Forest-based enterprise and business activities
Bioenergy from forests (BIO)
duration: 2007-2011
director: Antti Asikainen
The programme studies and develops sustainable silvicultural methods for biomass production in forests and peatlands and examines the possibilities of increasing the cultivation of energy crops in peatlands. The programme also develops inventory and planning methods for forest biomass resources and technological and logistical solutions for forest chips procurement. New entrepreneurship and business models in the forest energy business are supported, and the impact of increasing energy use of forests on the entire forest sector from the viewpoint of various players is evaluated. Woody biomass and its processing methods are also developed.
Further information about the research programme 
Cost-efficiency and quality in silvicultural operations (MKL)
kesto: 2007-2011
director: Juho Rantala
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Photo: Metla/Erkki Oksanen |
The objective of the programme is to turn the upward cost trend of silvicultural operations downwards by improving the productivity of work. One of the targets is to offer a high level of information relating to technology and finance when making decisions on silvicultural operations. Preliminary results indicate that there is significant potential for increasing cost-efficiency and savings. In mechanical seedling planting, savings as high as 20–30% in the costs of planting are predicted along with new machine innovations. Major regional differences have been revealed in the quality and price/quality ratio of silvicultural procedures even within the same work method. The development of operational models and systematic quality work will bring great financial benefits.
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Renewing wood product value chains and timber procurement solutions (PUU)
kesto: 2009 – 2013
director: Henrik Heräjärvi
The programme examines the progress of wood in a comprehensive way from raw material to end use. The main themes of research are wood raw material potentials and the functioning of timber trade, timber procurement and competitiveness of the companies, and wood products and customer solutions. The programme aims to enable value chain analyses that overcome the traditional boundaries between various theme areas. Forming and utilisation of collaborative networks, as well as extension of research results into reality, are emphasised in the programme.
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Wellbeing from forests (HYV)
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| Photo: Metla/Erkki Oksanen |
director: Liisa Tyrväinen
The ‘Wellbeing from forests’ research programme seeks methods for versatile utilisation of the forest environment in order to meet the needs of changing society and individuals. The main themes of the programme are nature-based tourism, outdoor recreation, new products and services, and integrating different forest uses. The objective is to integrate tourism and recreational use with the other forest uses by producing information about the economic values and benefits of recreational and tourism use of forests and the demand and development trends, the social and cultural values of forest use, as well as the operating environment of nature entrepreneurship and the development of new products and services.
Further information about the research programme