Generation of nature values
The generation of nature values has seven stages, three of which are related to drawing up the offset plan and the last one to their utilisation.
A landowner can generate nature values in two ways, either by implementing offset measures or by the avoided loss offset, which means conserving permanently a site representing a threatened habitat type that is representative in terms of its natural state. Stages 2 and 3 do not apply to the avoided loss offset, but the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment gives a statement on the nature values to be generated and their quality directly.
1. Identification of habitat types in land areas
The generation of nature values starts by identifying the habitat types where the status needs to be improved in the land area. Nature values can also be generated by improving a habitat of a rare species. Mostly this would concern e.g. a species subject to special conservation measures or a species of European Union interest referred to in the Nature Conservation Act, excluding game animal species.
2. Assessment of the status of the habitat types
The status of the identified habitat types and habitats of species is assessed on a ten-step scale from 0 to 1, where 1 represents a site that is in its natural state or comparable to this and 0 is a site that has lost its natural state. The assessment of the natural state is based on the key characteristics of the habitat type concerned. Read more in section 2 of the Decree of the Ministry of the Environment on Voluntary Ecological Offsetting.
- Decree of the Ministry of the Environment on Voluntary Ecological Offsetting (Finlex, in Finnish)
The best additionality can be achieved by improving deteriorated sites that still have enough characteristics of the habitat type (or habitat of a species) left.
The status of the habitat type and habitat is expressed as nature value hectares, i.e. as an equation of the surface area and the quality of the site [nature value hectare (lah) = surface area x site status (0-1)].
3. Drawing up a plan on the necessary measures and improvement in the status set as the target
The party planning to generate nature values draws up or commissions the drawing up of an offset plan that indicates:
- information on the site to be used in offsetting (offset site), its nature values and their status prior to the offset measures;
- information on the nature values to be improved, the desired status and the offset measures to implement the improvement of nature values;
- timeframe for the performance of the offset measures;
- information on the monitoring of the implementation of the offset measures;
- assessment of the risks relating to the implementation of the offset measures and a plan for preparing for them and for alternative implementation methods;
- information on the practical implementer of the offset measures and the implementer’s qualification for the role.
The key content of the offset plan are the offset measures by which the estimated status of the habitat type (habitat of a species) is to be improved towards the natural state or comparable. These measures are specific to the habitat type in question. An offset measure may involve e.g. blocking the ditches of a drained mire that will restore the hydrological balance of the mire towards a more natural one and enable the rehabilitation of flora and fauna typical of the habitat type.
Example of offset measures for different kinds of habitat types are available in the report published by the Finnish Environment Institute.
Avoided loss offset takes place by conserving permanently a site representing a threatened habitat type that is representative in terms of its natural state.
4. Application to the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment on a statement to be given
A statement is requested from the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment before implementing the measures.
The purpose of this is to verify the initial status of the offset site and that, as the authority sees it, the plan is in line with the available scientific knowledge of the benefit to be achieved with the planned measures. The nature values to be generated are defined qualitatively as nature value hectares of the habitat type in question. The Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment may ask the applicant to supplement the plan if there are any shortcomings, such as unidentified risks.
The same plan may include the generation of natural values for more than one habitat type and species if it concerns a single coherent area, independent of property boundaries. It is also possible for more than one landowner to file a joint application concerning several properties. In this case one of the applicants represents all landowners, with their consent.
The Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment notifies of the statement on the offset plan to the municipality and regional council where the site is located so that they are aware of the offset plan when making land use plans.
In the case of avoided loss offsets, the Centre of the Economic Development and the Environment gives a statement on the nature values to be generated and their quality.
5. Implementation of measures according to the plan
The landowner can implement the offset measures according to the plan after having received the statement of the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. Any changes during the implementation must be recorded.
6. Application to the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment concerning the quantity and quality of nature values to be generated
When the measures have been implemented, the landowner can apply for a statement from the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment concerning the quantity and quality of the nature values generated by the offset measures. This statement verifies how many nature value hectares of each habitat type (or habitat of species) the measures generate over time. With respect to avoided loss offsets, this statement is given on the basis of the offset plan.
Read more in section 4 of the Decree of the Ministry of the Environment on Voluntary Ecological Offsetting.
On the application of the landowner, the reference number, nature values to be generated (habitat type / species), number of nature value hectares and municipality where they are located are entered to the publicly available Offset Register. Personal data or identification data of properties are not published in the register. A landowner can request the data to be removed from the register.
7. Selling natural values
A landowner can sell the nature values generated to a party wishing to use them for offsetting deterioration. A landowner can also decide not to use the site for offsetting. The owner of natural values may change several times before they are used.
When the nature values generated are used to offsetting a deterioration of nature values, the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment makes a decision on the prohibition of destruction and deterioration of the values generated in the offset site, and information on the use of the nature value hectares used for the offsetting is entered to the Offset Register. If the offsets that have been generated exceed what is needed to offset the deterioration, the landowner can sell the remaining nature value hectares for offsetting deterioration elsewhere.