This presentation will be an overview on the measures, ecological effects and challenges of restoration and ecological management of Finnish forest reserves. Over 16,000 hectares of heath forest have been treated with restoration measures in protected areas of Finland since 2003. The measures include prescribed burning, increasing dead wood, opening small canopy gaps, removing exotic plant species, and others. Burning in particular has proven to be ecologically effective, whereas artificial creation of dead wood creates unexpected ecological challenges, including the effects of wood quality on decayer communities, and the increased risk of bark beetle outbreaks due to warming climate.