ES GreenBelt – A preliminary study on spatial data and analysis methods for assessing the ecosystem services and connectivity of the protected areas network of the Green Belt of Fennoscandia

• Main Authors: Itkonen, Pekka, Viinikka, Arto, Heikinheimo, Vuokko, Kopperoinen, Leena
• Format: Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Ympäristöministeriö 2015
• Subjects: Green Belt of Fennoscandia; ecosystem services; spatial data; ekosysteemipalvelut; Barents Sea; Norway; barents region; Fennoscandia
• Online Access: http://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10138/155080

The Green Belt of Fennoscandia forms an ecological network that spans from the Barents Sea all the way to the Baltic Sea. It is a part of the European Green Belt which runs through Europe, starting from the Barents Region and ending in the Balkans. The main body of the Green Belt of Fennoscandia consists of existing and planned protected areas near the shared borders of Finland, Russia and Norway. The green structure between these protected areas also plays a crucial role in the conservation of biodiversity. In addition to environmental values, the environment of the Green Belt of Fennoscandia provides a variety of ecosystem services which are notable on a local, regional and Europe-wide scale. Supplementing the current scientific knowledge base with information on the region’s connectivity and ecosystem services would facilitate the inclusion of these perspectives in the development of the Green Belt of Fennoscandia into a model area for international cross-border nature conservation cooperation. This preliminary study reviews a number of existing spatial data materials and analysis methods for assessing the Green Belt from the perspectives of the connectivity of the protected areas network and the supply and demand of ecosystem services. In addition to this, the study provides recommendations regarding the use of materials and methods, and outlines the contents and structure of a potential study spanning the entire region, as well as an assessment of its realisation schedule. There are a variety of methods for assessing connectivity and ecosystem services. Based on this study, we recommend that the Green Belt should be approached on two different scales: assessments of the general characteristics of the entire Belt should be supplemented with more specific regional assessments. The different parts of the Green Belt differ from one another as regards, for example, vegetation, ecosystems, living environments, population, accessibility, infrastructure and operators. As such, there are also regional differences in ...