Director General’s message

Throughout the early years of the new millennium, the forest sector has had to face a constant stream of changes: the year 2008 was no exception. The unsettled times also provide challenges and opportunities to forest research.

We must meet the needs of the industries that utilise forests and wood. We must produce information about how to act under the new conditions. We must develop new innovative products and solutions in collaboration with the operators in the field.

The climate change also has an impact on the preconditions of the forest sector. Climate change is creating new threats, albeit new opportunities, too. Research is required in order to understand and adapt to the changes we are going through.

Success in the whirlpool of constant change requires an innovation society, which systematically develops information and expertise, and in which a strong research sector helps to implement citizens’ creativity.

While the need for research and its significance as a cornerstone of the reforming economy are growing, the pressures of change in public administration are putting a burden on the resources. The situation demands a strong vision and a long-term outlook from the political leadership.

Finland is the most extensively forested country in Europe : 75% of its land area is covered by forests. The economic significance of forests in Finland is the highest in Europe , and our exports of forest industry products in a normal year have accounted for about one-fifth of the value of our entire goods exports volume.

Changes in the global economy and technology have always had a fluctuating impact on the relative weighting and significance of various industries. There have always been risers and fallers. We are currently in the middle of a critical period where the ecological sustainability of production will gradually become an integral part of all economic thinking. The significance of renewable natural resources, such as the forests and wood raw materials, will increase further in the long term. This is also emphasised by the role of forests and wood as carbon sinks.

In addition to traditional paper, cardboard and pulp, the industry and research will act together to develop completely new kinds of products and raw materials. There are also huge development opportunities in the wood product sector. Energy from forests will play a major role in the Finnish energy economy. Forests are an important reserve of biodiversity, and they also provide opportunities to develop tourism and various recreational and health-related services.

What I have described here means, above all, that we must take care of and foster our forests in the best possible way despite the economic difficulties and the transition brought along by the changes. This way, we will safeguard the opportunities provided by the forests also for the benefit of future generations.

All this requires research. We at Metla are motivated by the fact that forest research is an integral part of the national innovation system.

Hannu Raitio
Professor, Director General