In 2004 we set out to reorganise the strategy and organisation of Metla,
and simultaneously we started to bring the budget into better balance.
These revisions were made to improve the efficacy, productivity and cost-effectiveness
of our operations.
Although we faced many problems, Metla's performance was quite effective.
Metla managed to make a commendable result in achieving the financial
objectives set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry
of Environment.
The status of the forest resource information service was brought up-to-date
by improving the National Forest Inventory (NFI) methods. In the 10th
NFI a new reporting method was adopted, in which field measurements are
made once a year throughout the country. In the previous method the measurements
proceeded from one region to the next, and measuring the entire country
took almost ten years. The change also means an improvement for the development
of monitoring the information on biodiversity.
Metla and the regional Forest Centres also discussed multilateral collaboration
on forest monitoring. From now on the NFI and forest planning can be interlinked
more closely, which will allow greater benefit to be derived from the
inventory results.
In 2004 Metla made evaluated forest inventories of greenhouse gases and
the effects of the activities required by the Kyoto Protocol on them.
Studies were also made to explore changes in the carbon balance of Finnish
tree stand and drained peatlands, the effects of forest management on
carbon assimilation and the significance of mineral soil fields as carbon
sinks. The results concerning climate change have a large socioeconomic
impact, especially in the long term.
Correct timing, reliable methods of high-quality, powerful machinery,
organisation of work, and logistics are key factors in cost-effective
forest management. Cost-effective establishment and silviculture of young
stands is a motivating factor towards sustainable forestry regarding wood
yield and natural reserves. The Suonenjoki Research Station developed
models for practical applications that improve the quality and cost-effectiveness
of forest regeneration.
As far as the scientific and social impact is concerned, the most influential
Metla products are, naturally, the scientific publications. The number
of publications during 2004 was slightly more than that in the previous
year, even though the amount of time spent on them was less (22 person
years). The growth was clearest in the number of published articles in
international scientific journals and presentations given at international
meetings. In other ways, too, interaction and collaboration with international
and national interest groups were extremely active.
In many ways, 2004 was a jubilee year at Metla. The Kolari Research Station
celebrated its 40th anniversary, and the Kannus Research Station, which
is the youngest one, reached the age of 20. The new facilities for the
Joensuu Research Centre were completed in November. The building is currently
the biggest wooden office facility in Finland and in addition to the Metla
staff, it provides work facilities to staffs of the University of Joensuu
and the Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute.
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"The Metla of the future is going to be an impressive, dynamic and
reactive organisation."
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During the fiscal period 2004 the development plan for staff wellbeing
was completed and its implementation is linked to the operational strategy
of the research institute. The core idea of the staff wellbeing development
is to improve interactivity. The State Treasury granted a separate KAIKU
(promotion of occupational wellbeing) grant for the implementation. A
personal development plan will be created for every employee. This belongs
to the scheme for reviewing performance and staff development, which is
needed for the implementation of the new salary system based on job evaluation.
During 2004 the following staff appointments were made: professors in
forest pathology, peatland forestry, forest management and national economics
of forestry, director of the Parkano Research Station, and head of communications.
During spring 2004, a new set of criteria for business performance management,
"a performance triangle", was implemented in state administration.
Metla's performance, as well as that of other state organisations, is
reviewed from three different angles: performance regarding socioeconomic
impact, operational effectiveness and quality management. In this Annual
Report Metla's activities are viewed mainly from the point of view of
the socioeconomic impact: we include a short review of the research results
obtained.
Metla is a respected research institute performing socially significant
work. I sincerely believe that our new strategy, new organisation, budget
balancing and the changed operational culture will help Metla to become
a more influential player in the forest sector. I would like to finish
by thanking our own staff at Metla and all of our collaboration partners
for the active cooperation during the year and for making it a year of
success.
Hannu Raitio
Director General, Professor
