EDITORIAL

There is no alternative to research

Hannu Raitio, Director General

Now, economies all over the world are challenged. The old economic ideas are in the process of rapid change. In Finland this means, among other things, a re-evaluation of the role of forests and forestry. The situation is probably similar in many other countries where forestry has played a major role in economy in the past For forest research it means challenges for even greater efficiency, and tighter budgets.

This has happened before. Already several times in history have we seen how one major forest based product is replaced with another. For example, some 200 years ago we had here a thriving industry that produced huge amounts of tar fo the great merchant and naval fleets of the world. It was in due time replaced with roundwood and sawn wood products, and then with pulp and paper.

What I see in the future, is a rapid development of new wood and fiber-based products in many industries, and a proliferation of numerous other uses of forests e.g. in the fields of recreation and health. Also bioenergy production based on forest biomass, will leave its mark in history. The role of trees and forests in checking the global carbon balance and controlling the climate change, will also be important.

It is my strong belief that forest research will live through these challenging times and can also in the future support our economy with accurate research-based information, knowledge, knowhow and new technologies. Forests are such an important resource in global terms that there is no alternative to sustainable use based on sound scientific research.

Dr. Hannu Raitio
professor general director of the Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla)