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Status of Habitats Directive Species

All of the 32 forest species listed in the EU Habitats Directive occur in the Boreal region while four of these can also be found in the alpine region. The group consists mainly of mosses, vascular plants, mammals and beetles. Three species of butterflies, one snail (Gastropoda) and one heteroptera are also included.

The conservation status of most of these species has been evaluated as unfavourable-inadequate. Five species - Mountain Hare, Forest Reindeer, Hermit Beetle, Scarce Fritillary and Glade Fern - have been included in the least threatened class, ie. their conservation status has been evaluated as favourable.

The least favourable conservation status has been assigned for two species, Flat Bark Beetle and Eastern Pasqueflower. The conservation status of the latter species is even expected to continue to deteriorate in the future. This development is closely connected to the poor state of esker forests.

Nearly all of the forest-dwelling Directive beetle species and three mosses require dead wood habitats. Their inadequate conservation status is mainly due to the low volume of dead wood not only in commercial forest, but also in most protected areas (FO6).

Status of Birds Directive species