Tree biomass of young forests is viewed as an important climate-friendly raw-material. Currently, the conventional even-aged rotation forestry management method which is based on clear-cuttings is the dominating forest management system in Nordic boreal forestry. For the forest owner, the rotation management of young stand is costly and the revenues from sales normally is very scarce. Thereby, their willingness to sell firs thinning wood is low and a significant proportion of young, dense forest in Nordic Boreal Forestry urgently need to receive first thinning. In Nordic countries, a transition to significantly increase the share of continues-cover forestry systems to meet e.g. biodiversity goals are in action. However, the conventional method does not create enough young post-stands with higher biodiversity.
The Interreg Aurora funded project ForestEcoSecurity aims is to take the current young forest management problem and shift it to an opportunity for forest owners whom are willing to create forests with higher biodiversity indexes, i.e. shifting from rotational to conventional forestry. Also, the project will develop a new kind of network model for data transfer as a result of cooperation of the partners. The project record the priority current research and development Nordic data on young forests management methods and produce of them a synthesis. Then, in cooperation, the project compile potential ideas of pilot methods as a development plan of larger development project and recommendations of actions to make in order to meet goals stated in national policies.
Harmonizing the current Nordic young forest management methods highlights the strengths off each countrys know-how which increases the willingness of forest owners to sell wood, the supply of wood to the forest industry and energy production and the profitability of forestry companies. Overall, the increasing number of well managed young forests reduces the water and climate load.
Contact: Yrjö Nuutinen, project manager, LUKE, yrjo.nuutinen@luke.fi
