Providing Sustainable Solutions - The North European Forestry Nordic-Baltic research organisations' network PROFOR workshop 10th of December 2019, Brussels

1. © Natural Resources Institute Finland
North European forestry
Pasi Rautio
Natural Resources Institute Finland
and
EFI - Forest Bioeconomy Network
Rovaniemi, Finland

2. © Natural Resources Institute Finland2 12.12.2019
Deforestation:
Source: M.C. Hansen et al., University of Maryland, Google, USGS, NASA
Landsat images showing
the amount of deforestation
in Borneo from 2000 to
2018.
Large forests fires in
Amazon in 2019

3. © Natural Resources Institute Finland3 12.12.2019
Photo: Ari-Pekka Huhta
Deforestation in Europe already in
past centuries:
© Jacek Karczmarz - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
© TripAdvisor
© expatica.com
© visitberlin.de

4. © Natural Resources Institute Finland4 12.12.2019
Area affected by slash-and-burn
culture in Finland in 1860
Deforestation also in rural Europe:
Source: Heikinheimo 1915. Kaskiviljelyksen vaikutus Suomen metsiin
Main wood-tar production area in
19th century
 In many places forests in north were
not in a very good shape 100 years ago

5. © Natural Resources Institute Finland5 12.12.2019
Concern about the sustainability of forest use
Concern about sufficiency of timber in the Nordic countries led to the first
National Forest Inventories (NFIs) in the world
• Norway 1919-1930
• Finland 1922-1924
• Sweden 1923-1929
Photo: Erkki Oksanen/Luke

6. © Natural Resources Institute Finland6 12.12.2019
Lithuania
Growing
stock (mill. m3)
≈ volume of trees

7. © Natural Resources Institute Finland7 12.12.2019
Latvia
Growing
stock (mill. m3)
Source: Forest Fund, The State Forest Service (VMD), NFI

8. © Natural Resources Institute Finland8 12.12.2019
Estonia
Growing
stock (mill. m3)
Source: Raudsaar et al. 2019. Mets 1. Forest resources.
Yearbook Forests 2018. Keskkonnaagentuur. Estonia.

9. © Natural Resources Institute Finland9 12.12.2019
Norway: forest growth and cuttings
Source: NIR 2018, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research and Statistics Norway. (Growing stock >950 mill m3).
Annual forest
growth (mill. m3)
Annual forest
cuttings
Growing
stock (mill. m3)

10. © Natural Resources Institute Finland10 12.12.2019
Sweden: forest growth and cuttings
Annual forest
growth (mill. m3)
Annual forest
cuttings
(Growing stock at the moment ∼ 3250 mill m3).

11. © Natural Resources Institute Finland11 12.12.2019
Finland: forest growth and cuttings
Source: Luke: National Forest Inventory of Finland
Annual forest growth
(mill. m3)
Annual forest cuttings
(Growing stock ∼ 2350 mill m3).

12. © Natural Resources Institute Finland12 12.12.2019
European forests resources
Today most of the land area
in Nordic and Baltic countries
covered by forests
Where did the increased
growth come from?

13. © Natural Resources Institute Finland13 12.12.2019
Where does the increased growth come from?
Source: Luke: National Forest Inventory of Finland
Increase due to:
63% forest management
37% environmental change
Source:
Henttonen et al. 2017, Forest Ecology and
Management 386: 22-36

14. © Natural Resources Institute Finland
Forest management provides also future potential:
Tree breeding Silvicultural methods
14 12.12.2019
Photo: Erkki Oksanen/Luke Photo: Erkki Oksanen/Luke

15. © Natural Resources Institute Finland15 12.12.2019
Future potential: more timber by forest fertilization
Unfertilized control plot Fertilized plot (wood ash fertilization)
Photo: Jorma Issakainen, Luke Photos Jorma Issakainen, Luke

16. © Natural Resources Institute Finland16 12.12.2019
Future potential: Effect of climate change?
Compared to 1980’s
forest growth is
predicted to be
100% higher
Kellomäki et al 2005. Adaptation of forest ecosystems, forests and forestry to climate change.
FINADAPT Working Paper 4, Finnish Environment Institute.

17. © Natural Resources Institute Finland17 12.12.2019
Climate change brings challenges
Pests & diseases? Storms?
Photo: Pasi Rautio
Photo: Pasi Rautio

18. © Natural Resources Institute Finland18 12.12.2019
Climate change brings challenges
Forest fires?
Source: www.express.co.uk/news/world/993472/
Sweden-fire-map-Sweden-wildfires-drought-heatwave

19. © Natural Resources Institute Finland19 12.12.2019
Northern forestry in short
- The amount of wood has more than
doubled from 1970’s
- This trend most likely continues
offering great potential for bioeconomy
- We need to be prepared for the coming
threats (e.g. pests, storms, fires)
Photo: Erkki Oksanen/Luke

20. Thank you for your attention!
Photo: Erkki Oksanen/Luke