FOREST CHARACTERISTIC AND FOREST TYPES  

Geographically Finland lies in an intermediate zone between maritime and continental climates, belonging for the most part to the boreal vegetation zone. Because Finland is over 1,100 km long on the north-south axis, conditions for forest growth vary considerably between the southern and northern parts of the country. 

TYPICAL AND EXCEPTIONAL FAUNA AND FLORA SPECIES IN FORESTS

The number of plant and tree species in Finnish forests is small compared to the boreal zone in North America, or the temperate zone in Central Europe. This is because of the high European mountain ranges running east-west, which prevented the return of plants to the north after the last Ice Age about 10 000 years ago. 

FORMS OF NATURE PROTECTION SUCH AS NATIONAL PARKS AND NATURE 2000 SITES

Conservation areas are areas where forests are allowed to develop naturally, or where woodcuttings are severely restricted. The establishment of statutory conservation areas in Finland has been based on conservation programmes for national parks, strict nature reserves, mires, waterfowl habitats, eskers, herb-rich forests, shorelines and old-growth.

ORGANIZATION OF FORESTRY
In Finland the obligation to regenerate the forest after final wood cuttings has been since the beginning of 1900 and remains to this day the basic principle of the law. The Government encourages forest owners to use good silvicultural practices in the management of their forests.