Finland's Forest Sector Future Review: Timber harvesting and biodiversity
The National Forest Council has published the Forest Sector Future Review to serve for the updating of Finland's National Forest Programme 2015 in 2007. The use of domestic wood can be increased by raising the funding for silviculture and forest improvement.
Renewable forests and forest sector offer a strong foundation for Finland's sustainable development. With good silviculture, our annual timber harvesting possibilities will increase to 70 million cubic metres by 2015, which is 10 million cubic metres more than in the past few years. Use of wood both in forest industries and for energy can be increased.
Abundant forest resources also allow more efficient protection of forest biodiversity and enhancement of recreation and nature-based tourism. By the end of 2007, an action programme for the protection of biodiversity of Finland's forests will be prepared simultaneously with the updating of the National Forest Programme 2015. New voluntary means of protection experimented under the METSO Programme for Southern Finland, which has won very positive feedback from forest owners, will be applied on the national scale.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Juha Korkeaoja supports very strongly the view of the Forest Council that funding under the Act on the Financing of Sustainable Forestry should be increased. Through this the Government provides an incentive for forest owners to undertake forest improvement measures that are a precondition for the growth and increased use of forests. Compared to the funding in 2005, an additional 18 million euros should be used for forest management and improvement and 5 million euros for increasing the use of forest energy.
Key factors for the competitiveness and performance of Finnish forest industries include efficient use of the growing timber harvesting opportunities, maintenance of the transport network, competitive price of energy, and development of new wood-based products and services. At the EU level, the Forest Based Sector Technology Platform aims at strengthening the competitiveness of the forest sector.
"The Finnish model is based on family forestry. In urban society, we have to strengthen private forest owners' capacities by increased information, education and professional support. The fragmentation of forest holdings must be prevented and new forms of joint ownership developed", says Minister Korkeaoja.
The Forest Sector Future Review also highlights the profitability of forestry, forests' special role for rural development, employment and entrepreneurship, strengthening of research and development, and the growing importance of international forest policy. "It is remarkable that different ministries, the private sector and non-governmental organisations have reached a common vision for the future of Finland's forest sector", emphasizes Mr. Korkeaoja. "Next spring the new Government will decide on the budget allocations for the development and use of Finland's most important renewable natural resource."
The Forest Sector Future Review is based on an exceptionally wide spectrum of future work by the Finnish Forest Research Institute, the Future Forum on Forests, the Forest Academy for Decision-Makers, the Forest-Based Technology Platform, and the Future Working Group of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation and the Paper Workers' Union. 13 Regional Forest Programmes, updated in January 2006 and several national strategies on natural resources, energy, climate and sustainable development also contributed to the review.
The National Forest Council, composed of 23 representatives of ministries, forest organisations and non-governmental organisations, follows and supervises the National Forest Programme.
Further information:
Director-General Aarne Reunala, tel. +358 9 160 53350, mobile: +358 400 437 222
Secretary-General Marja Kokkonen, tel. +358 9 160 52923, mobile: +358 40 524 6267
