Tree species in northern Finland

Nine native tree species grow in northern Finland. Can you recognise them all?

Pine, spruce and birch are generally considered to be economically valuable tree species. Of Finland’s forest volume, around 50% consists of pine, one third of spruce, and the rest of various deciduous trees. Each species has its own special requirements in terms of habitat and climate and, therefore, forest owners used to prefer having only one species per forest. However, the spectrum of tree species in forests is important for biodiversity, as several insect species can only survive in certain tree species. Furthermore, maintaining a versatile age structure among the tree stock is also essential for biodiversity, and decaying wood in particular is an important resource. In the northernmost parts of Finland the growing season is too short for all species to reproduce. As one heads further north and higher above sea level, trees struggle to survive, beginning with spruce, followed by pine and finally birch.