Who benefits from forest fires?
Extensive commercial forestry has altered the structure and tree species composition of Finland’s forests, putting many species adapted to old-growth forests at risk of extinction. Some protected forests were formerly managed for timber production, and their biodiversity is not as rich as that of natural old-growth forests. To help safeguard these species, forest restoration is carried out in protected areas.
Forest restoration increases the amount of deadwood, which is vital for many species, and makes the structure and tree species composition of forests more diverse. At Vattaja, storm damage has previously been simulated by uprooting trees and by using explosives to break tree trunks. Deadwood provides an important habitat for numerous species. By redirecting the Defence Forces’ training activities, it has also been possible to create partially damaged tree trunks and charred wood. Many species depend on forest fires and burnt wood, which is why these natural processes are also simulated in protected areas.
Climate change has shortened the period of soil frost and increased the amount of rainfall. Without soil frost to anchor them, trees are more vulnerable to storm damage. As a result, storms now bring down more trees in the protected area, increasing the amount of deadwood. Climate change has also led to an increase in forest fires. In 2023, a large wildfire burned seven hectares of forest in the Defence Forces’ training area at Vattaja.
Image: The beetle Sphaeriestes stockmanni, found at Vattaja, benefits from forest fires.
Sources:
Kinnunen Outi. Ilmastonmuutos lisää metsäpaloja Fennoskandiassa. (Climate change increases forest fires in Fennoscandia). 2024. Finnish Meteorological Institute.
Gregow Hilppa. Ilmastonmuutoksen ei ennusteta lisäävän tuulisuutta, myrskytuhot voivat silti lisääntyä (Climate change is not expected to increase windiness, but storm damage may still increase). 2020. Finnish Meteorological Institute.