Intensive forestry – more efficient production of forest-based raw materials The timber harvest in Finland could grow by 50 per cent with more intensive forest management. Intensive forestry will enable sustainable production of domestic forest-based raw materials.

SUCCESSSTORY

The EffFibre programme assessed the long-term availabil-

ity of domestic forest-based raw material. One of the pro-

gramme objectives was to find out how more intensive and

cost-efficient forest management would affect the potential

for raw material acquisition.

The programme studied the current forest management

methods and forest use, and employed scenarios to analyse

more intensive wood and biomass production methods. A sce-

nario for declining forest utilisation was also studied. A new

method was used to analyse the results, and the scenarios

covered the whole country. This is the first time such a con-

sistent and extensive study of this type has been conducted.

The scenarios showed that Finland’s annual timber harvest

volume could be increased by more than 50 per cent, from

approximately 55 million to more than 85 million cubic metres.

With more intensive forest management, this increase can be

achieved sustainably.

Sustainability was an important consideration in the research

project. One of the initial requirements was that the total vol-

ume of the growing stock should remain unchanged in or-

der to maintain sustainability in production. The results also

showed that well-managed forests grew faster and absorbed

more carbon. This means the forest carbon stock will remain

unchanged even if timber harvest volume increases.

A SignificAnT incReASe in cuTTing vOlumeS

In the EffFibre programme, scenarios were analysed from

the forest industry, production, political decision-making and

forest ownership perspectives. “The results showed that our

forests offer far more potential than we ever expected,” says

Jorma länsitalo, Senior Vice President for Wood Supply at

StoraEnso.

At the moment, the annual wood removals from forests rep-

resent approximately 70 per cent of the volume that could

be cut sustainably. Although forests offer even greater poten-

tial, higher cutting volumes would require significantly more

intensive forest management, such as planned forest regen-

eration and timely young stand management practices, thin-

nings and regeneration fellings.

Intensive forestry requires investment in forest management,

but this investment will pay off in the longer term. “Abandon-

ing the forests creates the highest costs, with extensive re-

percussions on the industry and the entire production chain,”

Metsä Group’s Risto lilleberg comments.

13Ohjelmatunnukset

mORe infORmATiOn:

markku leskeläResearch Director FIBIC Ltd Tel. +358 50 598 7665 markku.leskela@fibic.fi

Pauliina TukiainenProgramme ManagerVTTTel. +358 40 502 8147pauliina.tukiainen@vtt.fi

www.fibic.fi

“Finnish forests provide enormous potential for

increasing the utilisation of renewable natural resources.”

fuTuRe cOmPeTiTive edge fOR dOmeSTic wOOd

The results of the studies are significant both for forest own-

ers and for political decision-makers. “It is important to offer

decision-makers research evidence to allow them to prepare

policies on the basis of best available knowledge,” Lilleberg

notes.

If the scenario were to materialise, this would have a major ef-

fect on Finland’s gross domestic product. The results indicate

that more intensive forest management would dramatically

improve the profitability of forestry. “Finnish forests provide

enormous potential for increasing the utilisation of renewable

natural resources. We will need a more professional approach

to forestry in order to release it,” Länsitalo concludes.

One of the competitive assets of Finnish wood is the adequate

supply of high-quality raw material. Furthermore, Finland

boasts a solid infrastructure and strong traditions in forest

utilisation. “Finland needs to improve its competitiveness and

become a more attractive environment for industrial invest-

ments,” says Länsitalo.

“We possess unique forest assets, and we should focus on the

appropriate, sustainable and economic utilisation of those as-

sets. For example, forests provide an incredible source of raw

materials for the bioeconomy. Finnish forests are an opportu-

nity that we simply must make use of,” Lilleberg summarises.

SuSTAinAble fOReSTRY

Sustainability plays a major role in present and future forest

management. “Sustainability is one of the key criteria that

have long been applied to forest management and bio-based

raw material production in Finland,” Lilleberg says.