BIOKARELIA - KA5051

Cross-border tools for biodiversity hotspots preservation via monitoring and prevention of forest fires along Russian-Finnish border, BIOKARELIA KA5051

Background

Biodiversity  ”hotspots” along the Finnish Russian border are under risk of biodiversity loss due to wood harvesting, forest fires and destruction of connectivity between the high conservation forests in Russia and Finland.

Risk for forest fires to cross the border rises constantly as a consequence of climate change, and fire suppression in the border zone is difficult. The existing systems of forest fires risk classification in Russia and Finland are not synchronized and the potential of new methodological approaches is not fully utilized. It is expected that costs of fire suppression can be reduced substantially by utilizing the new methods allowing mapping spatial and temporal distribution of high risk areas.

Specific objectives and tasks:

Objectives and tasks

The aim of the project is to develop practical tools for biodiversity hotspots preservation via mapping biodiversity values, monitoring and forecasting occurrence of forest fires and wood harvesting along the Russian-Finnish border.

• To map current state of biodiversity “hotspots” and analyze their connectivity.
• To evaluate the impact and value of existing connections between high conservation value forests and high forest fire risk areas on state of biodiversity in Republic of Karelia and North Karelia.
• To develop new generation of forest fires forecasting tools utilizing meteorological data, remote sensing data and drying models.
• To build online application tools for forest cover monitoring and risk forecasting along the border between Finland and Russia based on open data sources.
• To pilot new methods for forest fires monitoring using unmanned aerial vehicles.
• To develop effective co-operation networks of actors involved in forest management, nature conservation, forest fires protection.
• To spread the information about good practices of forest management and monitoring for preventing loss of biodiversity.

Results

The project is producing following results:

• Analysis of current state of biodiversity “hotspots” and their connectivity
• New generation of forest fires forecasting tools
• Online application tools for forest cover monitoring and risks forecasting along the border between Finland and Russia
• Analysis of application of new methods of forest fires monitoring using unmanned aerial vehicles
• Effective co-operation networks of actors involved in forest management, nature conservation, forest fires protection.

Partners

Finland:
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of North Karelia
Arbonaut Oy Ltd

Russia:
Kostamuksha Nature Reserve and Kalevala National Park
Forest Research Institute of Karelian Research Centre
Buro Partner Ltd.