Favourable reference value (FRV) is a concept that is derived from EU Habitat Directive’s definition of favourable conservation status that relates to the ‘long-term distribution and abundance’ of the species’ population (Article 1i), and for habitats to the ‘long-term natural distribution, structure and functions as well as the long-term survival of its typical species’ in their natural range (Article 1e).

The articles in this collection consider assessment of favourable reference population for Finland’s wolf population. The focus is Finland outside reindeer husbandry region where wolf is a strictly protected Appendix IV species. The collection encompasses six articles with following titles:

(1) Demographic population modeling to estimate minimum viable population,

(2) Genetic substructure in Finnish wolf population,

(3) Trends in genetic diversity and genetic effective population size,

(4) Ecological carrying capacity of Finland’s wolf population,

(5) Developing new methods for setting the favourable reference population and

(6) Favourable conservation status of wolf populations: a synthesis.