Espoo works hard to preserve biodiversity
For many residents, nature is one of the most important reasons to live specifically in Espoo. Although the city around us grows at an increasing speed, Espoo’s goal is to prevent degradation of nature. Espoo already has a variety of practices at its disposal to help build a nature-wise city.
Despite the city’s pressure to grow, Espoo is committed to work on protecting biodiversity. The city already has several good practices which help protect nature through forest management and city planning, for example.
In 2022, the Nature-wise Espoo project was launched to determine how we can better secure and increase biodiversity. During the project, we will gather more information on ways and required actions to prevent biodiversity loss. The key phrase in this project is “No Net Loss”. It is a state where human activity does not decrease biodiversity or the benefits of nature to humans.
Most valuable natural sites preserved through nature conservation
Espoo’s ambitious efforts to protect biodiversity in the coming years will be based on the results of the nature conservation measures project from 2021. The LuonTo project e.g. proposes 26 new nature conservation areas and natural sites to be preserved through local city planning and actions.
The Environmental Specialist Ari Turula’s task is to ensure that the LuonTo project goes ahead and that valuable natural sites in Espoo are protected. “The LuonTo project is an ambitious and extensive whole but it will be a true victory in terms of nature preservation in Espoo,” Turula rejoices. A decision on the creation of the first nature conservation areas related to the project was made in 2022. New nature conservation areas will be created in Perusmäki and Siikajärvi districts to protect precious forests, groves and bogs.
“Comprehensive, up-to-date information on the condition of nature is of utmost importance to allow us to direct attention to areas that need it the most so nature can recover,” Turula states. Espoo collects a lot of new information on the condition of nature in the city annually, such as endangered habitats, bird species nesting in wetlands and the habitats of endangered species.
City planning used to secure network of green spaces for the benefit of people and nature
There is a lot valuable nature worth preserving in Espoo even in urban areas. The most effective way to preserve this type of nature with high natural and recreational value is through planning regulations and notations.
The Urban Planning Department employs several landscape architects whose job is to ensure that the most important areas and wildlife corridors in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem services are protected in city planning. According to Landscape Architect Annika Tuominen, protecting valuable natural sites and maintaining connections between wildlife corridors is essential in district planning: “maintaining a connection between natural sites, so they form a network that different species can use to move from one area to another, is crucial to preserve biodiversity,” Tuominen describes. When a town plan is being prepared, landscape architects request environmental reports which provide up-to-date information on the natural values of the area. The most valuable areas, which will be protected from development, are determined based on this information. Topics such as objectives of forest nature preservation and areas where special attention should be paid to maintaining wildlife corridor connections can also be described in planning regulations.
Espoo aims to protect biodiversity in forests through nature management
Forest management in Espoo is based on the principles of sustainable and continuous cover forestry. Forests are maintained to both promote their recreational use and to protect the flora and fauna within.
“Urban forests in Espoo are maintained in a way which promotes longevity. We also allow a variety of tree species to grow in the forests. Old forests and decaying wood benefit many animal, bird and insect species, for example,” says Tiina Peippo, a Forester at the City of Espoo. Silvicultural activities are not performed in Espoo during the nesting season. The ground is also protected when silvicultural activities take place in winter.
According to Tiina Peippo, forests and meadows are maintained with the primary goal of diverse recreational use so that Espoo residents can enjoy local nature and its benefits. “Recreational use of forests may also damage local nature as walking off-path could wear down the forest floor significantly,” Peippo says. That is why hikers are instructed to use existing routes and paths, especially in areas prone to wear and tear.