Iron birch climbs to the fell – climate change can change the landscape of Lapland

The forest border gardens in Utsjoki grow birches, larch, pines, firs and courtyards. On the right, the leaf of iron birch.

A study at the University of Turku revealed that iron birch benefits especially from mild winters. The polar regions warm up to 2-4 times faster than the rest of the globe.

Iron birch can spread to new areas in the north. The reason is climate change, according to a study by the University of Turku.

\”Winter temperatures, especially the landing of cold air to river valleys, seem to explain the growth of birch better than the length of the growing season or summer temperatures,\” he says.

In the experiment, trees were grown in forest border gardens founded in the 1970s. Two gardens are located near the Kevo Research Station at the University of Turku, one in the river valley and the other at the wooden border in the fell.

The third is located 60 kilometers south of the area, where the forest border of the iron birch went on when the forest border gardens were founded.

Although iron birch can spread to new areas in the north, it is restricted by Saikkonen by reindeer, deer and other seedlings eating animals.

The nearby areas of the poles warm up to 2-4 times faster than the rest of the globe, which makes subarctic areas such as Lapland in Finland.

According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the average temperature of the year has risen by 1.2 degrees Celsius over the past 60 years.