Agricultural landscapes
Typical agricultural landscapes vary greatly in different regions. In the coastal areas of Southern and Western Finland, agriculture is a dominant form of land use, with large uniform cereal fields. In Eastern and Northern Finland agriculture usually plays a smaller role, as small-sized field parcels are scattered in landscapes dominated by conifer forests. On the other hand, cattle breeding is more common in the eastern and northern parts of the country.
In different parts of Finland, the agricultural landscapes are facing different threats. In the southern regions farming is most intensive, reducing the diversity of both landscapes and species. Additionally, the growing urban areas are extending into the countryside, changing their appearance. Meanwhile, in Eastern and Northern Finland agriculture is generally in decline, and in large areas the countryside is slowly being abandoned. Especially smaller-sized family farms are quitting, leaving their fields for afforestation.
Photographed sites
The visual monitoring of Finnish agricultural landscapes was launched in 1996. Locations of the 13 monitoring areas are depicted on the map below. Examples of the panoramic images and 360° panoramas can be viewed on the Finnish language version of the page under the title “kuvia seurannoista”. Drone imaging was performed in ten areas in 2020.
