This document summarizes the key findings of the EFFORTE Business Forum held in Helsinki on June 19th, 2019. The EFFORTE project involved 23 partners from 5 countries working to increase the efficiency and sustainability of forestry operations through research in 3 areas: 1) soil mechanics and trafficability, 2) efficient silviculture, and 3) applications of big data. The project ran from 2016-2019 with a total budget of 4.15 million euros. Research activities included experimental studies of forest soil types in Finland and France, as well as developing models and applications to optimize operations related to soil assessment, planting, young stand management, and harnessing various data sources like remote sensing. Overall the collaboration between researchers and

1. Jori Uusitalo
EFFORTE Business Forum
Key Findings
Helsinki 19.6.2019

2. EFFORTE targets at efficiency and sustainability
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• Coordination by Luke
• 23 partners from five
countries
– Finland (6)
– Sweden (8)
– France (6)
– UK (2)
– Switzerland(1)
• 5 research institutes
• 13 large industry
companies
• 4 SMEs
Duration 2016-2019
Total budget of 4.15 M€
out of which 2.23 M€
from Horizon 2020
1) Soil mechanics and trafficability
2) Efficient silviculture
a) Increasing forest growth
b) Efficient silvicultural operations
3) Big data –applications

3. Consortium
Finland
• Luke (coordinator)
• Oy Arbonaut Ltd
• Metsägroup Oyj
• UPM-Kymmene Oyj
• Stora Enso Oyj
• Metsäteho Oy
Sweden
• Skogforsk
• SLU
• SCA Skog AB
• Holmen aktiebolag
• Sveaskog Förvaltning AB
• Södra skogägarna
• Stora Enso Skog AB
• Creative Optimization
France
• FCBA
• Forets et Bois de l’Est (FBE)
• Office National des Forets
(ONF)
• sarl Ste d’Exploitation
Forestière de l’Est (SEFE)
• Comptoir des Bois de Brive
(CBB)
• COPACEL
UK
• James Jones & Sons Ltd
• Woodilee Consultancy Ltd
Switzerland
• Agroscope
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4. Experimental series in EFFORTE (Photos Jari Ala-
Ilomäki, Philippe Ruch, Ian Stewart)
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Vihti; fine-grained
Kuru; mid-grained
France
Scotland

5. WP1 – Basic components of soil trafficability
• We have taken big steps in understanding
– Significance of the soil characteristics and
moisture content on soil strength relationship
• All findings confirm the importance of wetness in
predicting soil strength, especially in fine-grained
soils
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The models created
will work in boreal
forests and temperate
coniferous and
broadleaf forests

6. WP1 – Basic components of soil trafficability
• Soil type can to certain extent be predicted with
topography and tree species composition
• Traffic has significant impact on compaction
(Increase of Bulk density) and it will slow down
drying of soil
• Especially forest traffic in wet conditions should
planned carefully
– The significance of machine mass/ground
pressure on the soil compaction and future
growth conditions requires more research
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7. WP 2 – Increased efficiency in silviculture
Studies on
Syncronising site preparation and planting
Fully automatized mechanical planting
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8. WP 2 – Increased efficiency in silviculture
Studies on various methods to increase
Productivity of young stand management
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9. WP 2 – Precision forestry
Tree locations at
moment of harvest
Site index within the
stand
Optimizing growth of the
next generation

10. WP 3 - Big data –applications in
forestry
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Soil type maps
Topography
Remote sensing
Weather data
Huge progress going on to employ
various data sources in forestry
Big data applications provides
excellent possibilities to
make even more environmentally
sound and efficient operations

11. Enhanced utilisation of Forest Big Data
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Prior to logging operations
- Trafficability/Bearing capacity
- Timing of operations
- Planning optimal places for
logging trails
- Prognosis of wood properties
- Scheduling of harvesters –
optimal machinery/accessories
While logging
- Interpretation of machine data
– soil properties
- Optimal routing of logging
trails
- Optimal tree bucking
Post-harvest
- Soil properties
- Tree species and dimensions,
past tree growth (site index)
and tree defects
- Post-harvest quality

12. Conclusions
• Excellent atmosphere – excellent collaboration between
Researchers and industrial partners and between countries
• Altogether 31 Deliverables – and 2-3 appendices
– www.luke.fi/efforte
• Scientifically new understanding about soil mechanics in
forest soils
• So far roughly 10 scientific papers – probably more than 10
will be submitted during the next year
• Invention, processing and validating of roughly 15 applications
in the areas of tree logging and silviculture – many of them
very promising
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13. Thank you!
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