Package of measures to strengthen forest growth and carbon sinks

The package to strengthen forest growth and carbon sinks is composed of measures that promote climate-resilient forest management practices, support good productivity of commercial forests and strengthen carbon sinks far into the future. In spring 2025, the Government decided on measures to be implemented in 2025–2027 based a report prepared by public officials. At the same time, the Government decided on the steering instruments and funding by which forest growth and carbon sinks will be strengthened. Operators and stakeholders in the forest sector have a key role in the implementation of the measures.

The package of measures will promote:

•   faster forest regeneration
•   higher growing stock density
•   longer rotation periods
•   prevention of forest damages
•   forest fertilisation
•   expansion of the forest area.

The package of measures that is included in the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government was based on the changed situation in terms of the net sink of the land use sector and the slowdown of forest growth. In addition, decisions were needed on additional measures in the land use sector that contribute to meeting the obligations of the national Climate Act and the EU’s LULUCF sector. The package of measures was also included in the Energy and Climate Strategy as part of the climate measures of the land use sector.

The aim of the package is to boost and strengthen the implementation of the Climate Plan for the Land Use Sector and the National Forest Strategy 2035. The package also supports the implementation of the updated low-carbon roadmaps of the sector.

Mainstreaming of climate-resilient forest management based on voluntary action

The work on all measures in the package progresses through information guidance, i.e. by strengthening the access to and use of information concerning climate-resilient forest management practices.
‘Juuret tiedossa’ - ‘Roots in knowledge’ projects
In the call for applications for the set of projects ‘Juuret tiedossa’ / ‘Roots in knowledge’ of the National Climate Unit at the Economic Development Centre for Lapland, new and well-established ways of information guidance and diverse partnerships have been sought by which climate-resilient forest management practices can be mainstreamed. In these projects, effective means are developed for different target groups by which information can be incorporated into the practices of the sector. They also strengthen the knowledge base of forest owners and stakeholders in the forest sector concerning the benefits and practical implementation of climate actions that increase forest growth. These national and regional projects will be implemented in 2026–2027.

Forest management recommendations

The measures focused on forest management recommendations aim to ensure that the recommendations supporting climate targets will be adopted as default practices. The user-friendliness of the recommendations will be improved and training and events will be organised for forest professionals. New guidelines will be produced concerning the regeneration of peatland forests while maintaining the water level and the thinning of unmanaged forests. The updated thinning models guide to moderate extension of the rotation periods in sites that are suited for this.

Studies have shown that forest management recommendations have a wide impact. When considering the speed, flexibility and impact of different measures, they are estimated to have the best potential to influence the practical implementation of climate actions. The recommendations guide to actions that go beyond the statutory standards, taking the different sustainability targets into account.

Development of Finnish Forest Centre’s services

The Finnish Forest Centre supports the implementation of the amendments to be made in the forest legislation by making the necessary changes in the systems and by reforming the method for supervising intermediate fellings to improve the monitoring of the quality of thinning operations. To promote the comprehensive management of peatland forests, models for continuous cover forestry in nutrient-poor and wet areas are included in the management and felling suggestions of the Metsään.fi service. Besides this, the Finnish Forest Centre provides information to forest owners on ash fertilisation sites eligible for aid from the temporary forestry incentive scheme METKA, access to site data and the implementation of types of aid under the scheme targeted to remedial fertilisation.

The Forest Centre also provides information to promote higher growing stock density and moderate extension of the rotation periods in suitable sites. In addition, the Forest Centre promotes the identification of drought and wind damage risk sites and sharing of information and continues and expands the monitoring of insect damages to support the prevention of forest damages and adaptation of forests to the impacts of climate change.

Amendments to forest legislation guide growing stock density and ensure implementation of regeneration measures

Amendments will be made to the forest legislation concerning the supervision of thinning operations and their intensity. The amendments will further specify the adequate type, volume and distribution of a stand with growth potential. The obligation to submit a notification concerning the establishment of a seedling stand after forest regeneration and a regeneration or seedling growth notification after intermediate felling of an uneven-aged forest will be included in the legislation.

Aid for expanding forest area promotes afforestation of wastelands and low-yield arable lands

The aid scheme concerning the expansion of the forest area is scheduled to enter into force in the beginning of 2027. The aim is to support landowners who afforest arable parcels that are no longer in agricultural use, cut-over peatlands or low-yield arable lands with a thin peat layer. Applications for the aid would be submitted to the Finnish Forest Centre.

Remedial fertilisation of peatland forests promotes their climate-resilient management

Funding granted for the package of measures to strengthen forest growth and carbon sinks through the temporary forestry incentive scheme METKA can be used to significantly increase ash fertilisation, i.e. remedial fertilisation of peatlands.

The aim is to raise the annual work volumes from the present about 11,000 hectares to 40,000 hectares and to increase the growth of stands for 20–30 years by a one-off fertilisation treatment. Ash fertilisation increases evaporation from the forest stand, and it often also helps avoid loading to waters and the air, as well as ditch cleaning and supplementary ditching that causes costs.

Forest breeding improves growth and adaptation of trees

The implementation of the Forest Tree Breeding and Seed Orchard Programme and the Seed Orchard Establishment Programme of the Natural Resources Institute Finland will continue as planned. The aim of the programmes is to ensure the adaptability, resilience, quality and high yield of improved forest reproductive material and the access to it.

The Seed Orchard Establishment Programme puts the results of forest breeding into practice to improve tree growth, the quality of wood material and yield stability. The aim of the Seed Orchard Establishment Programme implemented by Tapio Oy and Siemen Forelia Oy in 2022–2032 is to make sure that forest regeneration is carried out as required by law by ensuring an adequate supply and genetic quality of forest reproductive material. To diversify the range of tree species, seed orchards are also established for less commonly used species.

Report March 3, 2025