Flying Squirrel LIFE Project Partners

Photo includes the logos of each project partner (15 logos).

The Flying squirrel LIFE project is coordinated by

Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland

Project Manager Eija Hurme
Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland
E-mail: eija.hurme@metsa.fi
Tel. int. +358 (0)40 486 0563

Project Specialist Ilona Karjalainen
Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland
Email: ext-ilona.karjalainen@metsa.fi
Tel. int. +358 (0)40 356 3292 

In the Flying Squirrel LIFE, there are 18 co-operating organizations from Finland and Estonia. In addition, the project has 16 supporting organizations, which are described at the bottom of this page.

FINLAND

Centres of Economic Development, Transport and the Environment

New nature conservation areas will be established within the following ELY Centre regions to support the flying squirrel habitat network.

ELY Centre for North Savo: Anne Grönlund, Senior Adviser, anne.gronlund@ely-keskus.fi
ELY Centre for North Karelia: Ville Vuorio, Conservation Specialist, ville.vuorio@ely-keskus.fi
ELY Centre for Southwest Finland: Jenny Gustafsson, Area Coordinator, jenny.gustafsson@ely-keskus.fi

Cities of Espoo, Jyväskylä and Kuopio

The Cities of Espoo, Kuopio and Jyväskylä are responsible for planning the urban habitats of the flying squirrel. The flying squirrel habitat networks will be improved by building nest boxes, planting trees to form green corridors between habitats, implementing careful forest cuttings, while taking the needs of urban planning into account.

Espoo: Laura Lundgren, Environmental Specialist, laura.lundgren@espoo.fi

Jyväskylä: Anne Laita, Land use planning biologist, anne.laita@jkl.fi

Kuopio: Anniina Le Tortorec, Environmental Designer, anniina.letortorec@kuopio.fi

Kuopio Natural History Museum

The key tasks of the Kuopio Natural History Museum are environmental education and communication. The museum organises open public events and provides training for a “flying squirrel ambassador”, who visits local schools.

Contact person: Mari Wikholm, Environmental educator, mari.wikholm@kuopio.fi

Luomus – Finnish Museum of Natural History

The Luomus – Finnish Museum of Natural History is building a database which contains reliable flying squirrel observation data for land use planning.

Contact person: Anne Koivunen, Senior Museum Technician, anne.koivunen@helsinki.fi

Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

The main task of the Natural Resources Institute Finland is to model habitats and habitat networks suitable for flying squirrels and to examine the socio-economic impacts of flying squirrel conservation.

Contact person: Jani Pellikka, Senior Scientist, jani.pellikka@luke.fi

Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK)

As an interest organisation, MTK participates in the preparation of site plans for commercial forest sites in the project and the production of education material together with other partners.

Contact person: Markus Nissinen, Field Manager/Environmental Advisor, markus.nissinen@mtk.fi

Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd

The primary task of Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd. is to plan and implement forest management actions for project sites located in state-owned forests. At commercial forest sites, the flying squirrel is taken into consideration in various degrees of felling and the continuity of aspen stands is promoted.

Contact person: Maarit Kaukonen, Environmental Specialist, maarit.kaukonen@metsa.fi

Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland

Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland coordinates the whole Flying Squirrel LIFE project. It takes care of timetables, reporting and keeps contact with partners, the Commission, and supporters, and is responsible of the communication. It also coordinates planning of managed forests and evaluation of effects of the project. Parks & Wildlife Finland improves aspen continuity in ten Natura 2000 sites and monitors the project effects at all state-owned project sites. It participates to creation of an environmental education package, builds a permanent flying squirrel exhibition to the Haltia Nature Centre, and at the end of the project, arranges workshops and seminars.

Contact person: Eija Hurme, project manager, eija.hurme@metsa.fi

The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation

The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation produces education material on methods for inventorying flying squirrels, organises inventory events in the field and participates in planning measures in commercial forests and urban habitats.

Contact person: Ari Jäntti, Project Coordinator, ari.jantti@sll.fi,

Finnish Forest Centre

The most important task of the Forest Centre is co-operation and communication with private forest owners. The Forest Centre is responsible for the mapping, planning and monitoring of commercial forest sites of private landowners and communities involved in the project.

Contact person: Tiina Lintuharju, Project Coordinator, tiina.lintuharju@metsakeskus.fi

ESTONIA

Eesti Erametsaliit (Estonian Private Forest Union)

Eesti Erametsaliit (Estonian Private Forest Association) represents private forest owners in Estonia. It participates in the planning, implementation and monitoring of commercial forest measures in Estonia.

Contact person: Arpo Kullerkupp, arpo.kullerkupp@erametsaliit.ee

Keskkonnaamet (Estonian Environmental Board)

Keskkonnaamet is an environment official in Estonia, and a Flying Squirrel LIFE project coordinator in Estonia. It is responsible of all project tasks in Estonia, such as flying squirrel inventories, habitat modelling, planning of managed forest sites, nest boxes, and monitoring of the project’s effects. In addition, it will build a flying squirrel exhibition to Iisaku Nature Centre and communicates with different stakeholders in Estonia.

January 2021 onwards, Keskkonnaamet will take care of all project tasks named to Eestimaa Looduse Fond, which withdrew from the project due to resource problems.

Contact person: Tõnu Laasi, Project Manager, tonu.laasi@keskonnaamet.ee

Metsakorralduse Büroo (Forest Survey Bureau of Estonia)

The Forest Survey Bureau of Estonia offers private forest owners consulting services for forest management. Its main task is the planning and implementation of measures for commercial forest sites and communicating with forest owners.

Contact person: Lembit Maamets, Director, lembit.maamets@metsakorraldus.ee

Riigimetsa Majandamise Keskus (State Forest Management Centre of Estonia)

Riigimetsa Majandamise Keskus (State Forest Management Center) oversees the management of state-owned forests. In the project, it manages state-owned commercial forest sites, taking into account flying squirrel habitats, and it participates in the development of inventory methods in Estonia.

Contact person: Project Coordinator Mihkel Järveoja, mihkel.jarveoja@rmk.ee

Eestimaa Looduse Fond 

Eestimaa Looduse Fond (Estonian Fund for Nature) participated in the Flying Squirrel LIFE project as an associated beneficiary in 2018-2020. At the beginning of 2021, Eestimaa Looduse Fond withdrew from the project due to lack of resources and Keskkonnaamet will take over its project tasks. Eestimaa Looduse Fond continues to support this project.

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS

In addition to the project partners, the Flying Squirrel LIFE project has a total of 16 supporting organizations who help to achieve the project’s objectives. These organizations do not have designated tasks in the project, but support the objectives of the project as part of their own work.

In Finland, the project is supported by 13 parties: Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Finnish Environmental Institute, Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Northern Ostrobothnia, Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for South Ostrobothnia, Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Kainuu, Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, City of Kajaani, City of Tampere, City of Helsinki, City of Vantaa, Fingrid Oyj and Tornator Oy. 

In Estonia, there are three supporting organisations: Ministry of Environment, Estonian Environment Agency (Keskkonnaagentuur) and Estonian Fund for Nature (Eestimaa Looduse Fond).

Last updated 11 September 2024

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