Nature Conservation in North Ostrobothnia

Senior advisor Tupuna Kovanen, land use and nature conservation department

8.5.2017 Nature Conservation in North Ostrobothnia

§ 325 000 hectares of protected areas (9,2%) § 221 Natura 2000 –areas (286 000 hectares) § Sea shores, land uplift coast § Mires § Old-growth forests § Rivers and streams

2 Kovanen Tupuna Ely’s responsibilities

§ General responsibility on Nature conservation - Supervising body (Nature Protection Act) - Permits - Guidance - Establishing and managing nature conservation areas - Natura 2000 - EIA - Promoting nature conservation in land use and other strategic plans § Co-operation with Metsähallitus, Oulu University, council of Oulu region and other stakeholders

3 Kovanen Tupuna Metsähallitus (State Forest Enterprise)

§ Nature conservation § Outdoor recreation § Cultural heritage § Focuses on state-owned lands and waters § Manages national parks and other protection areas § Managing habitats and species § Restoration of mires and forests

4 Kovanen Tupuna Photos: Metsähallitus www.metsa.fi

5 Kovanen Tupuna Ely and climate change

§ Influencing the land use plans and strategic plans § Precautionary principle § Mitigation possibilities § Significance of biodiversity and connectivity § Affecting the decision –makers

§ Managing of seashore meadows § Monitoring § nesting birds in important bird areas § seashore meadows and endemic seashore and aquatic plant species

6 Kovanen Tupuna Planning of Natura 2000 -areas § Reports to the EU Commission (every 6th year) § Updating of standard data forms and defining the key habitats and species § Inventories of habitats and species § National evaluation of status of N2000 –areas (2018) § General planning of N2000-network: systematic approach – Natura values : threats and aims => Assesment of planning needs, ”planning of planning” Þ Management plans Þ Implementation of plans Þ Monitoring Þ Assesment -GIS –based databases

7 Kovanen Tupuna Internationally important wetlands

8 Sea shore meadows (CR)

§ Lots of threatened bird species (waders) are nesting on the seashore meadows, also threatened plants § Eutrophication § Lack of management => reeds and bushes take over § Flat shores => high waters (up to +160 cm) can rise hundreds of meters inland § In the spring – early summer water levels have been usually low § Climate change: more wind and storms (=>high sea levels), more unpredictable conditions ÞRisk: nesting is unsuccesful

9 Kovanen Tupuna What can we do?

Increase the suitable habitat Get off the reeds and bushes

10 Kovanen Tupuna By mowing

11 Kovanen Tupuna By clearing the bushes

12 Kovanen Tupuna Photo: Jorma Pessa By pasturage

13 Kovanen Tupuna Photos: Jorma Pessa 14 Kovanen Tupuna Photo:Jorma Pessa 15 Kovanen Tupuna Photo: Juha Markkola Disappearing salty patches

Päivi Virnes

Testing of management methods

16 Kovanen Tupuna Jorma Pessa Birds and climate change

§ Migrating birds are arriving earlier § Migration season is longer: early ”risk-takers” § Birds are nesting earlier => risk for cold periods during nesting has increased § Insectivore species have a higher risk if nesting early § Game species (waterfowl) may even benefit: early nesting => nestlings grow up earlier, parents have time to moult before hunt begins § Habitat changes and deterioration 17 Kovanen Tupuna Bean goose (Anser fabalis)

Migration takes place three weeks earlier than in 70’s

18 Pessa Jorma Photo: POPELY/Jari Peltomäki Alien species

19ControllingKovanen Tupuna the populations Photo: Jorma Pessa Northern and arctic species

Long term survival? Habitat specialists?

20 Kovanen Tupuna Baltic Ringed seal (Pusa hispida botnica) Future: Bothnian Bay Ringed seal?

21 Kovanen Tupuna photo: Jorma Pessa Ips typographus

Future of the spruce: increasing risk

- Summers getting longer and warmer => escaping North? - Ips typhographus - Warmer and longer summers increase risk for two generations/yr

Photo: Heimz Schumutzenhofer

22 Kovanen Tupuna Photo: Tapio Heikkilä Photo: Ari Nikula Photo: Erkki Annila -Thymus, a key species, needs bare ground

-Rokua: ground water area, no burns allowed

Rokua – managing of dry and warm sunlit habitats -Creating of open patches for Thymus and lepidoptera Pyraulista cingulatus Thymus serpyllum depending on it

-Lepidoptera species are spreading to the north 23 Kovanen Tupuna

Metsähallitus/Petri Lampila Photo: Varsinais-Suomen perinnemaisemayhdistys Thank You!

24 Kovanen Tupuna