Permits, notifications and plans

Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland

Hämeenkangas, maintained and managed by the Finnish forest authority Metsähallitus, is used for military exercises and other activities. The area is primarily a training area for the Defence Forces, but subject to certain restrictions, it is also available for recreational use.

• Luontoon.fi/en – Hämeenkangas

Moving around is restricted during Defense Forces exercises in a part of Hämeenkangas. Avoid moving near the vehicles and equipment of the Defense Forces. You can check the training times in the training area’s annual plan or by contacting the Defense Forces, tel (02) 99800.

• Annual plans for shooting and training areas (in Finnish)

Permission to use the areas is requested from Metsähallitus using the web-based notification form. Metsähallitus requests statements from the Defence Forces on permit applications, if necessary.

Metsähallitus event notification website

The notification must be made, for example, of orienteering and outdoor activities events, public tours as well as group camping or long-lasting camping in the same area. These events and activities need a landowner´s permission. The notification must be made in good time, at least two months before the event.

You may not advertise or publish the event on internet before the application has been processed.

It is important to make a notification also when it is not clear if the event or camping is appropriate for e.g. a nature reserve. It is also important to give as precise information about the event as possible, e.g. if there is a need for temporary constructions or the use of motorized vehicles on the terrain. Notifying does not justify non-compliance with the rules and regulations of the area.

The Metsähallitus Internet map services may be used to carry out checks whether the target area is situated within a protected area or a multiple-use forest if it is on state-owned lands.

• Retkikartta.fi in Hämeenkangas. Search map layer “Protected areas and hiking destinations“.
• State owned land and water areas (in Finnish)

Hämeenkangas is mostly part of the Natura 2000 network. The esker area is almost entirely covered by the esker conservation programme. Viheräperänkeidas mire is included in the basic conservation programme for the mires. The Pansia spring is a nature reserve. The Niiniharju grove is part of the grove conservation programme.

For some events, a notification alone is sufficient, but for others, a written consent from Metsähallitus is also required. Metsähallitus will contact you once the event notification has been processed. There is a fee for the landowner´s permission. Minimum price is 80 euros + VAT 25,5 % = 99,20 € (incl. VAT 25,5 %) and eventual extra work is charged 50 € (incl. VAT 25,5 %) / hour.

If the organizer of an event uses hiking constructions and routes of Metsähallitus and collects an attendance or admission fee, the organizer must pay Metsähallitus compensation for the use of the constructions, based on the number of participants daily. The sum is 1,25 euros/client/day + VAT 25,5 %.

Notifying the events in advance helps to avoid any overlap and congestion at the sites or possible risks to protected site values.

Permission or notification is not required

• for organizing small public events (less than 10 participants).
• for photography, if this does not result in harm or disturbance to the fauna and flora and, if a cache is not used.
• for short-term camping (1–2 days) in designated areas or other activities permitted by everyman’s right.

Metsähallitus’s principle is to avoid waste everywhere. The organizers are responsible for the cleanliness of the event site and its surroundings during the event and must take the garbage away right after the event, at their own expense.

In winter, event organisers should note that the area adjacent to Jämi Arena is occationally used as a starting and finishing area for skiing competitions and other events alike, which limits the possibilities to be plough the area into parking spaces.

More information

• Everyman’s rights
• Guide to organising events in a nature reserve, Juhlat luonnon helmassa – Opas tapahtumajärjestämiseen luonnonsuojelualueella (in Finnish)
• Principles of Protected Area Management in Finland, Suojelualueiden hoidon ja käytön periaatteet (summary in English)
• All contacts and enquiries to Metsähallitus are always sent by email to kirjaamo(at)metsa.fi, where the messages are forwarded to the responsible persons.

Southwestern Finland Police Department

As a rule, the police of the location where the public event will be organised must be notified of the event in writing. A notice need not be submitted for all public events. The need to report the event can be found by contacting the Southwestern Finland Police Department.

• The Southwestern Finland Police Department

A notification should be made at least for the following events:

• Major events (hundreds of participants)
• Outdoor events in public places (especially traffic routes)
• Events for special groups
• Events ending late (after 10 p.m.)
• Events at which security stewards or traffic management personnel are required
• Events at which alcoholic beverages are served
• Events requiring emergency planning (more than 200 participants)
• Events that are expected to evoke a strong response (involving a danger of disturbance).

Depending on the type of event, notification must be made in good time. The notification must be accompanied by a security plan for the event. The number of stewards is determined by the police on a case-by-case basis.

The police website contains detailed instructions on how to make the event notification and the necessary attachments.

• Permits related to public events

Notifications of a public event can be made to the police via the e-service, using a printable form, or in free form via email or mail.

• Notify the police of a public event through the the police’s e-service
• Notify the police of a public event by submitting the printable form (in Finnish)
• Notify the police of a public event in free form via email or mail addressed to the Southwestern Finland Police Department

Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes)

The event organiser is fully responsible for safety at the event. Public events are consumer services as referred to in the Consumer Safety Act. The event organiser must comply with the general requirements of the Consumer Safety Act.

Tukes monitors compliance with the Consumer Safety Act at events alongside several other authorities.

Tukes verifies that event organisers prepare the safety documents required by the Consumer Safety Act for events. The safety document does not need to be sent to Tukes unless Tukes requests it.

Prepare a safety document if you are organising a public event where there may be a danger to the safety of participants or bystanders due to factors such as the nature or scope of the event. You can combine the safety document with other rescue or safety plans, as long as the combined document sufficiently covers the matters that must be included in a safety document.

The Tukes website has lots of information on planning and implementing safe events.

• Safety at public events

The City of Kankaanpää Environmental Services

The City of Kankaanpää Environmental Services provides further information on permits and notifications related to its field of activity.

• The City of Kankaanpää Environmental Services

Health inspection:

Food quality and safety supervision

A notification must be submitted to the health inspection authority of all food vendors participating in events or any food service provided. The notification can be attached to the notification of a public event or sent by email (free-form notification) to health inspector(at)kankaanpaa.fi. The notification must indicate what kind of food is being sold or prepared, who is preparing or selling food, when and where, and include contact details and the Business ID if a business is involved.

Provision of domestic water

The operator must provide a declaration on the supply of domestic water during the event. If, due to the size of the event, a new/temporary water supply network is being installed in the area, the quality of the water must be verified before the start of the activity. The taking of water samples, quantities and sampling points should be agreed with the health inspection authority.

Public toilets

A sufficient number of toilets must be provided throughout the event area. Toilets must be marked with signs. Handwashing facilities must be provided in the toilet or in its immediate vicinity.

Guideline for the number of toilets to be provided:

For men, 50% of toilets can be replaced by urinals.

If the event lasts more than five hours, or alcohol is served, more toilets may be needed. The organiser must be prepared to provide additional toilets if necessary.

Temporary washrooms and saunas

A notification of temporary washrooms and saunas must be submitted to the health inspection authority well in advance. The notification must include information on the supply of washing water, the cleaning of premises and surfaces, and the disposal of waste water.

Smoking bans

Smoking is prohibited in the canopies and grandstands of outdoor public events and in other areas where participants are seated, and which are used directly for the purpose of watching the event. Grandstands can also be temporary structures and completely open. Smoking is prohibited also in outdoor areas that provide no seating, but standing room only. The ban applies to the use of electric cigarettes as well. The smoking ban applies to all public events, free or subject to an entry fee, and it lasts for the duration of the public event.

Staying still does not mean that event participants cannot move around a little. However, if, due to the nature of the event, participants move around the area in such a way that they cannot be considered to have their own space, smoking is not prohibited under the Tobacco Act. Such events can include, for example, exhibitions where participants move around the exhibition area from one stand to another.

Environmental protection:

Notification of activities causing temporary noise and vibration

No noise notification is required for public events where sound systems are used for less than 3 days between 7:00 and 22:00.

The operator must ensure appropriate noise abatement. In the case of activities that cause particularly disturbing noise, the operator or event organisers must inform potential sufferers of the noise detriment at least 14 days before the activity starts. The notice must indicate the nature of the activity/event, the location, the total duration, the daily operating hours and the contact person with contact details.

The noise notification for temporary events that cause noise or vibration outdoors must be submitted 30 days before the event. The notification obligation applies, for example, to outdoor concerts where sound systems are used.

Groundwater protection, including wastewater discharge

In a groundwater area, not even infiltration of treated wastewater into the soil is allowed. Wastewaters must be channelled outside the groundwater area or collected in a leakproof container and transported away from the groundwater area.

Private road maintenance associations

For the use of each private road maintained by a private road maintenance association, a permit must be requested from the road maintenance association in question. When requesting permits for large public events, do note that the governing boards of road maintenance associations usually meet relatively infrequently.

Contact private road maintenance associations

• Sormelantie road: Kimmo Ristimäki, tel 0400 825 890, email kimmo.ristimaki(at)keskusveljet.fi
• Kyrönkankaantie road: Jouni Peltoniemi / Metsänhoitoyhdistys Karhu, tel 040 702 8845, email jouni.peltoniemi(at)mhy.fi