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Measurements ensure that no privately owned trees are felled

This summer, the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY) of North Savo will cut roadside trees over some 250 kilometres to improve traffic safety. Some roads will be repaved while others will undergo structural improvements. The National Land Survey of Finland (NLS) will mark the boundaries of road areas.

Young birch trees lying in a roadside ditch. Orange high-visibility tape is hanging from standing trees.
Photo:
the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY) of Central Finland

The ELY Centre has started to cut trees in Pertunmaa, Kangasniemi, Kuopio, Kontiolahti, Liperi, Kitee and Joensuu. Later this summer, the projects will extend to Rantasalmi, Lapinlahti and Puumala. 

In the project areas, trees are mostly located on state-owned land. The road improvements will partly be financed by selling felled trees, as the state owns not only the roads must also the roadsides from which trees will be felled.

‘Clearing roadside areas will increase safety. At the same time, surfaces will dry more quickly after rains which will reduce moisture damage in road structures,’ says Jouni Saunamäki, Project Manager at the ELY Centre.

The NLS marks the trees to be felled

The NLS will participate in the projects by marking the boundaries between state-owned roads and privately owned land.

For practical reasons, the road boundary must often be marked well before felling any trees.
‘Please do not touch the tape or markings between road areas and privately owned land, even if it takes a long time before any trees are felled,’ Jouni Saunamäki says.

‘Forest machines’ satellite positioning systems are not accurate enough to identify land boundaries at the level required. The NLS’s cartographers use accurate measuring devices and archived data when marking road areas,’ says Ilkka Laakso, Production Manager at the NLS.

If required, cartographers will rebuild permanent boundary markers and enter their precise location on cadastral register maps. Boundary markers also help maintain roads and act as reliable sources of information for road planning.

While the activities of the ELY Centre and the NLS will only cause minor disturbances for road users, remember to observe special caution near machinery.

Further information

ELY Centre of North Savo
Project Manager Jouni Saunamäki, +358 29 502 6042, firstname.lastname@ely-keskus.fi

National Land Survey of Finland
Production Manager Ilkka Laakso, +358 29 531 4713, firstname.lastname@nls.fi

Press release
Cadastral survey

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