-300000 100.00% - -400000 Salines Peatbogs Estuaries Bare rock Burnt areas Mixed forest Salt marshes Salt Water bodies shrub Intertidal flats Intertidal Water courses Sea and ocean Sea Inland marshes Coastal lagoons Coastal Coniferous forest Natural grassland Natural Broad-leaved forest Glaciers/perp. snow Glaciers/perp. Moors and heathland Moors Beaches, dunes, sand dunes, Beaches, Transitional woodland Transitional Sparsely vegetated areas vegetated Sparsely Sclerophyllous vegetation Sclerophyllous 5.17. Mean annual forest & nature change by class [ha/year] 30000
0
2000-2006
-30000 2006-2012
-60000 Salines Peatbogs Estuaries Bare rock Burnt areas vegetation Mixed forest areas Salt marshes Salt Water bodies snow shrub Intertidal flats Intertidal Water courses Sclerophyllous Sea and ocean Sea Inland marshes Coastal lagoons Coastal Coniferous forest Natural grassland Natural Sparsely vegetated Sparsely Broad-leaved forest Moors and heathland Moors Beaches, dunes, sand dunes, Beaches, Transitional woodland Transitional Glaciers and perpetual and Glaciers 5 Finland
Annex: Land cover flows and trends
Land cover flows 2006-2012
6.18. Consumption of land cover 6.19. Formation of land cover 2006-2012 [% of total change 2006-2012 [% of total change area] area] Artif. Arable Wet. Artif. areas Arable land 1% Open 1% areas 0,2% land 1% Wet. Pastures sp.0,1% 2% 1% 1% Pastures 0,3%
97% 95%
A rtificial areas A rable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies
6.20. Drivers of change (LC FLOWS) 2006-2012 [% of total change area] lcf1 lcf2 lcf3 lcf1 Urban land management lcf9 0.1% lcf5 0.3% 2% 2% 1% lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf6 1% lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures
lcf4 A griculture internal conversions
lcf5 C onversion from forested & natural land to agriculture
lcf6 Withdrawal of farming
lcf7 Forests creation and management
lcf8 Water bodies creation and management lcf7 94% lcf9 C hanges due to natural and multiple causes
6 Finland
Artificial areas
7.21. Consumption by artificial land take 7.22. Formation by artificial land take 2006-2012 [% of total] 2006-2012 [% of total]
Water Arable land Sport/ bodies & leisure Disc. Wetlands 1% permanent 5% urban 5% crops 11% fabric Open Construct. 16% Pastures & 17% spaces / mosaics bare soils 1% 0.3% Industrial/ commer. 15%
Road/rail network Dump 0.3% sites 18% Port areas 2% Forested Airports land Mineral 0.1% 82% extraction 27%
7.23. Net formation of artificial area 7.24. Artificial development by change drivers [ha/year, % of initial year] (LC FLOWS) [ha/year]
0 1000 2000 lcf11Urban development/ infilling (cons.) 2000-2006 2000-2006 0.41% lcf11Urban development/ infilling (form.) 2006-2012 2006-2012 0.39% lcf12 Recycling of developed urban land (cons.) lcf12 Recycling of developed urban land (form.) lcf13 Development of green urban areas (cons.) lcf13 Development of green urban areas (form.) lcf21 Urban dense residential sprawl
lcf22 Urban diffuse residential sprawl lcf31 Sprawl of industrial & commercial sites lcf32 Sprawl of transport networks
lcf33 Sprawl of harbours
lcf34 Sprawl of airports lcf35 Sprawl of mines and quarrying areas lcf36 Sprawl of dumpsites
lcf37 Construction lcf38 Sprawl of sport and leisure facilities (cons.) lcf38 Sprawl of sport and leisure facilities (form.) lcf54 Conversion from developed areas to agriculture
lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation
lcf81 Water bodies creation
lcf911 Semi-natural creation lcf913 Extension of water courses
lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires
lcf93 Coastal erosion
lcf99 Other changes and unknown (cons.) lcf99 Other changes and unknown (form.)
-200 0 200 400 600
7 Finland
Agriculture
8.25. LC consumed by agriculture 2006-2012 8.26. Formation of agricultural land from [% of total] non-agriculture 2006-2012 [% of total]
Sea and Industr./ Disc. Water ocean comm. urban Dump Agriculture bodies 1% 0,03% fabric Salt sites Sport/ with 0.1% 0.2% marshes 0.3% leisure natural 2% 0.1% veg. 6% Peatbogs Coniferous Inland 11% forest marshes 0.1% 2% Bare rock Pastures 1% 23% Beaches, dunes, sand plains 1%
Transition. woodland/ Non- shrub irrigated 81% arable 71%
8.27. Consumption of agricultural land 8.28. Formation of non-agricultural land by non-agriculture 2006-2012 [% of total] from agriculture 2006-2012 [% of total]
Disc. Industr/ Road/rail Mineral Agriculture urban comm. network extraction with fabric Airports 2% 0.1% 0.1% Dump natural 4% 0.1% sites veg. 0.2% 18% Salt marshes Construct. 1% 3% Sport/ leisure Peatbogs 2% 29% Broad- leaved Pastures Non- forest 25% irrigated 0.1% arable Inland 57% marshes 0.3% Transition. Fruit Bare rock woodland/ trees/berry 4% shrub plantations 56% 0.1%
8.29. Main annual conversions between 8.30. Mean annual conversion between agriculture and forests & semi-natural land arable land and pasture [ha/year] 2006-2012 [ha/year]
-1400 -700 0 700 1400 -1 0 1
Conversion from forest to agriculture 2000-2006 2006-2012 Extension of pasture, set aside Conversion from dry semi- and fallow land natural & natural land to agriculture
Conversion from wetlands to agriculture Conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crops Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation
Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation
8 Finland
9.31. Mean annual agriculture internal 9.32. Mean annual conversions between agriculture conversions [ha/year] and other LC types [ha/year]
lcf411 Uniform extension of set aside fallow land and lcf13 Development of green urban 2000 - 2006 pasture areas 2006 - 2012 lcf412 Diffuse extension of set aside fallow land and pasture lcf2 Urban residential sprawl
2000-2006 lcf421 Conversion from arable lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and 2006-2012 land to permanent irrigation infrastructures perimeters
lcf511 Intensive conversion from lcf422 Other internal forest to agriculture conversions of arable land
lcf431 Conversion from olives lcf512 Diffuse conversion from forest groves to vineyards and to agriculture orchards lcf521 Intensive conversion from lcf432 Conversion from semi-natural land to agriculture vineyards and orchards to olive groves lcf522 Diffuse conversion from semi- lcf433 Other conversions natural land to agriculture between vineyards and orchards lcf523 Conversions from agriculture- lcf441 Conversion from nature mosaics to continuous permanent crops to agriculture (cont. agri. cons.) permanent irrigation perimeters lcf523 Conversions from agriculture- nature mosaics to continuous lcf442 Conversion from agriculture (cont. agri. form.) vineyards and orchards to non-irrigated arable land lcf53 Conversion from wetlands to agriculture lcf443 Conversion from olive groves to non-irrigated arable land lcf54 Conversion from developed areas to agriculture lcf444 Diffuse conversion from permanent crops to arable land lcf61 Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation lcf451 Conversion from arable land to vineyards and orchards lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation
lcf452 Conversion from arable land to olive groves lcf81 Water bodies creation
lcf453 Diffuse conversion from arable land to permanent crops lcf913 Extension of water courses
lcf461 Conversion from pasture to permanent lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires irrigation perimeters
lcf462 Intensive conversion from pasture to non-irrigated arable land and permanent lcf93 Coastal erosion crops
lcf463 Diffuse conversion lcf99 Other changes and unknown from pasture to arable and (agri. cons.) permanent crops
lcf47 Extension of agro- lcf99 Other changes and unknown forestry (agri. form.)
0 1 -2000 0 2000 4000 6000
9 Finland
Forest & nature
10.33. LC consumed by forest & nature 10.34. Formation of forest & nature land 2006-2012 [% of total] from non-forest /nature 2006-2012 [% of total] Disc. urban Road/rail Dump fabric network Broad- Coniferous Agriculture sites 0.05% 0.03% leaved forest with 4% Salt forest 0,1% Mixed natural Sport/leisu marshes 0.2% forest veg. re 2% 1% 19% 0.02%
Peatbogs 31%
Non- Pastures irrigated 27% arable Inland 51% marshes Transition. 0.4% woodland/ Fruit Bare rock shrub trees/berry 5% 63% plantations 0.1%
10.35. Consumption of forest & nature land 10.36. Formation of non-forest/nature land by non-forest/nature 2006-2012 [% of from forest & nature 2006-2012 [% of total] total] Agriculture Salt Sea and Water with Disc. marshes ocean Industrial/ Peatbogs bodies natural urban 1% 1% fabric commer. 8% 0.1% Broad- veg. 8% 8% leaved Pastures 3% Inland forest 10% Road/rail marshes 0.3% network 1% 0.1% Bare rock Port areas 0.5% Coniferous 1% Beaches, forest dunes, 29% Non- Mineral sand plains irrigated extraction 0.3% arable 17% 32% Mixed forest Transition. 5% Dump woodland/ Sport/ sites shrub leisure Construct. 11% 54% 2% 9%
10.37. Forested land 2012 10.38. Main trends in woodland & forests [% of total area] consumption/formation 2006-2012 [ha/year] 0 30000 60000 Broad- Transit. leaved Consumption of forest land by woodland forest urban sprawl shrub 3% 14% Conversion from forest to agriculture
Recent fellings and transitions
Mixed Withdrawal of farming with forest woodland creation 25% Conifer. Forest creation, afforestation forest 58% Conversion from transitional woodland to forests
Forest creation over wetlands
10 Finland
11.39. Dry semi-natural areas 2012 11.40. Main trends in dry semi-natural land [% of total area] consumption/formation 2006-2012 [ha/year] Sparsely Natural 0 20 40 60 80 100 vegetate grass. d areas 2% 5% Consumption of dry semi-natural land cover by urban sprawl Bare rock 17% Conversion of semi-natural land cover to agriculture
Beaches, Forest creation, afforestation over dunes dry semi-natural land and sand plains Withdrawal of farming without 0,1% Moors woodland creation and heath. Decrease of permanent snow and 76% glaciers
11.41. Wetlands & water 2012 11.42. Main trends in wetlands & water [% of total area] consumption/formation 2006-2012 [ha/year] Estuaries Inland -200 0 200 400 600 800 1000 0.002% marshes 1% Consumption of wetlands by urban sprawl
Peatbogs Conversion of wetlands to 40% agriculture
Forest creation and afforestation over wetlands
Water Withdrawal of farming without bodies woodland creation 58% Salt marshes Net water bodies creation 0.3% Water courses Net wetlands creation
1%
11.43. Mean annual conversions of forest & other woodland [ha/year]
lcf13 Development of green urban areas 2000-2006 lcf2 Urban residential sprawl 2006-2012
lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures
lcf511 Intensive conversion from forest to agriculture
lcf512 Diffuse conversion from forest to agriculture
lcf61 Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation
lcf71 Conversion from transitional woodland to forest (cons.)
lcf71 Conversion from transitional woodland to forest (form.)
lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation
lcf73 Forests internal conversions (cons.)
lcf73 Forests internal conversions (form.)
lcf74 Recent felling and transition (cons.)
lcf74 Recent felling and transition (form.)
lcf8 Water bodies creation and management
lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (cons.)
lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (form.)
-80000 -40000 0 40000 80000
11 Finland
12.44. Mean annual conversions of dry semi-natural LC [ha/year]
lcf13 Development of green urban areas 2000-2006 lcf2 Urban residential sprawl 2006-2012 lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures
lcf521 Intensive conversion from semi-natural land to agriculture
lcf522 Diffuse conversion from semi-natural land to agriculture
lcf523 Conversions from agriculture-nature mosaics to continuous…
lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation
lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation
lcf74 Recent felling and transition
lcf8 Water bodies creation and management
lcf82 Water bodies management
lcf911 Semi-natural creation (form.)
lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (cons.)
lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (form.)
lcf913 Extension of water courses (cons.)
lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires (cons.)
lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires (form.)
lcf93 Coastal erosion (cons.)
lcf94 Decrease in permanent snow and glaciers cover (cons.)
lcf94 Decrease in permanent snow and glaciers cover (form.)
lcf99 Other changes and unknown (cons.)
lcf99 Other changes and unknown (form.)
-20 0 20 40 60 80 100
12.45. Mean annual conversions of wetlands and water LC [ha/year]
lcf13 Development of green urban areas 2000-2006
2006-2012 lcf2 Urban residential sprawl
lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures
lcf53 Conversion from wetlands to agriculture
lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation
lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation
lcf8 Water bodies creation and management (cons.)
lcf81 Water bodies creation
lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (other than LCF91) lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (other than LCF912)
lcf911 Semi-natural creation (form.)
lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (cons.)
lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (form.)
lcf913 Extension of water courses (form.)
-3600 -3000 -2400 -1800 -1200 -600 0 600 1200
12 Finland
CLC Changes 2006-2012
CLC Changes 2000-2006
13 Finland
Drivers of change 2006-2012
Drivers of change 2000-2006
14 Finland
Artificial sprawl 2006-2012
Artificial sprawl 2000-2006
15 Finland
Agriculture 2006-2012
Agriculture 2000-2006
16 Finland
Forest and nature 2006-2012
Forest and nature 2000-2006
17