EU Nature Restoration Regulation
The aim of the Nature Restoration Regulation is to improve a broad range of ecosystems in different kinds of environments, both in protected areas and outside these. To reach the targets set in the Nature Restoration Regulation, many different ways to strengthen nature values must be used. An area where the state of nature is being improved can still be in commercial use or part of an urban environment. The implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation requires measures to improve the state of nature in various kinds of environments, including mires, forests, agricultural and urban environments, fells, shores, marine areas and inland waters.
Measures that can be used include blocking ditches in mires, restoring river or brook channels towards their natural state, resuming grazing in areas traditionally used as pastures and removing spruces from herb-rich forests. Measures particularly targeted to catchment areas, such as the restoration of mires, also improve the state of downstream and coastal waters. Besides the state of nature, this also improves the opportunities for recreational use. The resilience of ecosystems against increasingly frequent extreme weather events improves, which also strengthens the resilience of society. Stronger pollinator populations, in turn, support food production.
National restoration plan
The national restoration plans drawn up to implement the regulation specify the means to reach the targets.
Finland will submit the draft restoration plan to the European Commission by 1 September 2026, after it has been considered by the Government. The Commission has two months to give its feedback, and then Finland will finalise the plan. The final plan must be submitted to the Commission by 1 September 2027.
The first plan does not yet present the sites to be restored or protected. The details of the measures and their costs and benefits will also be specified later. The measures to be taken in the early stages of the plan will focus on state-owned lands and protected areas. In the first plan, indicative targets will be set for 2040 and 2050, and they will be specified in more detail when the plan is updated in 2032 and 2042.
Flexibilities for Member States in implementing the Nature Restoration Regulation
The Nature Restoration Regulation allows flexibilities for Member States in its implementation, and voluntary means can also be used. Finland has already taken significant actions to improve the state of nature, including measures under the Helmi Habitats Programme, SOTKA project to reverse the trend in declining gamebird populations, Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland METSO, Ahti programme on improving the state of waters, Migratory Fish Programme NOUSU, and Finland’s CAP Strategic Plan. The work to be done under the Nature Restoration Regulation will also contribute to the implementation of other current EU legislation, including the Habitats and Birds Directives. This includes the time limits to be set for measures to improve the state of the habitat types covered by the directive to reach the targets.
The process to prepare the national restoration plan includes the assessment of the costs and the economic, social and environmental impacts of the implementation.
Process to prepare the plan
The plan is prepared in five different thematic groups and in a project group led by experts from the Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The thematic groups have been divided according to the topics of the articles of the Nature Restoration Regulation: 1) terrestrial and inland freshwater habitat types, habitats of species and flowing waters and floodplains, 2) improving the state of marine habitats, 3) urban environments, 4) agricultural environments and pollinator populations and 5) forest habitats. The thematic groups will invite the relevant stakeholders for consultations in several stages of the process.
Based on the work done in the thematic groups, the project group will formulate a proposal for the national restoration plan. The project group guides the studies and surveys and coordinates the work of the thematic groups, stakeholder participation and communication. The high-level steering group for the process is led by the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The members include the state secretaries representing the parties in Government. The steering group discusses the strategic outlines of the process and monitors its progress.
The legislative drafting group, in turn, supports the preparation of the restoration plan by identifying the legislative amendments that may be needed.
Scientific panels also participated in the formulation of the restoration plan by compiling a report on effective and just implementation of the regulation. As part of the preparation process, a citizens’ panel on improving the state of nature was organised in 2025.
Stakeholder events
The timetables of the stakeholder events will be updated once the dates have been confirmed. Registration links will be provided when the registration is open.
Public events
- A webinar open to everyone on the status of the preparations on 5 June 2025 at 9.30–11.30
Wetland habitat types (coastal and inland), habitats of species and flowing waters and floodplains.
- Events in the regions 2025: (Oulu in May/June, Joensuu in September, Kouvola in October, Tampere in November)
- Virtual thematic workshop on flowing waters in autumn/2025
- Webinar in December/2025
Improving the state of marine nature
- Webinar in autumn/2025
Urban environments
- Open webinar on 24 April at 12-13 and in autumn/2025
- Webinar on research in spring/2025
Agricultural environments and pollinator populations
- Stakeholder event on the restoration of peat production areas on 11 April at 9–11
- Open webinar on 6 May at 9–11.30
- On-site events open to everyone on peatland issues: Parkano 28 October, North Ostrobothnia (locality to be specified) 30 October, Suomussalmi 4 November, Tornio 6 November
- Okra Farm Fair on 4–5 July
Forest habitats
- Discussion event on the Forest Strategy: science panels’ dialogue on biodiversity and restoration in commercial forests on 2 April at 9–11
- Webinar for forest owners and actors in the forest sector on 4 June 2025 at 13.30–15.00 together with the Priodiversity LIFE project and theme group on wetland habitat types (coastal and inland), habitats of species and flowing waters and floodplains
- Workshop for forest sector stakeholders in autumn/2025