Birdlife identifies nine new ecologically significant bird areas in Finland

BirdLife has identified nine new ecologically significant bird areas in Finland, highlighting places crucial for both migratory and wintering waterfowl. These sites include important resting and breeding grounds for various bird species, especially in northern Finland, where they were previously underrepresented. Notably, regions vital for endangered species such as the Red-crested Pochard have also been recognized.

Among the newly identified areas are the Kanteleen-Ruha region at the border of East Uusimaa and Päijät-Häme, as well as Ahtialanjärvi in Pirkanmaa, which has benefited from recent restorations. In Southeast Finland, significant sites include Konnunsuo in Lappeenranta and agricultural lands around Lake Elimäinen in Kouvola, the latter being a flood-prone area that was once a lake.

BirdLife Finland’s conservation expert Tero Toivanen emphasized that the selection criteria for these areas are stringent and rooted in international standards. Many of these sites either boast a high number of birds or are critical habitats for threatened or declining species.

Most of Finland’s important bird areas were identified in the 1990s; however, significant changes in bird populations since then have necessitated an update to this classification. Climate change, in particular, has caused many species to retreat northward while introducing new species to the area, affecting the distribution of waterfowl.

While the designation of these areas does not constitute formal protection, it serves as guidance for future land-use planning to mitigate potential adverse impacts on bird populations, ensuring that activities harmful to avian communities are discouraged. In agricultural regions, it may be advantageous for practices to remain unchanged, as they currently support local bird life.