.app-navigation__wrapper--for-seo { display: block !important; }

Working towards biodiversity enhancement in forests and plantations

Maintaining and enhancing biodiversity is crucial for the health and productivity of forests and plantations, and for improving their resilience to climate change. We measure our progress using science-based biodiversity indicators.

Supporting biodiversity requires steady, continuous work and extensive collaboration with researchers, authorities, and local stakeholders. Our biodiversity program was established in 1998 with environmental guidelines concerning operational activities, forest conservation and collaboration projects with stakeholders. In 2018, we introduced our new commitment with a goal of net-positive impact on biodiversity in Finland and Uruguay.

In 2024, we enforced our commitment and made it truly global, covering all the regions where we own forests and plantations. The indicators were updated in Finland and Uruguay, and totally new set of indicators were developed for the U.S. We have linked the pricing mechanism of our financing to long-term biodiversity and emission reduction targets.

We use the indicators in each region where we operate to assess the development in forests and adjacent or protected areas close to plantations.

Our biodiversity targets and indicators are part of Forest Action, our global forest responsibility program. Net positive impact (NPI) on biodiversity in Finland has nine indicators, while in Uruguay it has five and in the U.S. it has six. These indicators are reviewed annually.

Biodiversity in forests

Biodiversity in forests refers to the variety and quantity of their living organisms. It is essential for ecosystem resilience, helping forests recover from disturbances and maintain ecological balance. We are committed to climate-positive forestry and enhancing biodiversity in all our operations.

We monitor our impact on forest biodiversity, for example, by tracking the amount of deadwood, which is a crucial element for many forest-dwelling species. In addition to increasing deadwood, we aim to enhance the structural diversity of forests to support a wide range of habitats.

In Finland, for example, we aim to double the number of deciduous trees and have set ambitious targets for habitat restoration. In the U.S., we are promoting a concept called mixed-wood silviculture. As the name suggests, the idea is to increase the diversity of tree species rather than relying on monocultures.

Biodiversity in plantations in Uruguay

About 40% of our land in Uruguay is not planted with eucalyptus, including natural drainage areas along streams and rivers, as well as other biodiverse zones. All valuable habitats and areas with native species with high biodiversity value are not planted or they are actively protected. Natural forests—covering approximately 5 % of the land area in Uruguay—are protected by law.

We do not convert natural forests into plantations. Instead, Uruguayan plantations are established on grasslands previously used for cattle grazing. These areas have been designated for plantation use through national land-use planning (so-called forest priority soils).

Five key indicators in Uruguay to measure our impact on biodiversity:

Size of the conservation area

Coverage of the conservation area

Quality of the conservation area

Control of exotic woody species

Presence of endemic and threatened species on UPM land

To achieve our long-term biodiversity targets, we aim to increase the number of areas protected under defined conservation categories and continue our long-term monitoring program. This conservation work is carried out in cooperation with local environmental organizations, such as Vida Silvestre and Aves Uruguay.

Learn more about our operations in Uruguay

Our biodiversity commitment

Double the number of broadleaf trees in company-owned forests in Finland

Generate positive impact on biodiversity

Our biodiversity actions

Our biodiversity activities in Finland and in the U.S are divided into three categories: forest management, conservation, and projects and collaboration. In each category, progress is monitored through carefully selected biodiversity indicators, which reveal changes in forest structures and help assess our impact. In Uruguay our focus is on conservation and on management of exotic invasive species. New indicators are developed in cooperation with research institutes and other stakeholders. 

¹⁾ Data is based on National Forest Inventory data collected from sample plots located in UPM owned land and calculated by Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). Updated data availability depens on the NFI rotation (~5 years).

²⁾ The protection percentage includes strictly protected forestry land and protected areas, which can be managed and used in accordance with the instructions of the authorities.

¹⁾ This indicator will start to be reported by 2025. The total area of active invasions of exotic woody species at the end of 2024 was 9 400 hectares. This value is the starting point for reporting the area reduction to be achieved in 2025.

Our commitment regarding old-growth forests and natural forests

The Finnish Government’s decision in principle YM/2024/57 on the criteria for old-growth forests and the definition of natural forests was approved on March 20, 2025.
UPM is committed to complying with this decision in its operations in Finland and does not harvest wood from forests that meet the definition.

In the classification of old-growth forests, the decisive factors are the age of the stand and the amount of deadwood. In addition, the forest structure is assessed, including forest stratification, old individual trees, and species typical of old-growth forests. Forests that are actively managed for commercial forestry purposes are excluded from the definition.

Projects and collaboration

We continuously develop our biodiversity actions and establish new initiatives. We work with NGOs, government agencies, and educational institutions to develop new metrics to monitor forest health, enhance our understanding of rare and endangered species, and promote conservation practices worldwide.

Science Based Targets Network

We participated in the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) Corporate Engagement Program in 2023–2024 to develop methods, tools, and guidelines for setting science-based targets to maintain and enhance biodiversity. The SBTN methodology provided new insights into data availability and tools.

Restoring thousands of hectares of habitats in Finland

The UPM habitat program was launched with a target to restore 3,000 hectares of peatlands and 100 individual sites on UPM lands in Finland by 2030. Site identification, planning, and implementation began in 2024.

Establishing research plots in the U.S.

We have completed the first field season, establishing over 200 permanent research plots on UPM lands in collaboration with the Mixedwood Forest Research Consortium. This project involves partnerships with the University of Minnesota, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Minnesota Forest Resources Council.
The current focus is on understanding early stand dynamics, growth, and yield, with the first peer-reviewed publication currently under review. The research supports our understanding of practical forest management and the reintroduction of original tree species to their native growth sites (i.e., forest restoration).

Collaboration with state Forests in Germany

We have donated deciduous tree seedlings to the German state of Sachson-Anhalt to help restore areas that were converted into spruce forests due to human activity after the second World War. The goal is to promote mixed forests, enhance biodiversity and adaptation to climate change by reducing vulnerability to forest damages, as spruce is particularly sensitive to prolonged droughts intensified by a warming climate and following pest infestations. Drought periods have increased especially in Germany.

Fund for biodiversity projects in Uruguay

A Biodiversity Project Fund, an initiative launched by UPM Uruguay, seeks to promote scientific research and biodiversity conservation. The fund will support scientific research projects led by public and private institutions committed to environmental preservation.