From sustainable timber production to sustainable forest bioeconomy

Forest Sciences’ Day 23 October 2024

© Finnish Society of Forest Science / Pekka Nygren CC BY-SA 4.0

#metsätiede2024

#sivistys2024

The Forest Sciences’ Day was organised this year for the 32th time. We gathered in the Viikki Campus of the University of Helsinki on 23 October 2024. Our general topic was “From sustainable timber production to sustainable forest bioeconomy”. We studied the Day’s topic from historic, current and future perspective.

The sustainability concept was first introduced in Germany in early 1800s in the forestry context. At that time, the concept referred only to sustaining or increasing timber production over time. The wide concept of sustainable development is much younger. It became generally known through the publication of the Brutland Commission report in 1987. The sustainability concept has widened also in forestry to securing of ecosystem functions and diversity. In forest bioeconomy, the forests do not provide just timber but also several ecosystem services. Some of them have economic value, like the forest carbon sinks, while others are genuinely immaterial, like health effects of forests. Wood can be used for various other uses than traditional timber. New uses of forests and mitigation of the environmental change call for extensive review of the sustainability concept.

The Forest Sciences’ Day 2024 offered an in-depth review on the concept and practice of sustainability. We learned from the history for understanding year 2024 and looked to the future.

Forest Sciences’ Day 2024 is part of the programme of the “Year of Sivistys“. The Finnish word “sivistys” does not have direct translation into English but it refers to civilisation, good general education and – in a way – to enlightenment. The Year of Sivistys 2024 is designated by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. It is a year full of events free to all. The Finnish Society of Forest Science participates for enhancing general understanding on forests and forestry. We emphasise Everyone’s Right to Forest Science.

Download the Book of Abstracts here.

Programme

Morning Plenary Session 9:00 – 12:00, Lecture Hall 110

Links to the recordings of the plenary talks are on the Finnish page of Forest Sciences’ Day. All talks were given in Finnish.

9:00-9:10Opening of the Forest Sciences’ DayVice-chair Liisa Tyrväinen, Finnish Society of Forest Science
9:10-9:30Forest and sustainability – Different viewpointsUniversity Lecturer Jaana Laine, LUT University
9:30-9:50Sustainability, responsibility and green investmentsSenior Scientist Esa-Jussi Viitala, Natural Resources Institute Finland
9:50-10:10Sustainability in the forest development scenarios – Result of the assumptions, materials or methods?Professor Jari Vauhkonen, University of Eastern Finland
10:10-10:40Coffee break
10:40-11:00Responsibility in the wood procurement of a global Finnish forest enterpriseHead of International Forest Sustainability Antti Marjokorpi, Stora Enso
11:00-11:20Transitions in the forest bioeconomy – Requirements and challengesProject Researcher Jakob Donner-Amnell, University of Eastern Finland
11:20-12:00Common discussionPlenary speakers

Lunch Break 12:00 – 13:15

At own expense

Afternoon Parallel Sessions 13:15 – 16:00

In the afternoon, the Science Clubs of the Finnish Society of Forest Science organised six parallel sessions. The programme of the parallel sessions was composed of talks received through an open call and partly of invited talks. The main language of the afternoon sessions was Finnish but some talks will be in English. Check programme of each session for language information. If the talk was delivered in English, the recording can be accessed through the English page of the session. The Finnish page contains links to all talks, recording of which was allowed by the speaker.

TopicOrganiserContact person
Ecological sustainability as a dynamic concept (Hall 108)Forest Biology ClubHannes Pasanen; hannes . pasanen () uef . fi
Sustainability of forest bioeconomy (Hall 540, 5th floor)Forest Economist ClubSampo Pihlainen; sampo . pihlainen () syke . fi
What is not yet working in forest management from the point of view of overall sustainability? (Hall 106)Silviculture ClubTimo Saksa; ext.timo . saksa () luke . fi
Forest, sustainability and dialogue? (Hall 107) Human-Forest Relationship Research ClubAnnukka Näyhä; annukka . nayha () jyu . fi and Karoliina Lummaa; karoliina . lummaa () bios . fi
Evaluation of sustainability in forest bioeconomy (Hall 105)Forest Mensuration ClubSanna Sirparanta; sanna . sirparanta () metsakeskus . fi
Managing sustainability in our wood supply chain (Hall 340, 3rd floor)Technology ClubKalle Kärhä; kalle . karha () uef . fi

Afternoon Plenary Session: Finnish Society of Forest Science 115 years 16:15 – 17:15, Lecture Hall 108

  • Opening of the 115th anniversary celebration of the Finnish Society of Forest Science
  • Music performance
  • Speech, Research Professor Emeritus Jarkko Hantula
  • Scientific recognitions of the Society
  • Introduction of the new editor-in-chief of Silva Fennica
  • Closing words

Buffet Dinner 17:30 – 20:00 (Restaurant Viikuna, Building EE, Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2)

Organising Committee

Chair: Liisa Tyrväinen, Natural Resources Institute Finland / Vice-Chair of Finnish Society of Forest Science

Tel. +358 29 532 4553, e-mail liisa . tyrvainen () luke . fi

Forest Biology Club: Hannes Pasanen, University of Eastern Finland, hannes . pasanen () uef . fi

Forest Economist Club: Anu Laakkonen, University of Eastern Finland, anu . laakkonen () uef . fi

Silviculture Club: Timo Saksa, Natural Resources Institute Finland, timo . saksa () luke . fi

Human-Forest Relationship Research Club: Annukka Näyhä, University of Jyväskylä, annukka . nayha () jyu . fi

Forest Mensuration Club: Sanna Sirparanta, Finnish Forest Centre, sanna . sirparanta () metsakeskus . fi

Technology Club: Kalle Kärhä, University of Eastern Finland, kalle . karha () uef . fi

Secretary: Pekka Nygren, Finnish Society of Forest Science

Tel. + 358 44 558 1199, e-mail pekka . nygren () metsatiede . org

Forest Sciences’ Day is organised annually with the support from foundation Metsämiesten säätiö.