The new policy is expected to align with the city's strategy and its goals for preserving the natural environment. Residents and stakeholders will be invited to discussions in the autumn.

Helsinki has begun work on updating its natural area management policy. The current natural environment maintenance policy was developed in 2011. It describes the principles, approaches and key measures for managing the green spaces owned by the City of Helsinki.

Updating the policy is necessary to better reflect the current city strategy and its objectives. One of the strategy's primary goals is to increase biodiversity in forest areas. Another goal is to allow forests to age naturally. Furthermore, the new policy will also address preparations for climate change and the ability of forests to cope with an expanding city.

The updates are based on the Helsinki Biodiversity Action Plan (LUMO), its targets for increasing biodiversity, and numerous other reports on nature and the environment. The updates will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase in 2022, work will cover forest areas, while in the second phase in 2023, policy updates will be made for open landscapes such as meadows and fields. Nature reserves are not included in the Nature Conservation Policy.

Discussions on forest management in the autumn

Green spaces and biodiversity are important to Helsinki's residents and the city itself, which is why the city wants to hear the views of residents and stakeholders as extensively as possible. To this end, several events will take place in September. Later in the autumn, the nature conservation policy regarding forests will be made available to residents so they can provide their comments. In the autumn, the city will also hold joint meetings with environmental organisations and businesses.

The management of natural areas will be discussed from as broad and diverse a range of perspectives as possible at a seminar on 8 September, which will examine biodiversity, the current state of Helsinki's forests and the impact of urbanisation on forest management. The seminar will present the latest scientific findings on urban forests and their management. Additionally, a workshop will be organised on 21 September to discuss the topics covered in the seminar in greater depth.

The first part of the Nature Conservation Policy, which concerns forest areas, will be submitted to the Urban Environment Committee at the end of the year. The policy will be developed by the City of Helsinki Urban Environment Division in cooperation with the consulting agency Sitowise.

While the new policy is being developed, specific activities will continue in Helsinki's forests; the city will ensure the safety of people visiting forest areas by removing hazardous trees and carrying out measures to increase safety along plot boundaries and roadsides.