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Protecting Finland's Natural Treasures

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Protecting Finland's Natural Treasures Parks & Wildlife Finland Protecting Finland’s natural treasures New initiatives and greater social impact economies. We can now utilise our Our involvement and expertise in experiences to cherish the 29 cultural project work have also increased. Our total heritage sites we have taken over from spending on project work in 2014 was the National Board of Antiquities. double the figure for 2010. We enabled During 2014 we have expanded our We have also made progress more than 110 jobless youngsters across activities at Parks & Wildlife Finland promoting well-being. We started to the country to gain welcome work experi- (formerly known as Metsähallitus Natural systematically assess how much visitors ence. A project run with the city of Lieksa Heritage Services) and launched new to national parks and the users of our demonstrated how outdoor recreation initiatives to increase our social impact. fishing and hunting services value can activate people who have long been their experiences. Respondents to our unemployed. We have also increasingly e have already built up an questionnaire surveys truly appreciated provided useful employment for inmates international reputation for the well-being benefits of their activi- from open prisons, helping them to W our work managing Finland’s ties – estimating for instance that a visit integrate back into society. national parks and stocks of game species, to a national park is worth an average of Public sector organisations are and providing facilities that promote 208 euros, corresponding to the value of expected to improve productivity – quite outdoor recreation and boost local several months’ membership in a gym. rightly, since they use tax-payers’ money. At Parks & Wildlife Finland we have shown that we can work productively and cost-effectively. I hope we have also shown that effectiveness can involve much more than doing more work with fewer personnel. Our work gives society plenty of added value in terms of benefits N E enjoyed by individual citizens and busi- AIN K nesses. We hope that the new parliament ON R will continue to support our efforts to A A cherish Finland’s natural and cultural pekk A- heritage for the good of our people and KK the national economy. TSÄHALLITUS / JU/ TSÄHALLITUS E PHOTOS: M PHOTOS: Rauno Väisänen, Director, Parks & Wildlife Finland Parks & Wildlife Finland now runs popular historical attractions including the Raseborg Castle ruins. EDITORS: PÄIVI ROSQVIST, TIINA GRAHNTRANSLATION: FRAN WEAVERLAYOUT: MARIANNE KATAINENMETSÄHALLITUS PARKS & WILDLIfe FINLAND www.meTSA.FIwww.OUTDOORS.FICOVER: WILD FOREST AND LAkeLAND SceNERY IN THE New SOUTHERN KONNEVESI NATIONAL PARK IN CENTRAL FINLAND. PHOTO: METSÄHALLITUS / MERI-HILkkA MÄkeLÄ1 500 COPIESISBN 978-952-295-100-7 (PRINTED)ISBN 978-952-295-101-4 (PDF)EDITA PRIMA OY, HeLSINKI 2015. PEFC/02-31-135 Oulanka National Park is increasingly bringing in visitors who also enjoy other local attractions. The park’s visitors spent 2.7 million euros more in the Kuusamo region in 2014 than in 2009. PHOTO: BASecAmp OULANKA Social and economic benefits from outdoor recreation Metsähallitus’s Parks & Wildlife Finland eople feel happier and more ener- health benefits than day-trippers. People unit manages Finland’s national parks getic after visiting our national parks visiting in groups also enjoy social well- and other protected areas. We provide P or other beautiful natural attrac- being benefits and strengthen friendship services for hunters and fishers who use tions, as shown by survey findings. The bonds. The physical benefits enjoyed by state-owned lands and waters. Safe and psychological, social and physical benefits visitors include fresh air and the chance well-indicated routes through Finland’s enjoyed by people visiting natural areas to experience silence. superb landscapes encourage everyone have never been studied as extensively in In financial terms the health benefits to get out into the wild. Our national Finland before. perceived by visitors to our national parks welcomed almost 2.3 million visi- The survey results indicate that trips parks in 2013 are worth an estimated 226 tors in 2014. Their spending benefited to national parks give peace-of-mind and million euros. local economies by a total of more than reduce stress. People who stay overnight Fishers and hunters feel that they 125 million euros. in natural settings enjoy even more gain more in terms of well-being by taking 3 Parks & Wildlife Finland now produces services in Chinese for visitors in Lapland and Nuuksio. PHOTO: JOUNI MÄNNISTÖ longer trips. People of working age and in Kuusamo and the hilltops of Koli National Park attracted almost 300,000 women of all ages particularly find such National Park in Karelia. The exhibitions visitors. activities relaxing. Some 90% of hunters at our nature centres in both of these Destinations in Finnish Lapland, and 80% of fishers felt that their hunting popular parks have been revamped. The Eastern Finland and the Helsinki area and fishing trips significantly improved exhibitions utilise new technology to help are also popular with tourists from their social, psychological and physical visitors to virtually experience the parks’ Russia. An ongoing two-year project will well-being. Hunters walk an average of 8 unique nature. Visitors can also enjoy a upgrade the services we provide for these kilometres a day out in the forests, often new film about nature’s changing seasons visitors through language training and in challenging terrain. Visitors to national in Oulanka and its twin park Paanajärvi, the production of material in Russian. parks hiked an average of 15 km a day. just over the Russian border. This produc- A similar scheme targeting Chinese tion was funded by the EU, Finland and visitors particularly aims to promote the Millions of people enjoy Russia, as part of the Fennoscandian Nuuksio, Urho Kekkonen and Lemmenjoki Finland’s natural assets Green Belt Project. national parks, the Finnish Nature Centre During 2014 Finland’s national parks and Our nature centres welcomed more Haltia, and the Northern Lapland Nature our other areas welcomed a total of 5.6 than a million visitors in 2014. The Centre Siida. Our customer service staff million visitors, and our web services were Northern Lapland Nature Centre Siida and and other service providers are studying more widely used than ever – especially Pyhä–Luosto Visitor Centre Naava each Chinese culture and language. on mobile devices. welcomed almost 100,000 visitors. The A delegation from the Forestry Depart- Finland’s best loved national land- Finnish Nature Centre Haltia in Espoo had ment of Hunan Province recently visited scapes include Oulanka National Park 115,000 visitors, while nearby Nuuksio the Helsinki area and Northern Lapland 4 as part of ongoing Finnish-Chinese In NE Finland we established new agencies throughout Finland. The collaboration. riverside fishing waters with a total length ministries who supervise our work asked of 200 km. Many of our recreational us to find out how our partners see Collaboration to provide fishing waters can now be viewed in us. Out of 500 respondents 80% are memorable experiences online videos. generally happy or very happy with the of wild Finland Through our Moved by Nature project cooperation with us. During 2014 we worked to enhance in Eastern Finland we trained volunteer Of our international partners, 95% opportunities for year-round nature women of the Martha Organization were pleased with the cooperation. They tourism in Lapland for Finnish and interna- to work with school groups, aiming to saw us as an organisation with the high tional visitors. Our most popular national encourage teachers to take groups out level of expertise and commitmet. park, Pallas–Yllästunturi, welcomed more into the natural environment. The project than half a million visitors – largely due to has also developed new ways to improve International cooperation increased summer tourism. Together with children’s health and attitude to nature. on conservation local service providers we are developing a The Finnish Heart Association The Fennoscandian Green Belt consists Village to Village tourism package concept. gave Metsähallitus an award in 2014 of a chain of existing and planned nature This popular idea has attracted more than recognising the way our work promotes reserves extending through the border- 100 partner firms interested in offering cardiac health by providing facilities lands of Finland, Russia and Norway from services such as accommodation, catering that encourage people to enjoy healthy the Gulf of Finland to the Arctic Ocean. and the transportation of trekkers’ luggage outdoor activities. Parks & Wildlife Finland is actively to their next overnight destination. involved in this international scheme, The second annual Finnish Nature Successful partnerships realising projects that enhance coopera- Day was marked during the last weekend Parks & Wildlife Finland has extensive tion between national parks and nature in August with more than 100 events networks of partners including busi- centres in Finland and Russia to promote attracting over 11,000 participants in all. nesses, organisations and administrative sustainable nature tourism. During an EU project we also produced materials for schoolchildren and tourists highlighting the shared natural and cultural heritage of the three countries’ borderland regions. In our work protecting marine life in the Baltic Sea we work closely with organisations including HELCOM and the EU Marine Expert Group. We have shared our experiences of marine habitat inven- tory methods, marine mapping, and the creation of underwater nature trails and cultural trails for visitors with diving gear. At the IUCN World Parks Congress in Sydney we highlighted cross-border cooperation between twin national parks, the benefits of parks for local economies, health impacts, the planning of protected areas inhabited by indigenous people, and scope for sustainable fishing and hunting in protected areas. At the congress Metsähallitus signed a cooperation agreement with the Korea National Park 700 youngsters participated in Fishing Rod Day events in June.
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