maanhoito

Maanhoito, literally meaning soil care or land management in Finnish, refers to the set of practices and policies aimed at protecting, maintaining, and improving the condition of land resources. The term covers agricultural, forestry, and urban land use contexts and emphasizes long-term soil health, fertility, and ecosystem services such as water retention, carbon storage, and biodiversity. Maanhoito is grounded in soil science, agronomy, and environmental planning and is implemented through a combination of farming methods, land-use planning, and policy instruments.

Common maanhoito practices include erosion control and soil conservation, crop rotation and diversification, cover crops, judicious fertilization guided by soil testing, and reduced or optimized tillage. It also encompasses drainage and irrigation management, organic matter management, and methods such as agroforestry, reforestation, and peatland restoration to balance productivity with ecological protection. In forestry, maanhoito focuses on sustainable harvesting, soil protection during operations, and regeneration planning. In urban areas, it relates to green space maintenance, stormwater management, and soil protection during development.

In Finland and other Nordic contexts, maanhoito is supported by agricultural and environmental policies, advisory services, and funding aimed at sustainable intensification and climate resilience. Its effectiveness depends on farm-specific conditions, incentives, and access to knowledge and technology. The concept overlaps with soil conservation, land management, and land-use planning and is an ongoing subject of research and policy development to balance agricultural productivity with environmental sustainability.