Metsähallitus is currently investigating how biodiversity can be increased and supported in wind power project areas. The project is led by Sitowise, which preparing a proposal for measures to support biodiversity.
The proposed measures are targeted at areas where clear changes in land use can be seen. Measures can be avoidant or mitigating, such as site restoration, creation of new habitats and other ways to increase biodiversity.
The land exposed in the wind power project area could serve as scorching environments where many endangered insect species thrive.
Ari Nikula, Metsähallitus
The pilot area located in northern Finland also takes into account the significance of the wind power project area for reindeer husbandry. The purpose of the pilot is to promote the introduction of practices that support biodiversity also in other Metsähallitus renewable energy projects in the future.
- Roads are being built in the wind power project area, and land is also exposed at power plant sites. These areas could, for example, serve as good roasting environments where many endangered insect species thrive, says Ari Nikula, Project Manager at Metsähallitus.
Jaakko Kullberg, Senior Biodiversity Specialist and Biologist at Sitowise, says that the pilot project will pay special attention to the special characteristics of northern Finland, such as improving habitats that have potential for steppe species.
The project begins by examining what species of roasting environments are present on nearby roads.
By helping this existing local ancient steppe species spread to new environments and roadsides, new habitat networks for plant species and their companion insects can be created in wind farms, their road areas and transmission line areas.
- Similarly, new sites can utilise the wood produced during clearing to create toasty decaying wood and pollinator sites, says Kullberg about possible measures to increase biodiversity.
We will compile measures to mitigate construction impacts into concrete action proposals and, ultimately, measures to increase biodiversity, which is less common.
Heli Nukki, Sitowise
- This project will refine the nature data that will be examined extensively, as well as consideration of the special characteristics of the area and, in particular, the endangered species already present in the nearby areas, says Heli Nukki, Service Manager for Biodiversity at Sitowise. - We will compile measures to mitigate the impacts of construction into concrete proposals for action and, ultimately, measures to increase biodiversity, which is less common, Nukki continues.
Increasing biodiversity and minimising environmental impacts are part of Metsähallitus' sustainability programme. The new project also looks further into the life cycle of a wind power project.
- Metsähallitus does not build wind turbines or roads in the areas itself, but as a lessor we can oblige operators to take the measures we want, Nikula says.
- Metsähallitus' own wind power projects are located in state-owned areas, so creating habitats, for example, is relatively easy from the perspective of land ownership, Nikula continues. - And it's not very expensive either, you just have to look at things a little differently.
- In connection with environmental impact assessments, various mitigation measures are often listed, and we think it is important to implement them in practice, Nikula says.
- Supporting and increasing biodiversity is voluntary for us, and we are happy to set an example here, in the same way as, for example, Rudus has operated on its aggregate sites, Nikula says.