Biologisen monimuotoisuuden suojelu ja sen täyshyödyntäminen voidaan nähdä toistensa vastakohtina. Kestävä käyttö voidaan löytää näiden kahden ääripään välillä – se on kuin veteen piirretty viiva – luonnon järkiperäistä käyttämistä niin, että pitkällä tähtäimellä päästään suurimpaan mahdolliseen hyödynnykseen köyhdyttämättä kuitenkaan itse luonnon rikkautta. Biodiversiteetin kestävän käytön periaatteet luotiin YK:n biodiversiteettisopimuksen puitteissa edistämään kestävää käyttöä. Periaatteet saivat alkunsa havainnosta, että suojeluun keskittyvä ympäristöpolitiikka ei riitä puskuroimaan intensiivisen luonnonvaratalouden tuhoisaa vaikutusta biodiversiteettiin. Tämä raportti on johdanto kestävän käytön periaatteisiin ja sen tarjoamiin mahdollisuuksiin jotta biodiversiteetin köyhtymisen saataisiin pysäytetyksi vuoteen 2010 mennessä.

We have not succeeded to halt biodiversity loss despite international agreements. Conserving ecological connectivity is crucial when conserving biodiversity in the long run. This thesis studies policy instruments that promote ecological connectivity and conserve ecological processes. The aim of this study is to find out how Finnish environmental policy should be developed in order to promote ecological connectivity and biodiversity conservation. The research questions are: 1) How current nature conservation policy instruments promote ecological connectivity? 2) How policy instruments could promote ecological connectivity better? 3) Could green infrastructure approach help to conserve biodiversity? Ecological connectivity affects the biodiversity especially trough species dispersal. The environment is governed by different policy instruments, which have various effects on ecological connectivity. The green infrastructure is a new policy approach that underlines holistic planning. The green infrastructure is ecologically connected network of green and blue spaces that produces ecosystem services. The data comes from a SCALES project survey on Securing the Conservation of Biodiversity Across Administrative Levels and Spatial, Ecological and Temporal Scales. A link to the web-based questionnaire was sent to 214 Finnish experts of ecological connectivity and 47 persons answered to the questions. The data was analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The main analysis methods were repeated measures ANOVA and cluster analysis. Content analysis was done from qualitative data. The experts thought that ecological connectivity is more important than the current consideration shows. The policy instruments that promote ecological connectivity in the best way are the instruments, which have a wide spatial cover and urban and small-scale instruments are considered worse. The potential of policy instruments to promote ecological connectivity is higher than the current implementation demonstrates. The integration of biodiversity conservation to the other sector policies is considered important. Nature conservation was thought to be more important aspect than ecosystem services in implementation of green infrastructure. The respondent believed that green infrastructure has could have potential of enhancing nature conservation.

Suomi on sitoutunut kansainvälisten tavoitteiden entistä tehokkaampaan toimeenpanoon hidastaakseen merkittävästi vuoteen 2010 mennessä biologisen monimuotoisuuden häviämistä maailmanlaajuisesti, alueellisesti ja kansallisesti. Lisäksi Suomi on sitoutunut edistämään biologisen monimuotoisuuden suojelua ja kestävää käyttöä yhteiskunnan kaikilla osa-alueilla. Tavoitteena on Suomen luonnon monimuotoisuuden ja luonnonvarojen ekologisesti, taloudellisesti ja sosiaalisesti kestävä käyttö ja kehitys, joka turvaa paitsi luonnon monimuotoisuuden säilymisen myös tulevien sukupolvien elinmahdollisuudet ja luonnonvaroihin perustuvat elinkeinot. Strategiassa Suomi sitoutuu edelleen kamppailemaan luonnon monimuotoisuuden säilymisen puolesta yhdessä kansainvälisen yhteisön kanssa. Strategian ja toimintaohjelman toteuttamisella pyritään myös varmistamaan YK:n ympäristö- ja kehitysprosessissa (UNCED, Rio de Janeiro 1992) solmitun biologista monimuotoisuutta koskevan yleissopimuksen velvoitteiden toteutus.

Finland is committed to the objectives of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), i.e. the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. Finland is also committed to the effective implementation of these global objectives so as to significantly reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010 at global, regional and national level, and to promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in activities in all sectors of society. Biodiversity has influenced our cultural history and the identity of our nation and provides many direct and indirect benefits for society. On 21st December 2006 the Finnish Government made the Decision-in-Principle on the National Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity 2006-2016. The decision contains long-term outlines for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in Finland. The strategy aims to ensure the ecologically, economically and socially sustainable use and development of Finland’s biodiversity and natural resources. The National Strategy accompanied by an Action Plan for the conservation of biodiversity represent Finland´s vision of and commitment for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The NBSAP 2006-2016 in Finland has been drafted in line with article 6 of the CBD. The goals of the National strategy and the Action plan for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity 2006–2016 are: to halt the decline in biodiversity in Finland by 2010, to establish favourable trends in the state of the natural environment in Finland over the period 2010-2016, to prepare by 2016 for global environmental changes that may threaten the natural environment in Finland, particularly climate change, and to strengthen Finland’s role in the preservation of biodiversity globally through international co-operation. The objectives and measures of the NBSAP to preserve biodiversity have already found interest in public at large. Thanks to increased research and monitoring, much more data is now available on biodiversity in Finland, enabling the establishment of a more detailed and more applicable knowledge base. This in turn provides a basis for changes in the way we act, and for increasing awareness and recognition of the value of biodiversity.