Development of Forest Sector in Notrhwest Russia and its impact in Finland

Forest management, wood harvesting, logistics and delivery of wood to consumers are experiencing big changes due to ecological, economical and social pressures both from inside and outside Russia
Traditional Russian systems are used side by side with imported modern technology
Especially economic sustainability can be questioned due to weak traditions and expertise of planning and control of systems by an economic basis
A big challenge for Russian forestry is to fulfill the requirements of western quality standards for ecological and social issues as well as for the quality of final products

This project aims

To investigate the impacts of both Scandinavian and current Russian forest management and wood harvesting methods on ecologically, socially and economically sustainable forestry
To enhance the development of sustainable forest management and wood harvesting methods for NW Russia

As a result

New forest management practices and new technology will be introduced with special emphasis of considering pre-conditions and corner-stones in their utilisation
Economic accessibility changes according to price and cost structure of final products and wood harvesting will be analysed

Ecological and economic analysis of forest management modes and silvicultural norms and practices in NW Russia

Development of forest management systems from 19th century up to now is going to be analyzed to understand the impact of society and technology development and define conditions and possibilities to implement advanced silvicultural practices for sustainable development of forest sector
Implementing of new forest management and wood harvesting methods are often in conflict to current normative instructions, in which developing technology is not considered. Specific suggestions and solutions of this conflict will be introduced.
Economic constrains in implementing silvicultural practices (forest regeneration, tending of young stands, intermediate cuttings) in current forest management system in Russia will be analyzed.
Work package leader Mr. Timo Leinonen, timo.leinonen @ metla.fi

Evaluation and analysis of alternatives for wood harvesting and logistics

Present wood harvesting and logistic practices will be studied from the point of view of their efficiency, productivity and safety risks taking into account prevailing conditions
Preconditions for the implementing of modern technology chains and harvesting methods adequate to the new conditions in forest management and logistics in the chain from felling up to delivery of round wood will be defined
Requirements for economically sustainable wood harvesting in changing forestry will be investigated
Work package leader Dr. Yuri Gerasimov, yuri.gerasimov @ metla.fi

Analysis on accessibility of forest resources in Northwest Russia

Information of tree species and age class composition, growing stock, increment and economical accessibility of forest resources will be analyzed
Economic accessibility changes according to price and cost structure of final products and wood harvesting will be analysed
Work package leader Dr. Anne Toppinen, anne.toppinen @ efi.int

Finnish Forest Research Institute: Prof. Timo Karjalainen, Prof. Antti Asikainen, Dr. Jan Ilavsky, Mr. Timo Leinonen, Dr. Lauri Sikanen, Mr. Dominic Röser, Mrs. Olga Tyukina, Dr. Yuri Gerasimov
University of Joensuu: Prof. Taneli Kolström, Eugene Lopatin
European Forest Institute: Dr. Andreas Ottitsch, Mrs. Kaija Saramäki, Katja Tröltzsch, Markku Husso, Anne Toppinen
All-Russian Research Institute for Silviculture and Mechanization of Forestry: Prof. Andrei Filipchuk, Dr. Vladimir Korotkov, Dr. Maria Palenova, Mr. Yuri Nesterenko
Petrozavodsk State University, Forest Engineering Faculty: Prof. Vladimir Siounev, Dr. Anton Sokolov
St. Petersburg State Forest Technical Academy: Prof. Alexandre Lioubimov, Mr. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Mrs. Taicia Garbuzova
Russian Agricultural University: Prof. Vitaly Khlustov
Rosgiprolez: Dr. Sergei Pochnikov

timo.karjalainen @ metla.fi

Intensification of forest management and improvement of wood harvesting in Northwest Russia