Bird species adapted to cold temperatures depend on large protected areas to survive. The small and fragmented protected areas found in Southern Finland fall short of securing their future as the climate warms.
A recent study coordinated by the University of Helsinki tracked the populations of 100 bird species across Finnish protected areas. Cold-dwelling species fared better in large protected areas, while the same species saw much steeper declines in smaller ones.
This may be explained by the relative stability of large protected areas compared to small ones, which are more susceptible to factors such as land-use change. Large areas also tend to support bigger bird populations, lowering the risk of extinction.
Cold-dwelling species include most peatland-breeding waders and passerines, such as the red-necked phalarope and the western yellow wagtail, as well as boreal forest species, such as the brambling and the Siberian tit. By contrast, warm-dwelling species, including many warblers, flycatchers and leaf warblers, were more abundant in small protected areas.
The study is based on extensive line transects conducted during breeding seasons over a five-decade period by Metsähallitus (a Finnish state-owned enterprise providing environmental services), the Finnish Museum of Natural History (Luomus) and BirdLife Finland.
Protected areas in Southern Finland too small and fragmented
Large protected areas in Northern Finland provide good support for cold-dwelling species, whereas the smaller, more scattered areas in Southern Finland are unable to maintain these species' populations.
"To conserve species effectively, the network of protected areas in Southern Finland must be developed further, both by expanding current sites and by establishing new ones. As the climate warms, many species move north in search of cooler conditions. But for cold-dwelling species, this option no longer exists, since they already inhabit the northernmost regions. Their survival therefore depends more and more on how well their habitats are protected," says Planning Officer Leena Hintsanen of the University of Helsinki's Luomus, who led the study.
Meeting international targets calls for further conservation
Helping cold-dwelling species survive global warming is a challenge that goes beyond national borders. Finland, along with over 190 other countries, has signed up to the UN's Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which sets a target of conserving 30% of terrestrial and marine areas by 2030. The same target is also included in the EU's biodiversity strategy.
As Conservation Officer Tero Toivanen of BirdLife Finland notes: "The EU's Nature Restoration Regulation requires peatlands and other degraded habitats to be restored, with their surface area returned to a favourable level. Achieving these goals will require more investment in protected areas in Finland too."
Alkuperäinen artikkeli:
Hintsanen, L., A. Lehikoinen, A. Rajasärkkä, T. Toivanen, and E.-L. Marjakangas. 2026. " Large Protected Areas Buffer Against Climate Change Effects on Bird Populations in Northern Europe." Diversity and Distributions 32, no. 8: e70240. .
Tero Toivanen
Conservation Officer
BirdLife Finland
tel. +358 40 702 8633
