METSO Programme exceeded targets for permanent protection, good progress in environmental subsidies and nature management in 2025
In 2025, about 6,600 hectares of forest habitats were protected under the Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland METSO. Last year Finnish forest owners protected permanently about 3,200 hectares of forest and concluded ten-year environmental forestry subsidy agreements concerning about 3,400 hectares. The area covered by nature management works was about 180 hectares.
The first period of the Forest Biodiversity Programme METSO ended at the end of 2025. Launched in 2008, the METSO Programme has become very popular among forest owners. With respect to permanent protection of forests and 20-year conservation agreements, the programme exceeded the target of 96,000 hectares by the end of 2025 by several thousands of hectares. During the first programme period almost 100,000 hectares of Finnish forest nature was protected through the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment.
After the downturn caused by challenges related to the information system and reorganisation of the activities, in 2025 the Finnish Forest Centre managed to bring the volumes of environmental forestry subsidy agreements and nature management projects back to the same level as before. 10-year environmental subsidy agreements and prescribed burning and nature management projects implemented during the first programme period covered a total of 69,000 hectares, which is 84% of the total target of 82,000 hectares set for them.
“The METSO Programme has established its position in Finnish nature conservation. Long-term efforts continue to be needed to halt biodiversity loss. The programme is based on voluntary action and trust and interaction among the stakeholders, and this is why the results have been so strong. I wish to thank forest owners and other stakeholders for their commitment. This collaboration offers a solid foundation for restoration and nature management work in the coming years,” Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala says.
“In both 2024 and 2025 the stakeholders in the forest sector assumed an active role in preparing environmental subsidy agreements, which is why last years’ result was so good. I wish to thank all stakeholders and, of course, forest owners for their commitment to this work,” Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sari Essayah says.
The value of the sites protected permanently under the METSO Programme in 2025 totalled about EUR 23 million. About EUR 12.3 million was used for compensations under the environmental forestry subsidy agreements and EUR 1.1 million for nature management and prescribed burning projects. The Finnish Forest Centre hired more people to process the applications, which speeded up the processing and helped clear the backlogs.
- Implementation of the METSO Programme in the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment
- Implementation of the METSO Programme in the Finnish Forest Centre
METSO Programme will continue with new targets
The next period of the METSO Programme should begin in the early part of this year, after the Government has issued a resolution on it. The new programme period would be 2026–2040.
In terms of its main elements the METSO Programme will continue in a way the forest owners have gotten used to. Voluntary protection of sites and nature management in commercial forests will continue, but the targets for these have been reviewed. In the new period, cooperation between the METSO Programme and the Helmi Habitats Programme where the focus is on restoration and rehabilitation will be further strengthened to improve the impact of both programmes.
This year the Finnish Forest Centre has about EUR 21.7 million in funding to be used for concluding environmental forestry subsidy agreements and for nature management.
The Finnish Forest Centre has formulated a plan to promote nature management in 2025–2030 that specifies the concrete actions to meet the targets set for the new period of the METSO Programme.
The piloting of new performance-based subsidies in the management of herb-rich forests and restoration of mires started in the beginning of 2026. Information and training concerning the pilot and the preparation of nature management projects and environmental subsidies will be offered to forest owners and other stakeholders in the forest sector. The Finnish Forest Centre encourages to use the electronic application form at Metsään.fi to apply for environmental subsidies.
This year about EUR 18 million in funding is available for permanent protection of forests. With the entry into force of the regional state administration reform on 1 January 2026, the tasks related to the targets for permanent protection are now managed by the regional Economic Development Centres.
Voluntary programmes in key position in implementing Nature Restoration Regulation
The process to prepare the National Restoration Plan under the Nature Restoration Regulation is under way in Finland. The Helmi Habitats Programme, Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland METSO, Ahti Programme on improving the state of waters and marine areas, and Migratory Fish Programme NOUSU that promote biodiversity and are voluntary for landowners will have a key role in implementing the plan.
Inquiries
Esa Pynnönen
Senior Ministerial Adviser
Ministry of the Environment
tel. +358 295 250 386
[email protected]
Ville Schildt
Senior Ministerial Adviser
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
tel. +358 295 162 190
[email protected]