Fire is an important part of natural cycle of boreal forests and forest management, beneficial for regeneration and vital for certain species that form part of the forest biodiversity.

Historically fire has been used to clear forests for farming, and later to assist regeneration of new forests. Today, forest fires are rare thanks to efficient monitoring and fire suppression systems but certain types of forest and ecosystems would benefit from it. Prescribed burning is used as a restoration method in boreal forests.

The Finnish forest and nature capital company Finsilva uses prescribed forest burning as a tool to restore nature values. Careful planning is needed in order to achieve the desired result: safe operation and improved nature values. Preparations start even several years before by producing sufficient dry biomass for the area, preparing necessary fire breaks, revising the area for bird nests prior to burning, the burning itself and by carefully putting out the fire.

Results are immediate. Certain insect species will find the burned wood very quickly while some fungus will develop over years. This forest area is permanently removed from commercial forest management and will continue nature positive development over many years to come.

https://www.finsilva.fi/artikkelit/metsa-palaa-monimuotoiseksi-dokumentti/

For more information, please visit https://www.finsilva.fi/in-english/