Author: admin

Finnish Society of Forest Science awards annually prizes for excellent doctoral and master’s theses accepted during the preceding year. The awards are made among the theses proposed by the Department of Forest Sciences at the University of Helsinki and the School of Forest Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland. The number of awards is not fixed but depends on the quality of the theses proposed in each year. Typically, the Society awards 1-2 prizes for excellent doctoral dissertations and 1-3 prizes for excellent M.Sc. theses.

The prizes of 2026 were published in the Spring meeting of the Society on 13 April 2026. There were one doctoral dissertation prize and three master’s thesis prizes awarded this time. The doctoral thesis was presented at the Spring meeting.

Prize for an excellent doctoral dissertation

Dr Heli Kymäläinen, University of Eastern Finland. Well-being and productivity of forest machine operators – ergonomic support measures, https://doi.org/10.14214/df.370

The dissertation handles the well-being and productivity of CTL machine operators and possibilities to improvements via ergonomic solutions.  The theme was non-traditional in a refreshing manner. The study aptly combines various materials and utilises also monitoring data from smart watches and forest machines.  Feasible suggestions for development in the practical forest harvesting environment are given. The sub-studies contributed well to the entity by answering to different research questions. Dr Kymäläinen is the first author in all sub-studies.

The dissertation was published in the number 370 of Dissertationes Forestales, which is a dissertation series by the Finnish Society of Forest Science in cooperation with the University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland.

Prizes for excellent M.Sc. theses

M.Sc. Alm Gnista, University of Helsinki, Economic optimization of boreal Norway spruce forest management with coarse woody debris and carbon sinks, http://hdl.handle.net/10138/591716

This thesis investigates how placing social prices on carbon and coarse woody debris affects forest management, coarse woody debris amounts, carbon sinks and storages as well as wood production value when the combined value of wood production and carbon sinks or coarse woody debris is maximized. Additionally, it examines the costs related to increasing carbon and coarse woody debris in a boreal Norway spruce forest stand. The thesis forms a carefully finalised entity, where the principles of good scientific presentation are excellently realised.

M.Sc. Kristiina Koivu, University of Helsinki, Bark water vapor conductance and bark photosynthesis in branches of circumboreal tree species, http://hdl.handle.net/10138/597490

The thesis expands the studies of bark photosynthesis and bark water vapor conductance into boreal forests by using measurements of 15 boreal tree species. The results reported in the thesis suggest that low bark conductance and efficient bark photosynthesis might co-occur as species-specific traits, both perhaps increasing tolerance to dry conditions. The data collection and analyses presented in this work made a great impression on the master’s thesis prize committee.

M.Sc. Aleksi Knaappila, University of Eastern Finland, Forest fires in Finland 2014–2023 – Factors affecting ignition and size of the fires [in Finnish], https://erepo.uef.fi/handle/123456789/34196

The study investigates the factors affecting ignition and spread of fire with help of various statistical data sets. A greater explanatory power of human activity and weather factors compared to stand characteristics was identified: in future, particularty the effects of human activity should be better accounted for.

The thesis was clear and the modelling part convincing. Knaappila was also awarded a grant for research expenses for the field work in 2026, in connection to his doctoral thesis work deepening the master’s thesis theme.

Photo credits on this page: Heli Kymäläinen (own photo), Monica Celeste (Alm Gnista’s photo), Hilkka Pajukangas (Kristiina Koivu’s photo) and Jenna Toivonen (Aleksi Knaappila’s photo).

Spring meeting of the Finnish Society of Forest Science will be held on Monday 13 April 2026 at 15:00 as a hybrid meeting. The place will be House of Sciences and Letters (Tieteiden talo, Kirkkokatu 6, Helsinki), Room Cedercreutz (505). Participation on site in the House of Sciences and Letters does not require registration.

Remote participants must register at latest on 6 April 2026 using this link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfYyRsIFUF7TJqAtUF9HF_jwfoUe8OG5OM-YvgbpWwh_gDdFg/viewform?usp=publish-editor

A Zoom link to the meeting will be sent to all registered participants as a calendar invitation.

Programme

1. Opening of the meeting
2. Election of the meeting chair, secretary, reviewers of the minutes, and voice counters.
3. Confirmation of the legality and quorum of the meeting.
4. Acceptance of the programme.
5. Review of the 2025 annual report, closing of the books, and auditors’ report
6. Confirmation of the 2025 closing of the books
7. Decision on the discharge from responsibility for the board members and other liables
8. Award of the prizes for doctoral and Master’s theses
9. Award of the grants of the Finnish Society of Forest Science
10. Spring meeting lecture by winner(s) of thesis prize(s)
11. Closure of the meeting
12. Coffee and cake in honour of the prize winners and grantees

Members of the Society with voting right may propose additional items to the meeting agenda. Items requiring a decision of the meeting must be made by e-mail to the Executive Manager of the Society at latest on 30 March 2026 (reija.haapanen@metsatiede.org). Discussion items may be proposed also later but at latest on-site when accepting the meeting programme.

Helsinki, 23 March 2026

Board of the Finnish Society of Forest Science

Appendices:

• Annual report 2025 (in Finnish with English summary): https://metsatiede.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Vuosikertomus_2025.pdf

• Closing of the books 2025 (in Finnish): https://metsatiede.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Tilinpaatos_2025.pdf

Lataa tulostettava jäsentiedote PDF-tiedostona.

Download printable information letter as a PDF file.

Tässä tiedotteessa / Contents of the information letter:

• Suomen Metsätieteellisen Seuran tutkimus- ja matka-apurahojen haku on auki 19.1.-20.2.2026
• Application of grants of the Finnish Society of Forest Science is open from 19 Jan through 20 Feb 2026
• Seuran toiminnanjohtaja vaihtuu 1.2.2026
• New Executive Manager of the Finnish Society of Forest Science
• Uusia jäseniä / New members

__________

Suomen Metsätieteellisen Seuran tutkimus- ja matka-apurahojen haku on auki 19.1.-20.2.2026

Suomen Metsätieteellinen Seura toimii Suomen metsätieteellisen tutkimustyön hyväksi. Tarkoituksen toteuttamiseksi Seura myöntää hallinnassaan olevien rahastojen tuotoista apurahoja metsätiedettä edistäviin tarkoituksiin: tutkimusapurahoja, matka-apurahoja, apurahoja muuhun kansainväliseen toimintaan, kieliopintoihin ja muihin metsätiedettä edistäviin toimintoihin.

Apurahojen haku alkaa 19.1.2026 ja päättyy 20.2.2026 klo 16.00. Hae apurahaa sähköisellä apurahahakujärjestelmällä (https://metsatieteellinenseura.apurahat.net). Linkki järjestelmään aktivoituu hakuajan alkaessa.

Ennen hakemuksen laatimista pyydämme sinua lukemaan huolellisesti Seuran verkkosivulta löytyvät apurahaohjeet. Kiinnitä erityisesti huomiota siihen, että tutkimusapurahan tutkimussuunnitelma on kirjoitettava apurahalomakkeelle ohjeiden mukaan jäsenneltynä. Liitteenä lähetettyjä tutkimussuunnitelmia ei arvioida.

Päätös apurahoista tehdään maaliskuun puolivälissä. Ilmoitamme myönnetyistä apurahoista hakijoille henkilökohtaisesti. Julkistamme apurahat Suomen Metsätieteellisen Seuran kevätkokouksessa 13.4.2026. Voit aloittaa apurahan käytön aikaisintaan 1.5.2026.

Ukrainalaisia metsäntutkijoita, jotka työskentelevät suomalaisessa tutkimusorganisaatiossa tai ovat tohtoriopiskelijoita suomalaisessa yliopistossa rohkaistaan hakemaan apurahaa.

Ennen hakemuksen laatimista Suomen Metsätieteelliselle Seuralle pyydämme sinua lukemaan huolellisesti sivulta https://metsatiede.org/apurahat/:

• Mihin tarkoitukseen voi hakea apurahaa?
• Kuka voi hakea apurahaa?
• Ohjeet apurahahakemuksen tekoon

__________

Application of grants of the Finnish Society of Forest Science is open from 19 Jan through 20 Feb 2026

Finnish Society of Forest Science promotes forest research in Finland. As a means to reach this goal, the Society awards grants for research, travel that supports research or post-graduate studies, other international activities, language studies, and other purposes that advance forest sciences.

The application for the grants will open on 19 January and close on 20 February 2026 at 16:00. The applications will be submitted using the electronic grant application system (https://metsatieteellinenseura.apurahat.net/login.aspx?lcid=1033). Link to the system will be activated at the opening of the application period.

We kindly request you to read carefully the grant instructions on the web site of the Finnish Society of Forest Science. Please, note that the research plan for a research grant application must be written in the application form following the format given in the instructions. Research plans submitted as an attachment will not be evaluated.

Decision on the grants will be made by mid-March. We will notify grantees personally. We will publish the grants in the Spring meeting of the Finnish Society of Forest Science on 13 April 2026. You may start using your grant from 1 May 2026.

Ukrainian forest scientist affiliated to a Finnish research organisation or pursuing doctoral studies in a Finnish university are encouraged to apply.

We kindly request all applicants planning to apply a grant from the Finnish Society of Forest Science to carefully read the following pages at https://metsatiede.org/en/grants/:

• For which purposes you may apply a grant?
• Who may apply a grant?
• Instructions for making the grant application

__________

Seuran toiminnanjohtaja vaihtuu 1.2.2026

Jään eläkkeelle 1.3.2026 palveltuani Seuraa syksystä 2011 alkaen.

Seuran uudeksi toiminnanjohtajaksi on valittu MTT Reija Haapanen. Reija on vuosikymmen sitten Helsingin yliopistossa MMT-tutkinnon suorittanut metsänhoitaja, jonka väitöskirja käsitteli metsien kaukokartoitusta. Hän on toiminut mm. tutkijana (työnantajina HY ja silloinen Metla), yrittäjänä, tietokirjailijana ja yliaktuaarina. Viimeisin metsäpesti liittyi FAO:n tuoreen metsävara-arvion kansallisten tilastojen tarkistamiseen. Työn bonuksena Reija sai yleiskäsityksen kohteena olleiden Euroopan maiden metsäntutkimuksesta.

Reija Haapasella on pitkä kokemus yhdistystoiminnasta eri rooleissa – mukaan mahtuu muutama vuosi Taksaattoriklubin sihteerinäkin, minkä jälkeen taksaattorityö jatkui vielä tietokirjojen toimittamisen parissa. Uudessa tehtävässään häntä innostaa tilaisuus päästä käyttämään kertynyttä kokemusta monipuolisesti Seuran tarkoitusperien hyväksi.

Työskentelemme yhdessä helmikuun ajan, jotta kapulan vaihto sujuisi mahdollisimman sujuvasti.

__________

New Executive Manager of the Finnish Society of Forest Science

I will retire on 1 March 2026, after serving the Society since autumn 2011.

Dr Reija Haapanen is elected as the new Executive Manager of the Society. She will take the task on 1 February 2026. Reija is a forester who obtained the degree of D.Sc. (Agriculture and Forestry) a decade ago at the University of Helsinki. Her dissertation was about remote sensing of forests. During her career she has worked e.g., as a research scientist (at the University of Helsinki and the former Finnish Forest Research Institute), an entrepreneur, a non-fiction writer and a senior statistician. The most recent forest-related appointment was to review several national reports compiled for FAO’s Forest Resources Assessment 2025. A side benefit was getting an overview of the forest research in the European countries assigned to her.

Reija Haapanen has a long experience from associations and acting in various roles – including some years as the secretary of the Forest Mensuration Club (Taksaattoriklubi), after which she continued with editorial work of some non-fiction books. In the new assignment, she is excited of the possibility to fully utilise the gained experience for the benefit of the Society.

We will work together during February for a smooth transition of tasks.

__________

Uusia jäseniä

New members

Toivotamme uudet jäsenemme Tuula Aarnion, Heikki Astolan, Esin Düzelin, Hanna Erikssonin, Teemu Harrinkarin, Mikko Juholan, Janne Jääskeläisen, Nelli Kankaisen, Aleksi Knaappilan, Olli Leinon, Julia Lenkkerin, Heta Mattilan, Tuomas Niinistön, Jouni Partasen, Aliisa Pölläsen, Eva-Maria Rothin, Annastina Saaren, Marjaana Sjölundin, Maarit Soukan ja Anne Tyvijärven tervetulleiksi ottamaan aktiivisesti osaa Seuran toimintaan.

We welcome our new members Tuula Aarnio, Heikki Astola, Esin Düzel, Hanna Eriksson, Teemu Harrinkari, Mikko Juhola, Janne Jääskeläinen, Nelli Kankainen, Aleksi Knaappila, Olli Leino, Julia Lenkkeri, Heta Mattila, Tuomas Niinistö, Jouni Partanen, Aliisa Pöllänen, Eva-Maria Roth, Annastina Saari, Marjaana Sjölund, Maarit Soukka and Anne Tyvijärvi to actively participate in the activities of our Society.

__________

Talviterveisin,

Pekka Nygren

Toiminnanjohtaja

Suomen Metsätieteellinen Seura ry

Application of grants of the Finnish Society of Forest Science is open from 19 Jan through 20 Feb 2026

Finnish Society of Forest Science promotes forest research in Finland. As a means to reach this goal, the Society awards grants for research, travel that supports research or post-graduate studies, other international activities, language studies, and other purposes that advance forest sciences.

The application for the grants will open on 19 January and close on 20 February 2026 at 16:00. The applications will be submitted using the electronic grant application system (https://metsatieteellinenseura.apurahat.net/login.aspx?lcid=1033). Link to the system will be activated at the opening of the application period.

We kindly request you to read carefully the grant instructions on the web site of the Finnish Society of Forest Science. Please, note that the research plan for a research grant application must be written in the application form following the format given in the instructions. Research plans submitted as an attachment will not be evaluated.

Decision on the grants will be made by mid-March. We will notify grantees personally. We will publish the grants in the Spring meeting of the Finnish Society of Forest Science on 13 April 2026. You may start using your grant from 1 May 2026.

Ukrainian forest scientist affiliated to a Finnish research organisation or pursuing doctoral studies in a Finnish university are encouraged to apply.

Webinar on grant applications

We organised an interactive webinar in applying a grant from our Society on 18 January 2023. We gave first a short presentation on the most important instructions for applicants and thereafter the participants made questions. The webinar language was English. Use this link to watch the recording:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/Y97QyB8ta9aK_0FLCmBRzpCozyIX8uNc8t8045BgIayCRavAkvvbAJTeo6-MqbYL.d7adhFCHLjiSMLMu
Passcode: YhiYV7x=

We kindly request all applicants planning to apply a grant from the Finnish Society of Forest Science to carefully read:

• For which purposes you may apply a grant?
• Who may apply a grant?
• Instructions for making the grant application

Autumn meeting of the Finnish Society of Forest Science will be held on Thursday 27 November 2025 at 15:00 in Room Cedercreutz (5^th floor) of the House of Sciences and Letters (Tieteiden talo, Kirkkokatu 6, Helsinki). The meeting is open for all ordinary and honorary members of the Society, and to the representatives of supporting members who must present an authorisation from the supporting member. Remote participation will be possible by registering through this link at latest on 25 November 2025:

https://forms.gle/Vouj4mgMMtBdgrHW8

Programme

1.   Opening of the meeting

2.   Election of the meeting chair, secretary, reviewers of the minutes, and voice counters.

3.   Confirmation of the legality and quorum of the meeting.

4.   Acceptance of the programme.

5.   Confirmation of the Plan of activities 2026, Budget 2026 and the membership fee for 2026.

6.   Election of the chair and vice-chair of the Society for 2026 and a board member for term 2026 – 2028. The proposal of a work group searching for candidates is:

• Chair 2026: Research Professor Liisa Tyrväinen, Natural Resources Institute Finland
• Vice Chair 2026: Professor Jori Uusitalo, University of Helsinki
• Board member 2026 – 2028: Professor Tuomas Aakala, University of Eastern Finland

Members of the Society who have the voting right may present other candidates in the meeting.

7.   Election of the auditor of the accounts and the activities of the Society for 2026. The proposal:

• Auditor of Accounts: Audit Society Tiliextra Ltd.
• Because the auditor is an audit society, vice-auditor is not elected.
• Auditor of Activities: Mr Jussi Leppänen, Natural Resources Institute Finland
• Vice-Auditor of Activities: Dr Jussi Lintunen, Natural Resources Institute Finland

Members of the Society who have the voting right may present other candidates in the meeting.

9.   Other possible items: If a member wants to propose a topic that requires a decision of the Autumn meeting of the Society, they should send an e-mail detailing the topic to the Executive Manager of the Society (pekka . nygren [] metsatiede . org) at latest on 13 November 2025. Discussion topics may be proposed also after that, at latest on site at the time of the acceptance of the meeting programme.

10. Closure of the meeting

Helsinki, 5 November 2025

Board of the Finnish Society of Forest Science

Appendices:

Draft of the plan of activities 2026 (in Finnish):

https://metsatiede.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Syyskokous-251127-toimintasuunnitelma-2026.pdf

Draft of the budget 2026 (in Finnish):

https://metsatiede.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Syyskokous-251127-talousarvio-2026.pdf

We will organise a forest excursion to Latvia by the end of August. Our host will be the Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava” (www.silava.lv). We will fly to Riga early morning on Wednesday 27 August. The first day programme will include, among other sites, an afforestation experiment and its impact on carbon balance and biological diversity, forest fertilisation and management of organic soils. The second day programme will include small-scale logging, climate-smart management of Norway spruce and beech, which is a new species in Latvia brought by the warming climate. The last day will include a visit to the laboratories of Silava, Riga city forest management and human-forest relationships in Latvia. We will return to Finland late in the Friday evening.

The second day will include a seminar with Latvian forest scientists and we will discuss also on cooperation opportunities. The participating Finnish scientists are asked to prepare a short presentation on their work. Working language during the excursion will be English. Check full programme below.

The price of the excursion will be 290 € for the members of the Finnish Society of Forest Science and 360 € for all others. The price includes flights Helsinki – Riga – Helsinki, a charter buss, accommodations and main meals. Non-refundable registration fee of 80 € will be collected soon after registration. The rest of the price will be collected in July.

Register using this form at latest on 13 June 2025:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PQB5OI7ds19QjfE73HH-i3I7-mhnDXR6kso8x9VBqPs

Programme

Wed 27 Aug 2025

6:45    Meeting in Helsinki-Vantaa airport

9:00    Flight departure to Riga, Air Baltic BT302

9:55    Flight arrival to Riga airport

10:30  Departure from airport to Ķeipene

11:20  Lunch stop during the bus drive or in the forest in Ķeipene

13:00  Ķeipene

Afforestation is one of the main tools to fulfil the obligations of climate change mitigation in Latvia. The study site was established in 2012-2014 to address the following knowledge gaps:

1. Selection of species – a lot ow work is done on spruce and birch, but we need more on trees like alders (black and grey), cherry or linden. For comparison, hybrid aspen and poplar clones are used;
2. Spacing: a lot of comparisons have been done on dense stands (2000 to 25000 trees ha^-1), but the site addresses the knowledge gap on sparse plantations (500 – 1500 trees ha^-1)
3. Species x spacing x fertilization interactions need to be considered in afforestation with emphasis on biodiversity. We will learn about surveys on ground vegetation and advances in other aspects of biodiversity.

14:00  Departure to Mežole

Coffee / snack during the drive or in the forest in Mežole

15:30  Site visits in Mežole

Forest fertilisation with mineral fertilizers and wood ash is one of the potentially most efficient climate change mitigation measure in forestry, highlighted in the National Energy and Climate Plan (2024) of Latvia. In the fertilisation site, we will address e.g., the following questions:

1. Technical solutions and costs of application of fertilizers;
2. Factors affecting efficiency of fertilizers in pine, spruce and birch stands of different age;
3. Effect of fertilizers on soil and water properties and nutrients leaching;
4. Recommendations for practical applications of wood ash and mineral fertilizers.

Management of organic soils. Management of forests (or even afforestation) on organic soil is classified currently as “bad for climate change mitigation” e.g., in relation to carbon credit schemes. However, on this site we will ask if

1. all “organic soils” are  the same,
2. we have enough evidence or just assumptions behind management decisions, and
3. we can ensure evidence-based decision making.

We will see the effect of gradual management (commercial thinning/selective harvest) in contrast to clearcut or no-management (mature and old-growth stands) on birch and Norway spruce, with consecutive seasons of measurements of soil GHG emissions. Effects of modelled risks on resilience and productivity of assessed forests will be demonstrated for discussion.

18:30  Departure to Jaunkalsnava

20:00  Accommodation and dinner in Jaunkalsnava

Thu 28 Aug 2025

8:00     Breakfast

9:00     Site visits in Jaunkalsnava I

Small-scale logging. Research in Latvia has demonstrated that compact class forest machines offer significant advantages in both pre-commercial and commercial thinning operations. These machines are particularly suited for early thinning in young stands, where their light weight and manoeuvrability help to minimise soil compaction and damage to residual trees. Mechanical damage to less than 1% of remaining trees during thinnings with compact machines has been observed, highlighting their precision and suitability for selective thinning in sensitive forest areas.​ Economic analyses indicate that compact class machines can reduce operational costs in early thinnings. Additionally, their use contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with sustainable forest management practices.​ Topics for discussion:

1. How can the productivity of compact class harvesters and forwarders be optimized in pre-commercial and early commercial thinnings across varying stand densities and species compositions?
2. What are the long-term ecological impacts of using compact class machinery on soil compaction, root damage and overall forest health in sensitive areas with low soil bearing capacity?
3. How does the integration of compact class forest machines influence the economic viability of thinnings in private forests, particularly in terms of cost per cubic meter and return on investment?
4. What advancements in harvester head technology are necessary to enhance the efficiency and quality of operations conducted by compact class machines, especially when dealing with broadleaved species prevalent in Latvian forests?
5. In what ways can the deployment of compact class forest machines contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in forest management, and how do these contributions compare to those of medium-sized machinery?

Climate smart management of Norway spruce

Beech in Latvia

12:00     Lunch in the forest

13:00     Site visits in Jaunkalsnava II:

Old-growth forests need to be defined, delineated and strictly protected in following years. However, the opinions on what can be considered as old-growth vary greatly. As starting point of the discussion, assessment of old stands – characteristics, short term (5 year) development, carbon storage and sequestration, biodiversity indicators, based on measurements of >1000 sample plots – will be demonstrated in a study site.

Fire and wind disturbances. Increasing frequency of natural and human-induced disturbances are expected, rising the necessity to prevent catastrophic and/or prolonged consequences. Results on initial development of fire parameters depending on weather conditions will be demosntrated based on measurements in birch stands. Further, factors affecting occurrence of primary wind damages and potential to detect these damages will be demonstrated based on measurements in birch stands.

15:00    Coffee with Silava scientists in Vētraine

15:30    Seminar with Silava scientists

1. National energy and climate plan and measures in LULUCF sector
2. Separation of anthropogenic emissions from natural background (peatland management, drainage)
3. Participating Finnish scientists are also asked to give a short presentation on their research.

18:30                Dinner with Silava scientists

Fri 29 Aug 2025

8:00     Breakfast

9:00     Departure to Salaspils

10:30   Visit to Silava laboratories in Salaspils

12:30   Lunch

13:30  Riga forests and human-forest relationships in Latvia.

General introduction of management goals of urban and peri-urban forests, mathematical approach to set the goals at a stand scale, differences in management depending on set goals, effect on economic performance and management challenges. Issues and approaches on selective harvest and following regeneration in pine forests will be discussed on site.

17:30  Arrival to Riga airport

19:40  Departure of the flight to Helsinki, Air Baltic BT307

20:40  Arrival to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport

Finnish Society of Forest Science awards annually prizes for excellent doctoral and Master’s theses accepted during the preceding year. The awards are made among the theses proposed by the Department of Forest Sciences at the University of Helsinki and the School of Forest Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland. The number of awards is not fixed but depends on the quality of the theses proposed in each year. Typically, the Society awards 1-2 prizes for excellent doctoral dissertations and 1-3 prizes for excellent M.Sc. theses.

The prizes of 2025 were published in the Spring meeting of the Society on 9 April 2025. Dissertation prize awardee gave a talk on her thesis.

Prize for an excellent doctoral dissertation

Dr Marta Cortina Escribano, University of Eastern Finland. Selective breeding and taxonomy of laccate Ganoderma species originating from Finland, https://doi.org/10.14214/df.361

Prizes for excellent M.Sc. theses

M.Sc. Janne Jääskeläinen, University of Helsinki. Mapping forest canopy mortality area using PlanetScope satellite imagery and deep learning, http://hdl.handle.net/10138/589513

M.Sc. Laura Sippola, University of Eastern Finland. Kuusen poiston vaikutus Etelä-Suomen suojeltujen lehtojen kasvillisuuteen, https://erepo.uef.fi/handle/123456789/31852

Our Society awarded five research grants and five travel grants to early-career scientists. The grants were published in the Spring Meeting of the Society on 9 April 2025.

Tutkimusapurahat / Research grants

M.Sc. Mariina Günther, 1,000 €

Tutkijavaihto Norjan biotalouden tutkimuslaitokseen osana metsätieteellistä väitöskirjaa

Dr. Heta Mattila, 29,000 €

Kuinka lehtien rakenne vaikuttaa yhteytystehokkuuteen sekä sen arviointiin yleisillä fluoresenssimenetelmillä eri puulajeissa?

M.Sc. Bijaya Neupane, 26,268 €

Exploring community-based solutions to the globally emerging problem of human-wildlife conflict in rural communities near protected areas: a case study from Nepal’s tropical lowlands (Terai)

M.Sc. Eva-Maria Roth, 10,945 €

Comparing the impact of continuous cover forest management and rotation forest management on long-term soil carbon storage

M.Sc. Anne Tyvijärvi, 10,945 €

Soil carbon stabilization is driven by interactions of fungi and plant roots in the Northern ecosystems

Yhteensä / Total 78,158 €

Matka-apurahat / Travel grants

Dr. Aino Assmuth, 970 €

2025 Nordic Annual Environmental and Resource Economics / NAERE Workshop, Lyngby, Tanska, kesäkuu 2025

M.Sc. Johanna Jetsonen, 1,520 €

30^th Annual Conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, Bergen, Norja, kesäkuu 2025

M.Sc. Niina Pietarinen, 1,500 €

The 23^rd Annual Conference of the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, Luxembourg, heinäkuu 2025

M.Sc. Annastina Saari, 970 €

International Association for Ecology (INTECOL) 2025 Wetlands Conference, Tartto, Viro, kesäkuu 2025

M.Sc. Anni Vehola, 1,000 €

12^th International Conference on Industrial Ecology (ISIE2025), Singapore, heinäkuu 2025

Yhteensä / Total 5,960 €

Lataa tulostettava jäsentiedote PDF-tiedostona

Download printable information letter as a PDF file

Tässä tiedotteessa / Contents of the information letter:

• Kutsu kevätkokoukseen 9.4.2025
• Invitation to Spring Meeting on 9 April 2025
• Retkeily Latviaan 27.-29.8.2025
• Forest excursion to Latvia 27 through 29 August 2025
• Metsätieteiden päivä 21.10.2025
• Forest Sciences’ Day 21 October 2025
• Uusia jäseniä / New members

__________

Kutsu kevätkokoukseen 9.4.2025

Suomen Metsätieteellisen Seuran sääntömääräinen kevätkokous pidetään hybridikokouksena keskiviikkona 9.4.2025 klo 15 alkaen. Kokous pidetään Tieteiden talon (Kirkkokatu 6, Helsinki) Cedercreutz-salissa (505). Osallistuminen Tieteiden talossa ei vaadi ilmoittautumista.

Etäyhteydellä osallistuvien on ilmoittauduttava viimeistään 2.4.2025:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kJgyC-xjea8WC1z6Z6H9Hv7zzhBJbYWFfb9jBihqKqc/edit

Kaikille määräaikaan mennessä ilmoittautuneille lähetetään Zoom-linkki kalenterikutsuna.

Ohjelma

1. Kokouksen avaus
2. Kokouksen puheenjohtajan, sihteerin, pöytäkirjan tarkastajien ja ääntenlaskijoiden valinta.
3. Kokouksen laillisuuden ja päätösvaltaisuuden toteaminen.
4. Kokouksen työjärjestyksen hyväksyminen.
5. Vuoden 2024 vuosikertomuksen, tilinpäätöksen ja tilintarkastuskertomuksen esittäminen
6. Vuoden 2024 tilinpäätöksen vahvistaminen
7. Vastuuvapaudesta päättäminen hallituksen jäsenille ja muille vastuuvelvollisille tilikaudelta 2024
8. Seuran opinnäytetyöpalkintojen julkistaminen
9. Seuran myöntämien apurahojen julkistaminen
10. Kevätkokousesitelmä; Seuran opinnäytetyöpalkinnon saaja
11. Kokouksen päättäminen.
12. Kakkukahvit apurahan ja opinnäytetyöpalkinnon saajien kunniaksi

Seuran äänivaltaiset jäsenet voivat ehdottaa kokouksen asialistalle päätösasioita lähettämällä kirjallisen ehdotuksen Seuran toiminnanjohtajalle viimeistään 26.3.2025 (pekka.nygren (ät) metsatiede.org). Keskusteluasioita voidaan esittää myöhemminkin, kuitenkin viimeistään kokouspaikalla kokouksen työjärjestyksen hyväksymisen yhteydessä.

Helsingissä 14.3.2025

Suomen Metsätieteellisen Seuran hallitus

Liitteet

Vuosikertomus 2024:

https://metsatiede.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vuosikertomus-2024.pdf

Tilinpäätös 2024:

https://metsatiede.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Tilinpaatos-2024.pdf

__________

Invitation to Spring Meeting on 9 April 2025

Spring meeting of the Finnish Society of Forest Science will be held on Wednesday 9 April 2025 at 15:00 as a hybrid meeting. The place will be House of Sciences and Letters (Tieteiden talo, Kirkkokatu 6, Helsinki), Room Cedercreutz (505). Participation on site in the House of Sciences and Letters does not require registration.

Remote participants must register at latest on 2 April 2025 using this link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kJgyC-xjea8WC1z6Z6H9Hv7zzhBJbYWFfb9jBihqKqc/edit

A Zoom link to the meeting will be sent to all registered participants as a calendar invitation.

Programme

1. Opening of the meeting
2. Election of the meeting chair, secretary, reviewers of the minutes, and voice counters.
3. Confirmation of the legality and quorum of the meeting.
4. Acceptance of the programme.
5. Review of the 2024 annual report, closing of the books, and auditors’ report
6. Confirmation of the 2024 closing of the books
7. Decision on the discharge from responsibility for the board members and other liables
8. Award of the prizes for doctoral and Master’s theses
9. Award of the grants of the Finnish Society of Forest Science
10. Spring meeting lecture by a winner of a thesis prize
11. Closure of the meeting
12. Coffee and cake in honour of the prize winners and grantees

Members of the Society with voting right may propose additional items to the meeting agenda. Items requiring a decision of the meeting must be made by e-mail to the Executive Manager of the Society at latest on 26 March 2025 (pekka.nygren (ät) metsatiede.org). Discussion items may be proposed also later but at latest on-site when accepting the meeting programme.

Helsinki, 14 March 2025

Board of the Finnish Society of Forest Science

Appendices:

Annual report 2024 (in Finnish with English summary):

https://metsatiede.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vuosikertomus-2024.pdf

Closing of the books 2024 (in Finnish):

https://metsatiede.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Tilinpaatos-2024.pdf

__________

Retkeily Latviaan 27.-29.8.2025

Järjestämme metsällisen retkeilyn Latviaan elokuun lopulla. Isäntänä vierailulla toimii Latvian kansallinen metsäntutkimuslaitos, latviankielisellä lyhenteellä Silava (www.silava.lv). Lähdemme matkaan Air Balticin aamulennolla keskiviikkona 27.8.2025. Ensimmäisen päivän ohjelmaan kuuluu mm. tutustuminen metsitykseen ja sen hiilitase- ja monimuotoisuusvaikutuksiin, metsän lannoitus ja orgaanisten maiden hoito. Toisena päivänä tutustumme mm. pieniin hakkuutyömaihin, kuusimetsien ilmastoystävälliseen hoitoon, vanhoihin metsiin ja pyökkiin, joka on ilmaston lämpenemisen tuoma tulokaslaji Latviassa. Viimeisen päivän ohjelmassa on tutustuminen Silavan laboratorioihin, Riikan kaupungin metsien hoitoon ja latvialaisten metsäsuhteisiin. Palaamme Suomeen myöhään perjantai-iltana.

Toisen päivän ohjelmaan kuuluu myös seminaari latvialaisten metsäntutkijoiden kanssa ja kartoitamme siinä myös yhteistyömahdollisuuksia. Retkeilyn suomalaisia osallistujia pyydetään pitämään lyhyt esitys omasta tutkimustyöstään. Työkieli retkeilyn aikana on englanti.

Retkeilyn hinta on Suomen Metsätieteellisen Seuran jäsenille 290 € ja muille 360 €. Hintaan sisältyvät lennot, tilausajobussi koko ajaksi, yöpymiset ja ateriat. Heti ilmoittautumisen jälkeen kerätään varausmaksu 80 €, jota ei palauteta. Loppusumma laskutetaan heinäkuussa.

Ilmoittaudu tällä lomakkeella:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PQB5OI7ds19QjfE73HH-i3I7-mhnDXR6kso8x9VBqPs

__________

Forest excursion to Latvia 27 through 29 August 2025

We organise a forest excursion to Latvia by the end of August. Our host will be the Latvian State Forest Research Institute, “Silava” by the Latvian acronym (www.silava.lv). We fly to Riga early morning on Wednesday 27 August. The first day programme will include, among other sites, an afforestation experiment and its impact on carbon balance and biological diversity, forest fertilisation and management of organic soil. The second day programme will include small-scale logging, climate-smart management of Norway spruce and beech, which is a new species in Latvia brought by the warming climate. The last day will include a visit to the laboratories of Silava, Riga city forest management and human-forest relationships in Latvia. We will return to Finland late in the Friday evening.

The second day will include a seminar with Latvian forest scientists and we will discuss also on cooperation opportunities. The participating Finnish scientists are asked to prepare a short presentation on their work. Working language during the excursion will be English.

The price of the excursion will be 290 € for the members of the Finnish Society of Forest Science and 360 € for all others. The price includes flights Helsinki – Riga – Helsinki, a charter buss, accommodations and main meals. Non-refundable registration fee of 80 € will be collected soon after registration. The rest of the price will be collected in July.

Register using this form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PQB5OI7ds19QjfE73HH-i3I7-mhnDXR6kso8x9VBqPs

__________

Metsätieteiden päivä 21.10.2025

Tämän vuoden Metsätieteiden päivä järjestetään tiistaina 21.10.2025 hybridimuodossa. Läsnäolotilaisuus on Helsingin yliopiston Viikin kampuksen Metsätieteiden talossa. Päivän teema on ”Metsien kerroksellisuus”. Teemaa käsitellään useista eri näkökulmista, sekä konkreeteista että kuvaannollista. Tarkastelukulma voi olla biologinen metsämaasta latvukseen, taloudellinen metsälöstä yhteiskuntaan tai valtasuhteista tarkastelua paikallistasolta Euroopan Unioniin. Aamupäivän kutsupuhujat julkaistaan huhtikuussa. Kaikkiin iltapäivän klubisessioihin otetaan vastaan esitystarjouksia päivän teemaan sopivista aiheista. Esityskutsu avautuu toukokuussa.

__________

Forest Sciences’ Day 21 October 2025

This year’s Forest Sciences’ Day will be organised on Tuesday 21 October 2025 as a hybrid meeting. On-site meeting will be in the Viikki Campus of the University of Helsinki. The theme of the year is “Layers of the forests”. The topic will be approached from different viewpoints, both concrete and figurative. The viewpoint may be biological from forest soil to canopy, economic from a single forest property to the society at large or power relations from local communities to the European Union. Speakers of the morning plenary session will be published in April. All afternoon parallel sessions will have an open call for talks. The call for presentations will be published in May.

__________

Uusia jäseniä

New members

Toivotamme uudet jäsenemme Denis Austinin, Jussi Heinonsalon Carita Lindstedt-Karekselan, Kirsi Riekin, Jade Sivénin, Juha-Antti Sorsan ja Riku Tarvaisen tervetulleiksi ottamaan aktiivisesti osaa Seuran toimintaan.

We welcome our new members Denis Austin, Jussi Heinonsalo Carita Lindstedt-Kareksela, Kirsi Riekki, Jade Sivén, Juha-Antti Sorsa ja Riku Tarvainen to actively participate in the activities of our Society.

__________

Keväisin terveisin,

Pekka Nygren

Toiminnanjohtaja

puh. 044 558 1199

pekka.nygren (ät) metsatiede.org

Spring meeting of the Finnish Society of Forest Science will be held on Wednesday 9 April 2025 at 15:00 as a hybrid meeting. The place will be House of Sciences and Letters (Tieteiden talo, Kirkkokatu 6, Helsinki), Room Cedercreutz (505). Participation on site in the House of Sciences and Letters does not require registration.

Remote participants must register at latest on 2 April 2025 using this link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kJgyC-xjea8WC1z6Z6H9Hv7zzhBJbYWFfb9jBihqKqc/edit

A Zoom link to the meeting will be sent to all registered participants as a calendar invitation.

Programme

1. Opening of the meeting
2. Election of the meeting chair, secretary, reviewers of the minutes, and voice counters.
3. Confirmation of the legality and quorum of the meeting.
4. Acceptance of the programme.
5. Review of the 2024 annual report, closing of the books, and auditors’ report
6. Confirmation of the 2024 closing of the books
7. Decision on the discharge from responsibility for the board members and other liables
8. Award of the prizes for doctoral and Master’s theses
9. Award of the grants of the Finnish Society of Forest Science
10. Spring meeting lecture by a winner of a thesis prize
11. Closure of the meeting
12. Coffee and cake in honour of the prize winners and grantees

Members of the Society with voting right may propose additional items to the meeting agenda. Items requiring a decision of the meeting must be made by e-mail to the Executive Manager of the Society at latest on 26 March 2025 (pekka .nygren (ät) metsatiede. org). Discussion items may be proposed also later but at latest on-site when accepting the meeting programme.

Helsinki, 14 March 2025

Board of the Finnish Society of Forest Science

Appendices:

Annual report 2024 (in Finnish with English summary):

https://metsatiede.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Vuosikertomus-2024.pdf

Closing of the books 2024 (in Finnish):

https://metsatiede.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Tilinpaatos-2024.pdf