Study title

Forest Owners' Views on Forest Biodiversity Programme METSO and Forest Use 2014

Dataset ID Number

FSD3161

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3161
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd3161

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Hujala, Teppo (Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke))
• Kurttila, Mikko (Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke))
• Paloniemi, Riikka (Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE))
• Primmer, Eeva (Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE))
• Pynnönen, Sari (Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK))
• Ratamäki, Outi (Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE))

Abstract

This study surveyed Finnish forest owners' views on the METSO biodiversity programme, principles of forest management, securing biodiversity of forests, and forest use. The survey is part of the METSO collaborative research project funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (2013-2016).

The first questions covered the type of measures that had already been taken to preserve the respondents' forest sites (e.g. WWF Heritage Forest agreements or other conservation agreements). It was also queried whether the forest owners had signed a METSO agreement and which measures they would take on the sites after the contract ended, e.g. signing new conservation agreements or carrying out logging operations. Further questions surveyed whether the respondents felt that a conservation agreement restricted the utilisation of the site's resources. The study was also interested in whether the respondents' forests contained sites that are protected by law, e.g. mating and resting sites of Siberian flying squirrels. The factors that the respondents deemed important in securing biodiversity of forests were examined as well (e.g. securing recreation possibilities in accordance with everyman's right, preserving the natural condition of the site, or economic gain from conservation agreements).

Next, the respondents were presented with attitudinal statements regarding the METSO programme and, for instance, the compensation received from METSO conservation sites. The survey also studied the role of knowledge and interaction in securing biodiversity. The forest owners were asked to evaluate if a variety of conservation-related services were needed, e.g. a map showing valuable nature sites in their forests or estimates of the economic effects of a protected forest site versus a commercial forest site. They were also asked to evaluate different actors' roles and reliability in the conservation agreement process (e.g. the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, and the Finnish Forest Centre). The influence of different people's opinions (e.g. family, neighbours, and professionals at forest management associations (MHY)) on conservation measures were also examined.

The respondents were asked with which organisation they preferred to transact in issues relating to the METSO programme, forest management, and timber sales, and if they had put together a forest management plan. Finally, the respondents' objectives relating to forest use were surveyed. They were asked what types of forest management measures they would undertake in the following five years, e.g. clear felling, uneven-aged forest management, or preserving areas in accordance with FSC or PEFC certifications. Further questions about the respondents' experiences of forest management plans were also asked.

Background variables included, for instance, gender, age, type of municipality of residence, education level, household gross income and income received from forests, and type and duration of forest ownership.

Keywords

biodiversity; conservation; forest management; forest protection; forest resources; forestry; forests; land economics; land resources

Topic Classification

• Agriculture and forestry (Fields of Science Classification)
• Agriculture and rural industry (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Environment and conservation (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (A) openly available for all users without registration (CC BY 4.0).

Data Collector

• Finnish Environment Institute
• Natural Resources Institute Finland
• Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners

Time Period Covered

2014

Collection Dates

2014-04 – 2014-05

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual (Forest owner)

Event/Process/Activity (Forest conservation programme)

Universe

Forest owners in Pirkanmaa and Southern Ostrobothnia who had paid the forestry levy in 2013, as well as forest owners in the Rekijokilaakso area (Salo/Somero) and North Karelia

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Total universe/Complete enumeration

Probability: Simple random

North Karelia (part 1 of the sample) (total population): All private forest owners who had signed a conservation agreement or an environmental subsidy agreement in 2004-2013. Response rate 33.0%.

North Karelia (part 2 of the sample) (simple random sample): Random sample drawn from the whole North Karelia area. Sites smaller than 2 hectares (~5 acres) were excluded. Response rate 25.0%.

Rekijokilaakso (total population): All forest sites in a geographically limited area. Only one questionnaire was sent to each forest owner. Response rate 16.5%.

Pirkanmaa and Southern Ostrobothnia (simple random sample): Random sample drawn from the members of four subjectively chosen forest management associations. Sites smaller than 4 hectares (~10 acres) were excluded. Response rate 19.1%.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

23.0

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

1.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

Due to a large number of respondents, the responses of North Karelian forest owners are somewhat overrepresented in comparison with other regions. The results may also be skewed due to differences between regions in conservation history.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Hujala, Teppo (Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)) & Kurttila, Mikko (Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)) & Paloniemi, Riikka (Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)) & Primmer, Eeva (Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)) & Pynnönen, Sari (Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK)) & Ratamäki, Outi (Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)): Forest Owners' Views on Forest Biodiversity Programme METSO and Forest Use 2014 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2017-08-31). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3161

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Publications

Hujala, Teppo & Pynnönen, Sari & Kurttila, Mikko & Arponen, Anni & Kasurinen, Sanna & Tähtinen, Sanna & Primmer, Eeva & Paloniemi, Riikka (2016) Metsien monimuotoisuuden suojelu ja metsien käsittelyjä monipuolistavien neuvontapalveluiden kehittäminen: Maanomistajien ja metsäammattilaisten näkemyksiä. Luonnonvara- ja biotalouden tutkimuksia 69/2016

Paloniemi, Riikka & Hujala, Teppo & Rantala, Salla & Harlio, Annika & Salomaa, Anna & Primmer, Eeva & Pynnönen, Sari & Arponen, Anni (2017) Integrating social and ecological knowledge for targeting voluntary biodiversity conservation. Conservation Letters.

Harlio, Annika (2017). Voluntary Biodiversity Conservation Optimization in Agricultural and Forest Environments.Helsinki: Faculty of Biological and Enviromental Sciences. Lisensiaatintyö.

Pynnönen S., Paloniemi R. ja Hujala T. 2018. Recognizing the Interest of Forest Owners to Combine Nature Oriented and Economic Uses of Forests. Small-scale Forestry. DOI:10.1007/s11842-018-9397-2

Vainio, A.; Paloniemi, R.; Hujala T. 2018. How are forest owners' objectives and social networks related to successful conservation? Journal of Rural Studies DOI:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.06.009