Building a Biosphere Reserve in North Karelia, Finland Dr. Timo J. Hokkanen Centre of Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for North Karelia/ North Karelia Biosphere Reserve Scotland 20.5.2010

Contents North Karelia and North Karelia BR Research and development projects Steering committee and BR strategy Future projects – extensive approach Role of the BR North Karelia and NK BR Established on projects Levels of acivity local, regional, national, international Regional priorities vs BR priorities Steering committee and BR strategy Future projects – extensive approach National Park Koli – International Model Green Belt of Fennoscandia RoK-FOR – European partherships Partnership organisations and enterprises Participation in existing processes – Climate Change Role of the Biosphere Reserve

Questions asked How you engage with public agencies? How you engage with communities? How you manage the landscapes? How regional strategy has been developed? Where the biosphere reserve fits in? The long term view?

North Karelia and NK BR Living in the North Missä – kartta Millaista – talvi, kesä, metsät, suot pienet kaupungit, kylät, haja-asutus Suojelua suhteellisen paljon Elinkeinorakenne polaarinen: yliopisto, koulutus >< pienet kunnat heikoilla Mitä tarvitaan keken ylläpitoon?

Karelia, Eastern Finland

Ice ages

North Karelia -province

Total area 2 158 400 ha Forests 1 045 000 ha 48 %

Total area 2 158 400 ha Forested Mires 406 000 ha 19% Forest

Forest, mires and lakes Total area 2 158 400 ha Natural Mires 406 000 ha 6 % Forest For. Mire 6 %

Total area 2 158 400 ha Inland waters 382 000 ha 18 % Forest Nat. mire For. Mire

Total area 2 158 400 ha Other 198 400 ha Forest 9 % Inland waters Forested mire Nat. mire

North Karelia RUSSIA Joensuu NK - 166 000 Joensuu – 72 000

North Karelia Forestry, metal industry, hi-tech Forest research University of Eastern Finland (13 000) European Forest Institute Finnish Forest Research Institute Bioenergy: 65 % of energy consumption Kokonaisala 2 158 000 ha Maa-ala 1 778 000 ha Metsät 1490 000 ha Suot > 500 000 ha - 75 % ojitettu Vesistöt 82100 ha Kokonaispinta-ala21 584,41 km² 4:nneksi suurin 2010 [1]– maa17 763,31 km²– sisävesi3 821,10 km²Väkiluku165 888 14:nneksi suurin 28.2.2010 [2]– väestötiheys9,34 as/km² (28.2.2010)MaakuntalauluKarjalaisten lauluNimikkolajit - lintuKäki- kalaJärvilohi- kasviKarjalanruusu- kiviVuolukivi Vuoden 2003 tilastojen mukaan maakunnan 62 000 työpaikasta 5 000 on alkutuotannossa, 16 000 jalostuksessa ja 41 000 palveluissa.lähde? Työpaikkojen kokonaismäärä on kasvanut sekä verrattuna 1990-luvun lamaa edeltäneeseen aikaan että luonnollisesti sen jälkeen. Alkutuotannossa maatalouden lisäksi merkittävää on metsätalous. Teollisuuden toimialoista suurimmat ovat metalli- ja muovituotteiden valmistus sekä metsäteollisuus. Palvelutyöpaikoista merkittävä osa on julkisia palveluita. Työttömien osuus työvoimasta vuonna 2004 oli 17,1 % (koko maa 11,1 %).lähde? Suurinta työttömyys oli Enossa (23,7 %) ja pienintä Kontiolahdella (11,6 %).lähde?

North Karelia BR Lieksa Ilomantsi Joensuu

NK biosphere reserve Established 1992, extended 2009 Total area: 790 745 ha Population: 21 000 Core areas: 24 953 ha Buffer zone: 22 779 ha Main activities forestry, tourism, services

KALEVALA – the national epic of Finland

Slash and burn agriculture

Taiga forest

Patvinsuo National Park Photo: www.vastavalo.fi

Forest, mires and lakes Koli National Park Photo: Markku Tano

Sonkaja Village

”Biosphere Reserves – Connecting people” 27

Numerous background projects Forestry, planning and protection Forest grazing of cattle New rural livelihoods Nature and culture tourism Restoration and building of cultural milieus Restoration of springs Large carnivores Ticks Giant hogweed

1. Forest studies Extensive entities High-quality research Forests important: economy, biodiversity, recreation Joensuu is a forestry centre in boreal zone Co-operation with Russia

UAV at Mekrijärvi Research Station Hand launch Flies on its own Images in 20 minutes

Continuity of old growth forests in the border area between Finland and Russia (Lopatin, Kolström, Hokkanen 2009, manuscript) webserver: mekri.joensuu.fi/gap_karelia 33

Predicted number of OGF indicator species (aphyllophoraceous fungi, mosses) Lopatin et al. 2006 34

Natural connectivity at the border In Russia: large untouched ecosystems should be protected In Finland: need to create corridors connecting Russian and Finnish forests

Joint plan? Development? Protection? Costs? Time?

2. Restoring cultural mileus and traditional landscapes Local targets Studies in local history Using traditional methods Employing local people Co-operation with a school and local activists Developing tourism

1939

1923

Aaron Piha 1997

Aaron piha 2003

Sonkaja chapel

3. Ticks and Giant hogweed Border area Research and environmental awareness Health Value of land Extensive co-operation

Ixodes persulcatus

Ixodes-species & tickborne encephalitis Distribution Climate change Environmental change Mistä punkki on joutunut Kokkolaan? 48

Heracleum mantegazzianum Giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum 49 49

A bit escaped 50

Burns… Photos: Michigan Dept Agriculture 51

Biosphere reserve

North Karelia Biosphere reserve and its activities Kainuu Kostamus District (Russia) Mujejärven District (Russia) Suojärven District (Russia) Karelia Ladogendis (Russia) NKBR

Creating BR strategy Background projects Leading = creating significancies BR needs to create and point out significancies which promote sustainable development

Building a school

Building a Biosphere Reserve Building a school What is a school needed for? Background > planning > building > teaching > producing learning and wisdom Building a Biosphere Reserve What is a BR needed for? Background > planning > ”building” > working > producing … For What > Future?

Involvement in BR projects Local Regional National Inter-national Forestry Administration Researchers, Administration Cultural milieus Workers, Teachers Ticks Local people, Researchers, Businesses Researchers Giant hogweed Administration, Businesses Level

Number of involved people Involvement spheres International UNESCO International actors (e.g., EU), businesses National National MaB committee National structures, businesses, administration Regional BR committee; administration institutions; businesses Local All local structures and involved people Number of involved people

Ingredients of a biosphere reserve: From knowledge to change Information/”knowledge” Research Information + context => Awareness Info dissemination Awareness + resources + commitment => activity Work Activity + continuity => change Monitoring

Role of BR in projects Local Regional National Inter-national Project Forestry Communicator Initiator, Actor Communicator, Connector Cultural milieus Facilitator, Connector, Initiator, communicator, connector Ticks Researchers, Connector, Communicator, Giant hogweed onnector, Communicator, Connector, Communicator Level

BR Extension 2008 Delineation 1992 350 000 ha 14 500 ha core areas Lieksa Delineation 1992 350 000 ha 14 500 ha core areas 1900 inhabitants Delineation 2008 791 000 ha 25 000 ha core areas 22 000 ha buffer zones 21 000 inhabitants Ilomantsi Tuupovaara Part of Joensuu City included 62

Biosphere reserve Economically viable unit (population > 20 000) The main main actors of the province included Visibility and profile in topical sustainable development issues (e.g., bioenergy, mitigation of and adaptation into climate change) Joensuu City as a border area town National and international activities 63

North Karelia BR Steering Committee (2008-2011) Prof. Paavo Pelkonen (chair) Univ.Eeastern Finland, forestry Prof. Taneli Kolström UEF, Mekrijärvi Res. Station Mayor Markku Lappalainen Ilomantsi municipality City clerc Jari Horttanainen Joensuu city City clerc Matti Taponen Lieksa city Park Superintendent Kyösti Tuhkalainen Metsähallitus CEO Tiina Tolvanen NK Chamber of Commerce Prof. Ari Lehtinen UEF, geography Planning director Risto Poutiainen NK Regional Council Leading researcher Raimo Heikkilä Finnish Env. Instutute, Joensuu Prof. Erkki Sutinen UEF, computer science CEO Markku Litja Karelia-Expert OY (tourism) Co-ordinator Timo J. Hokkanen (secretary) Centre of Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for North Karelia 64

Regional development priorities taken into account Funding Minimal funds earmarked for environment compared with those for development Influence - also in environmental issues Better sitting at the tables where the decisions are being done

North Karelia BR mission statement North Karelia biosphere reserve activities aim at creating regional sustainable development solutions for good economy and environment

BR main task: facilitation Sustainable development Conservation Ideally, fully functioning biosphere reserves perform three main roles: - conservation in situ of natural and semi-natural ecosystems and landscapes, as well as the diversity there within; - the establishment of demonstration areas for ecologically and socio-culturally sustainable (land and) resource use; and - the provision of logistic support for research, monitoring, education, training and information exchange related to conservation and sustainable development issues. More information on: http://www.unesco.org/mab/nutshell.htm Support, training etc 67

Strategy BR main ”windows” Extensive co-operation Energy Tourism Environmental awareness Extensive co-operation Benefits

”Bioenergy window” Energy important for all human activities in the area Bioenergy has great influence on local life but also direct global influences Bioenergy is easily understandable by everyone Bioenergy is economically important and politically ”hot” Local and regional background strong Environmental aspects not at all easy

”Tourism window” Nature and culture tourism is considered to grow in importance and volume Nature and culture tourism makes use of all environments and important culture objects Tourism and energy use are tightly coupled Easy to find local and regional support

Landscapes Significance of landscapes Economy Ecology Communities Culture

Traditional landscapes

Awareness = key to change Information/”knowledge” Research Information + context => Awareness Info dissemination Awareness + resources + commitment => activity Work Activity + continuity => change Monitoring Leadership 73

Projects and future Clear priorities Ambitious goals Visibility Results required ”Think globally, act locally!”

Projects and processes ROK-FOR project: sustainable foresty & bioenergy, sustainable construction & biobased products Regional Partnership Programme Koli Guiding and Culture Centre Initiation of and participation in processes Green Belt of Fennoscandia Regional Climate Change activities

RoK-FOR 2010 - 2013 Sustainable forestry providing bioenenergy, sustainable construction and biobased products EU FP7 - 1.8 M € Large consortium – regions in focus

ROK-FOR consortium Centre for Development, Transport and the Environment for North Karelia Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg EFI Atlantic Forest Research Centre Jastrebarsko Centre Tecnologic Forestal de Catalunya 77 77

RoK-FOR Objectives Target areas: sustainable forestry > bioenergy, biobased products and sustainable construction Actions: We will identify and start strong trans-national and inter-regional co-operation between research-driven, forestry-based clusters Results Joint action plan New joint actions during the second half of the project Increased innovativeness and competitiveness with help of the metacluster

GREEN BELT OF FENNOSCANDIA geology bedrock, ice age biodiversity values indigenous species ecological corridor cultural heritage transboundary co-operation

Nature reserves

Research and development Research units Climate change Environmental change Sustainable development practices 82

Koli Guiding and Culture Centre International sustainable development model for Biosphere Reserves? ~ 40 M € investment

Koli Sustainable Development Platform MaB programme National Park Green Belt of Fennoscandia K o l i Culturum Koli Village National & International Contacts Sustainable Development In Centre North Karelia province Technology Programme

BR Partnership organisations and enterprises Dynamic approach Sustainable development Commitment for future Co-operation between partners Background: Sustainable Development Network for North Karelia

Questions asked How you engage with public agencies? How you engage with communities? How you manage the landscape and the type of landscapes you have? How regional strategy has been developed? Where the biosphere reserve fits in? The long term view?

Rosa acicularis – Carelian rose