Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland (Metsähallitus Luontopalvelut) is the conservation and recreation unit of Metsähallitus, the Finnish state-owned enterprise that manages state lands and waters. The unit oversees national parks, strict nature reserves, wilderness areas, Natura 2000 sites and other protected areas on land and at sea across Finland. Its mandate includes implementing national and EU conservation policies, maintaining visitor infrastructure, and safeguarding biodiversity and cultural heritage on state-owned areas.
Activities include habitat and species management and monitoring, ecological restoration, invasive species control, marine and freshwater nature management, and the provision of nature data and expert services to authorities and stakeholders. The unit issues and administers permits for certain sustainable uses on state lands and waters (such as hunting and fishing) and coordinates state- and EU-funded conservation projects. For industry and infrastructure planning, it is a key source of spatial and ecological information and site management requirements relevant to land-use planning, environmental impact assessments and permitting near protected areas in Finland.
