Suitability of habitat types for biodiversity offsetting in Finland
Raunio, Anne; Anttila, Susanna; Pekkonen, Minna; Ojala, Olli (2019-05-03)
Ministry of the Environment
03.05.2019
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Biodiversity offsetting or ecological compensation is a process that aims to compensate for human-induced deterioration of biodiversity through habitat restoration or conservation measures. Habitat type is one level at which offsetting can be assessed and implemented. This publication investigates the applicability of biodiversity offsetting to habitat types occurring in Finland from the perspective of compensation and deterioration. Different habitat type groups were assessed to determine whether the human-induced deterioration of the habitat type in question could be compensated for through biodiversity offsetting and, if so, how the compensation could be implemented.
The suitability of the habitat types was assessed based on the endangerment, rarity, structure and functional features of the habitat types, as well as the effectiveness of measures to improve their status. The assessment included a total of 99 different habitat type groups, which roughly correspond to the second level of classification used in the 2008 assessment of threatened habitat types in Finland. Based on expert analyses and the best available data, each habitat type group was classified as either suitable, possibly suitable or generally unsuitable for biodiversity offsetting. The publication also describes the operating principles and concepts associated with the biodiversity offsetting of habitat types, as well as general and specific preconditions related to the suitability of habitat types for biodiversity offsetting.
According to the assessment of habitat types, the conditions for biodiversity offsetting in Finland are quite good when the general and specific preconditions are taken into consideration. Slightly more than 41 per cent of the assessed habitat types were deemed suitable for biodiversity offsetting, while only 10 per cent of the habitat type groups were found to be entirely unsuitable from the perspective of both deterioration and compensation.
The suitability of the habitat types was assessed based on the endangerment, rarity, structure and functional features of the habitat types, as well as the effectiveness of measures to improve their status. The assessment included a total of 99 different habitat type groups, which roughly correspond to the second level of classification used in the 2008 assessment of threatened habitat types in Finland. Based on expert analyses and the best available data, each habitat type group was classified as either suitable, possibly suitable or generally unsuitable for biodiversity offsetting. The publication also describes the operating principles and concepts associated with the biodiversity offsetting of habitat types, as well as general and specific preconditions related to the suitability of habitat types for biodiversity offsetting.
According to the assessment of habitat types, the conditions for biodiversity offsetting in Finland are quite good when the general and specific preconditions are taken into consideration. Slightly more than 41 per cent of the assessed habitat types were deemed suitable for biodiversity offsetting, while only 10 per cent of the habitat type groups were found to be entirely unsuitable from the perspective of both deterioration and compensation.