The main purpose of this National Forest Programme is to increase welfare from diverse forests. The Vision, or target state, of the Programme is set for 2015, when Finland is a world pioneer in sustainable forest management, the competence of the sector has been refined into new competitive products and services, the use of domestic wood has increased significantly and forest biodiversity has improved. In particular, Finland’s National Forest Programme 2015 is constructed upon six priorities: 1) Securing a competitive operating environment for the forest industry and forest management. This Part deals with: 1.1) Increasing the value added and providing new products and services. This means that wood is used in more ways than at present to provide customer-oriented, competitive products and services; 1.2) Utilising the harvesting potential. The volume of annual fellings in Finland increases to 10–15 million cubic metres. 1.3) Sustainability of roundwood production. The production conditions of forests improve and the annual increment increases. 1.4) Profitability and holding size in private forestry. The profitability of private forestry improves and the average size of holdings increases. 1.5) Condition of transport networks. The transport network is maintained and developed to allow competitive forest-related transports round the year. 1.6) Sufficiency of labour and entrepreneurship. There shall be enough competent employees and entrepreneurs for the increasing and changing needs of the forest sector. 2) Enhancing the climate and energy benefits of forests. This Part concerns: 2.1) Energy from wood. The overall use of wood-based energy increases and the volume of forest chips used for energy production rises to 8–12 million m3 per year. 2.2) Wood products. Carbon sequestration in wood products increases. 2.3) Climate change and forestry. Carbon sequestration is promoted in forest management and protection and preparations are made for responding to the impacts of climate change. 3) Protecting the biological diversity and environmental benefits of forests. This Part lays down provisions relating to: 3.1) Biological diversity of forests. The deterioration of forest biotopes and species ceases and a stable positive trend of biodiversity is established. 3.2) Water and soil. Forestry contributes to the attainment of a sound ecological status of waters. 4) Promoting the use of forests as a source of culture and recreation. This Part addresses: 4.1) Ecotourism and the natural produce industry. Entrepreneurship based on ecotourism is promoted and business based on the processing of natural produce is developed. 4.2) Recreational use of forests and the right of public access The traditional right of public access is retained and the needs of recreational use as well as of game management are taken into consideration in the management of forests. 4.3) Culture based on forests and wood. Culture associated with forests is honoured, cherished and developed further. 5) Strengthening the skills, expertise and acceptability in the forest sector. This Part regards: 5.1) Foresight work in the forest sector. Future development in the forest sector and its operating environment as well as change factors are anticipated. 5.2) Research and development in support of business and entrepreneurship. Research and development improves the competitiveness and renewal of the forest sector. 5.3) Professional training in the forest sector. Competent and professional labour is trained for the forest cluster so as to meet the needs of the labour market. 5.4) Social acceptability of the forest sector. Operations of the forest sector are approved by the society at large. 5.5) Forest-related knowledge and skills among children and young people. Children and young people develop a natural relationship to forests, sustainable forest management and forest products. 6) Promoting sustainable forest management in international forest policy. This Part considers: 6.1) International forest policy; 6.2) Forest affairs in the European Union. 6.3) Development cooperation and other bilateral cooperation. The implementation of the Programme is coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, supported by the National Forest Council and its Secretariat. It is underlined that this Forest Programme 2015 can only be implemented successfully if cooperation between the public and the private sector functions properly, because the future development of the forest sector is influenced by the actions of the forest industry, SMEs, forest owners, interest groups as well as other actors in the sector. All these actors can participate in the steering and monitoring of the programme in the National Forest Council on the national level, and in Regional Forest Councils on the regional level. In particular, Regional special features are taken into account in Regional Forest Programmes. For this it is vital that proper cooperation exists between organisations responsible for preparing other regional plans, such as the Regional Councils, Environment Centres, Employment and Economic Development Centres and organisations responsible for land use planning. The Regional Forest Programmes are developed in a continuous participatory process.Monitoring reports are produced on the implementation of both the National and the Regional Forest Programmes. The reports outline developments in the forest sector, the progress of measures laid down in the programmes and their effects on the forest sector. They also present proposals for new measures. Furthermore, the Programme contains chapters on: Programme Funding; Impacts of the Programme; Preparation and Evaluation of the Programme; Background Material.
Finland’s National Forest Programme 2015.