Comparison of open data and ecological survey results for establishing a conservation area on private property in Finland

Abstract

National and international goals aim to increase the amount of protected areas to 30% of all lands. Private protected areas (PPA) play an increasing role in this endeavor and can also be important for conserving biodiversity, as biodiversity-rich areas are often found outside of state-owned lands. To identify and designate potential conservation areas ecological surveys are required. At the same time, there is a large amount of open data available. The aim of this study was to evaluate how well available open data can be used to identify the protection potential for a privately owned plot in southern Finland, as well as to compare the results from the open data with results from an ecological survey. A selection of open data for the study area analyzed using QGIS and conclusions on the area’s eligibility for different protection methods were made. An on-site ecological survey was done, and the results of the survey were compared to the conclusions drawn based on the open data. Results show that the study area has a high potential for protection, however not all natural values were identifiable form the open data. Modelled data on forest age, composition, habitat types and biodiversity values were in part quite accurate for the area, while some parts were missing or even incorrect. Species information for the area was not available in the open data at all. Based on the study, open data can give a good general idea of the nature in the area, however, on-site surveys are required to identify the actual natural values and conservation possibilities. Open data analysis can provide methods for identifying potential conservation areas in a larger area, that can then be further surveyed on-site.