Nature conservation seeks to protect the environment and the biodiversity around us. This can be done by legislative means. In Finland, there are a number of legally protected forest areas. Most of them are located in Northern Finland, where the majority of state-owned wilderness areas and national parks can be found. 

A pole marking a legally protected nature conservation area.

In contrast, most of the forests in Southern Finland are privately owned and used as fuel for the paper and wood industries. Increased industry and other human activities have severely decreased the amount of natural forests in Southern Finland. Protected forests comprise only two percent of the surface area of Southern Finland. The lack of natural forests has a drastic effect on the survival of many species of animals, birds, plants, and fungi, some of which thrive only in areas where there is no human influence.

In Finland, nature conservation is done through the Nature Conservation Act and the EU's Habitats Directive. Through these channels, it is possible to protect wilderness areas and their inhabitants with legislative means. Nature conservation efforts and awareness are also influenced by various non-governmental organizations, such as WWF and Greenpeace.