The event gathered 21 participants representing different sectors, reflecting the growing interest in developing practical approaches for measuring, validating and exchanging nature values in ways that are both credible and usable across organisations. The workshop was facilitated in cooperation with Motiva. The workshop included expert perspectives from Markus Nissinen (Finsilva Oyj), Seppo Tallgren (VSB Uusiutuva Energia Suomi Oy) and Johanna Kangas (University of Helsinki).
A shared challenge that requires multi-actor coordination
Across the discussions, one message was clear: no single sector or professional group can solve the key questions related to nature value markets alone. Progress on nature value markets requires coordinated action across the ecosystem—landowners, companies, municipalities, public authorities, researchers, intermediaries, service providers, forest management actors and consultants.
The workshop also pointed to the importance of piloting between public and private actors, alongside enabling regulation and support structures, to move from conceptual discussion to practical implementation. Participants emphasised that collaboration is especially needed to move from conceptual discussion to practical models that can be trusted and used at scale.
Key development priorities identified in the workshop
In the joint prioritisation, participants emphasised seven interconnected development needs:
- Comparability and shared language: measurement results must be understandable for different audiences (including buyers, landowners and the wider public), and communication must reduce the perceived risk of errors or greenwashing allegations.
- Piloting, monitoring and validation: early pilot cases and open communication on outcomes as well as demand-side needs assessments were seen as critical for building trust and accelerating learning.
- Skills and usable tools: practical tool development, instructions, and training were viewed as necessary, alongside clearer division of roles across the ecosystem.
- Technology and information systems: integrating nature value hectare calculation into geospatial systems and improving data availability requires shared standards, funding and governance decisions.
- Legislation and support structures: participants highlighted the need for decisions related to a national register and its governance models, with a focus on international comparability as part of their development.
- Productization and awareness-building: the field needs credible examples and reference cases—successful pilots could provide models for others.
- Business opportunities and market-based incentives: identifying credible payers and value propositions for buyers was recognised as essential, rather than relying primarily on public funding.
Five concrete collaboration tracks proposed for continued work
Based on the workshop outcomes, five follow-up tracks were articulated as potential collaboration “seeds” for further development:
- Integrating the nature value hectare into planning and information systems (e.g., open geodata-based tools that can connect to land-use planning systems).
- Pilots and revenue model development in municipalities and companies to test feasible models and build evidence through practice.
- Skills and tools development, including training formats and user-friendly calculation tools for professionals and landowners.
- Reliable metrics and plain-language communication, including a simple KPI concept that helps different actors interpret measurement results consistently.
- Independent intermediary organisations, including the idea of certification criteria and a pilot-phase “intermediation bank” to support trust and transaction feasibility.
Next steps
The nature value markets workshop was designed as the first step of a three-part workshop series following a “funnel model”, where the focus moves from mapping and shared understanding towards narrower themes and, ultimately, concrete cooperation and project preparation.
Following the outcomes of the first workshop and everything that has happened during this winter, the next phase will focus on selecting one or two themes for deeper joint work and exploring how the participating organisations could contribute to a potential co-development initiative.
We are planning a follow-up workshop during the late of April to deepen the work around one or two selected topics and begin shaping a possible co-development initiative. Participation in the next workshop remains low-threshold and does not require commitment to a future consortium; the aim is to clarify interest, scope and practical next steps together.
If your organisation is interested in joining the work—whether as a content expert, pilot partner, data/technology contributor, or ecosystem enabler—please contact us.