NBForest Facts&Reviews feed

The state of healthy Ash in Denmark

nbforest — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 09:39:08 +0000

Facts & Reviews

08.03.2016

In Denmark Common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) has been infected by the Ash dieback disease since 2002. The disease is caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. Trees with few or no signs of the disease can however be found. This has given the hope that there are trees which are partly or fully resistant to the disease.

Policies to promote household based plantation forestry and their impacts on livelihoods and the environment: cases from Ethiopia, China, Vietnam and Sweden

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 14:04:37 +0000

Facts & Reviews

20.11.2015

Original source: Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)

Authors of article in International Forestry Review:
Sandewall, M.; Kassa, H.; Wu, S.; Khoa, P.V.; He, Y.; Ohlsson, B.

Climate change adaptation in Swedish forestry: Driving forces, risks and opportunities

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 10:08:31 +0000

Facts & Reviews

19.11.2015

Original source: Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)

This synthesis brief summarizes key insights from SEI’s research on climate change adaptation in Swedish forestry as part of the 2008–2015 Mistra-SWECIA programme.

Managing Forests to Promote Environmental Services

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 17:19:35 +0000

Facts & Reviews

16.11.2015

A few weeks ago, on 03-05 November, the Centre of Advanced Research on Environmental Services from Nordic Forest Ecosystems (CAR-ES II), funded by Nordic Forest Research (SNS) 2011-2015, arranged and hosted a 3-day conference that had a focused theme on Managing Forests to Promote Environmental Services.

As summarized at the conference, amongst key environmental services provided by the Nordic and Baltic forests are carbon sequestration, water protection and biodiversity - all linked to the quality of soil:

Sustainability: Five steps for managing Europe's forests

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 16:20:42 +0000

Facts & Reviews

23.10.2015

The current state of affairs for forests across Europe: new productive forests are gaining momentum and expanding the overall forest area; however, the health and productivity of existing tree stands are loosing their momentum due to age, climatic damage as well as human influence.

What is the preference of Swedish forestry stakeholders - biodiversity or production goals?

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 10:55:20 +0000

Facts & Reviews

15.10.2015

Original source of brief: SIANI and Focali

Carbon Sequestration: Managing Forests in Uncertain Times

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:09:14 +0000

Facts & Reviews

30.09.2015

The international forest debate regarding pathways to achieve sustainability in forest management continues to be a point of contention and complexity. The division amongst forest sector stakeholders centers around those actors who focus on the carbon storing capacity of standing forests and those who are preoccupied with the carbon sequestration capacity of growing, productive forests.

Mapping wood production in European forests

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 07:11:57 +0000

Facts & Reviews

23.09.2015

Original source: European Forest Institute

Forest Land Ownership Change in Europe

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 08:17:58 +0000

Facts & Reviews

28.08.2015

The report was published by the Central-East and South-East European Regional Office of the European Forest Institute (EFICEEC-EFISEE).

Air Pollution in the Nordic Countries from Biomass Burning in Eastern Europe: A Policy Brief

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 07:12:56 +0000

Facts & Reviews

19.08.2015

Authored by Per Erik Karlsson, Lars Hole, Hans Tømmervik & Elena Kobets

Original source and complete policy brief: NordPub

Bioeconomy in the Nordic Region: Regional Case Studies

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 07:17:02 +0000

Facts & Reviews

10.08.2015

Authored by Jukka Teräs, Gunnar Lindberg, Ingrid H. G. Johnsen, Liisa Perjo and Alberto Giacometti

Original and complete working paper: NORDREGIO,
Nordic Centre for Spatial Development

Executive Summary

Nordic Forests Are Under Pressure

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 11:13:59 +0000

Facts & Reviews

23.07.2015

The new book: “The Future Use of Nordic Forests – A Global Perspective” has been funded by the Future Forests research programme. Editors: Erik Westholm, Karin Beland Lindahl & Florian Kraxner

Forestry in a Treeless Land - Fourth edition, 2013

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 09:06:29 +0000

Facts & Reviews

20.07.2015

Authored by Thröstur Eysteinsson
Division Chief, National Forests
Iceland Forest Service (IFS)

Original article: Iceland Forest Service

The Forest Kingdom - with what values for the world? Climate change and gender equality in a contested forest policy context

Chelsey Jo Huisman — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 14:38:05 +0000

Facts & Reviews

25.06.2015

Authored by Sara Holmgren & Seema Arora-Jonsson

Original and complete article:
Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research
Volume 30, Issue 3, 2015
Special Issue: Forest Policy

Bioeconomy - the growth engine for Nordic regions?

Alex — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 08:04:26 +0000

Facts & Reviews

17.06.2015

Nordregio Policy Brief 2015:5

Relative contributions of set-asides and tree retention to the long-term availability of key forest biodiversity structures at the landscape scale

Alex — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 08:40:30 +0000

Facts & Reviews

09.03.2015

This study simulates the long-term effects of set-aside establishment and tree retention practices on the future availability of large trees and dead wood. These are two forest structures of high importance to biodiversity conservation. The researchers used a forest decision support system to project the amounts of these structures over 200 years in two landscapes from Northern Sweden under different management scenarios: with and without set-asides and tree retention.

How can Stakeholders Influence the Bioenergy Discussion in your Country?

Alex — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 09:02:34 +0000

Facts & Reviews

23.02.2015

A new study explores different perceptions on bioenergy from stakeholders in North America and Europe where bioenergy is high on the energy policy agenda nowadays. The study leaves from the assumption that stakeholders can greatly influence the bioenergy development in these countries. Naturally, results show great heterogeneity among stakeholders’ perceptions of bioenergy. More support for second- and third-generation biofuels is apparent compared to corn-based ethanol production.

Getting an insurance cover for heavy snow-falls. The Finnish approach

Alex — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 14:28:20 +0000

Facts & Reviews

20.02.2015

^{Photo: Ida Wallin}

As much as 150,000 cubic meters of timber are estimated to have been destroyed this winter in South and Central Ostrobothnia, Finland. The heavy snow loads are the reason behind this. Loss of timber sales revenues, extra harvesting costs and loss of profit due to discontinuity of forest cover are just some of the problems forest owners are faced with.

The Global Calculator

Alex — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 08:48:05 +0000

Facts & Reviews

30.01.2015

The Global Calculator an online tool that allows you to model the world's energy, land and food systems and see how these will look by the year 2050.The project is co-led by Climate-KIC.

Investments in the Finnish forest industry remain constant

Alex — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 12:40:48 +0000

Facts & Reviews

26.01.2015

According to an inquiry into industrial investments in Finland the forest industry’s investments have not increased. According to the investments inquiry by the Confederation of Finnish Industries, the forest industry has lost its position as the largest investor among the branches of industry in Finland. The largest investor in 2015 year is the chemical industry.

Short-rotation bioenergy stands as an alternative to spruce plantations: implications for bird biodiversity

Alex — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 12:24:00 +0000

Facts & Reviews

19.01.2015

Global efforts to decrease dependence on fossil fuels have increased interest in bioenergy production.One source of bioenergy is fast growing deciduous tree species, such as hybrid aspen (Populus × wettsteinii Hämet-Ahti).

The paper focuses on biodiversity implications of replacing production forest types with hybrid aspen a form of reforestation taking place in northern Europe. The study compares avian biodiversity of young hybrid aspen with spruce (Picea abies L.) plantations of similar age.

Is it really possible to choose the most profitable forest management method?

Alex — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 14:33:51 +0000

Facts & Reviews

08.12.2014

There has always been a long discussion around which management methods are most profitable for forestry. It seems that there is still no definitive answer.Results always depend on the characteristics of each forest compartment, and the particular needs of each forest owner. Hence, the diversity of each forest component is extremely complex and research can only provide us with a narrow picture of the real situation.

Improving the health of forest workers

Alex — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 09:11:56 +0000

Facts & Reviews

17.10.2014

A health programme in South-eastern Finland aimed at improving the lifestyle and eventually the general fitness and health condition of forest workers. Many of the workers had many years of experience of working in the forest and were doing a professional job. But after taking part in the health programme they soon found that the new changes in lifestyle improved their performance in the field and even halved the risk of injuries at work. Since the programme was such a success, workers who already participated in the training are passing on the knowledge to their fellow colleagues.

Chemical Suppliers' Perspectives and Impact on Innovation in the Wood Treating Industry

Alex — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 09:14:07 +0000

Facts & Reviews

26.09.2014

This new article explores how chemical companies perceive innovation in the wood treating industry and how they feel that they impact innovation among wood treating firms. Findings indicate that chemical company managers view the wood treating industry as conservative and not particularly innovative. Also, retailers seem to play a hampering and directing role regarding innovation in the industry.

Read article HERE

Creating Virtual Forests: the Future of Forest Planning

Alex — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 11:09:45 +0000

Facts & Reviews

08.09.2014

Researchers from the RWTH Aachen University in Germany are developing the project "Virtual Forest” which aims to streamline and mechanize forest management operations by virtually simulating real forests. The aim is optimize woodland processes by causing minimal damage to the forest left after harvesting.

Review of SJFR volume 29, Issue 4, 2014

Alex — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 15:27:45 +0000

Facts & Reviews

01.09.2014

Intensive fertilization HAS great potential

A review of fertilization in northern forests concludes that extensive fertilization with nitrogen applied in mature forests gives a high return to the forest owner, but has a small and transient effect on the environment. However, the national scale biomass increase as well as the impact on the bioeconomy is small. Intensive fertilization in young forests may, in contrast, considerably increase the biomass supply and value to the industry. The economic and environmental risks may, however, be greater.

Energy wood: A challenge for European forests

Alex — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 13:44:45 +0000

Facts & Reviews

27.08.2014

The newly published report "Energy wood: A challenge for European forests" assesses the production and use of energy wood from forests from three perspectives: science, forest management and policy making. The report highlights some of the many benefits associated with energy wood but it also analyses some potential risks associated with its production. Further, the report presents and scrutinizes a series of scientific studies on energy wood potential, analysing the different reserach methods and results.

Review of SJFR Volume 29, Issue 3, 2014

Alex — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 11:11:14 +0000

Facts & Reviews

26.06.2014

The amount of Dead Wood in a forest depends on how it is defined

The amount of dead wood is an important indicator of sustainable forest management. However, a common, standard measure is lacking. In a survey based on the Swedish National Forest Inventory, the amount of dead wood recorded was 10.9 m3 per hectare when measured using the standard definition, which includes lying dead wood only when its diameter is greater than 10 cm. If all dead wood down to a diameter of 1 cm was included, the amount increased to 25 m3.

Fewer forests less fish

Alex — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 11:25:15 +0000

Facts & Reviews

16.06.2014

A new study suggests that aquatic ecosystems are sustained by the inputs from surrounding forests and that disturbances that change these inputs can affect how aquatic ecosystems function. With other words, forest cover around rivers and lakes determine how healthy the fish found in these waters are.

Review of SJFR volume 29, Issue 2, 2014

Alex — Wed, 28 May 2014 09:10:34 +0000

Facts & Reviews

28.05.2014

A “FEELING OF OWNERSHIP” IS REFLECTED IN THE DECISIONS OF PRIVATE FOREST OWNERS

Social and emotional characteristics may play important roles in influencing the behaviour of private foresters. Owners who have inherited their property may feel a moral obligation to take care of that forest. A Finnish study suggested four types of forest owners, based on in-depth interviews and the theory of psychological ownership. The four types represent various levels of control and identity, based on emotions.

Network of long-term Continuous Cover Forestry experiments in Northern Europe

Alex — Mon, 19 May 2014 08:35:42 +0000

Facts & Reviews

19.05.2014

Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) implies maintaining a forest canopy during the regeneration phase without clear-felling the stand and thus favoring alternative silvicultural systems. There is a potential for greater use of continuous cover forestry in many parts of Northern Europe. CCF can offer more diverse forests for multi-purpose benefits.

Do more protected areas mean less wood supply?

Alex — Thu, 08 May 2014 08:45:57 +0000

Facts & Reviews

08.05.2014

New research looks at the trade-offs between forest protection and wood supply in Europe thus trying to shed light on the question: does more protected forest mean that there will be less wood supply in Europe?

The study looked at the extent of protected forests across the European Union’s twenty seven member states plus Norway, and Switzerland. The hypothesis was that protected areas imply felling restrictions that could in turn affect the potential annual wood supply in Europe.

Increasing Sustainability of European Forests : The ISEFOR Project

Alex — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 12:58:18 +0000

Facts & Reviews

25.04.2014

ISEFOR: Increasing Sustainability of European Forests is a joint European project (funded from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme FP7 2007-2013) uniting 16 partner organizations.

ISEFOR research focuses on:

The motivation and attitudes of companies towards certification in northwestern Russia

Alex — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 14:12:26 +0000

Facts & Reviews

15.04.2014

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland and METLA explores the attitudes and motivation of forest industry companies in northwestern Russia when it comes to forest certification.

Weevil Stop

Alex — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:46:23 +0000

Facts & Reviews

08.04.2014

WeevilSTOP is a research project that was initiated in Oct. 2012 aiming at reducing damages caused by the pine weevil (Hylobius albietis L.) .The project is funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme managed by REA Research Executive Agency

Born to be a forest owner?

Alex — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 07:47:57 +0000

Facts & Reviews

31.03.2014

A recent study conducted by the University of Helsinki’s Ruralia Institute highlights the important role of emotions in forest management decisions. The study analyses the phenomenon of ownership, a complex issue that encompasses legal, social, and emotional aspects. For this, the researchers undertook in-depth interviews with forest owners in Finland and applied the theory of psychological ownership.

News & Views 2014-2 from SNS

Alex — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 08:54:41 +0000

Facts & Reviews

17.03.2014

News & Views 2014-2 is out!

This issue of News and Views presents the funded EFINORD-SNS Networks in 2014 with short summaries. It will be really interesting to follow their activities during this year. A closer look has been taken on the forestry web portal, Waldwissen, that elucidates all facets within forestry and forest research of Central Europe.

Selected articles from Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research Volume 29, Issue 1, 2014,

Alex — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 21:45:01 +0000

Facts & Reviews

11.03.2014

GAIN FROM BIRCH MIXTURES ON ORGANIC (BUT NOT MINERAL) SOIL

Silver birch outperforms downy birch in terms of growth, but less strongly on organic than on mineral soils. Furthermore, downy birch has higher survival rates on organic soils. A long-term Finnish study addressed the possibility that mixtures could combine these advantages. The results indicate that pure silver birch is still the best alternative on mineral soils, but on peatlands a mixture could offer both thefaster growth of silver birch and higher survival of downy birch.

Journal Wood Material Science & Engineering Volume 9 (1)

Alex — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 11:57:54 +0000

Facts & Reviews

07.03.2014

Journal News Feed – WMSE Volume 9 (1)

The journal news feed presents the editors’ condensed summaries of key findings from selected scientific papers from SNS’ two scientific journals Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research and Wood Material Science & Engineering.

Here you find the Journal News Feed from Wood Material Science & Engineering, Volume 9, Issue 1.

Selected articles:

Should Sweden have more or less moose in order to positively affect the hunting value?

Alex — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 13:06:53 +0000

Facts & Reviews

06.03.2014

Moose is by far the most important game species in Sweden. Managing moose populations is of paramount economic importance as there are considerable values as well as costs associated with this game species. A recent study undertaken by researchers from SLU in Sweden set out to determine how the hunting value of moose changes under different levels of moose population density and harvest.

The smell of Pine forests could limit climate change

Alex — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 11:04:22 +0000

Facts & Reviews

27.02.2014

A new study published in the Nature journal suggests that there could be a strong link between the smell of pine trees and climate change.

Forests emit large quantities of volatile organic compounds to the atmosphere which can form certain secondary aerosols that affect the Earth’s radiation balance by scattering solar radiation.

In other words, vapours turn into aerosols above forests and induce cooling by reflecting sunlight back into space and by aiding cloud formation.

Man-created logs cannot fully mimic natural logs -a challenge for forest restoration

Alex — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 08:57:54 +0000

Facts & Reviews

18.02.2014

In natural forests, dead wood is a key structure vital for the entire ecosystem and biodiversity. Hundreds of threatened species are sometimes harbored by deadwood. A recent study conducted in Finland shows that ecological restoration and the creating of man-made deadwood cannot fully mimic natural dead wood’s favorable conditions created for biodiversity.

Reindeers counteract effects of climate change in Northern Sweden

Alex — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 08:51:57 +0000

Facts & Reviews

17.02.2014

A consequence of changing climate patterns can be that lowland and southern plants migrate higher up in the mountains threatening fragile tundra plants. But reindeers could prevent this from happening.

Earlier studies suggest that a warmer climate increases growth of tall, invasive shrubs in tundra areas of Northern Sweden. This invasion, together with new species migration to open tundra, would increase competition among plant species and threaten the existence of low-stature tundra plants.

Small investments may provide large biodiversity benefits

Alex — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 12:37:07 +0000

Facts & Reviews

13.02.2014

A research group at the University Jyväskylä in Finland, led by Professor Mikko Mönkkönen has found that better economic revenue from forests can be achieved by neglecting some well-known forest management recommendations. Not only would this be profitable but it would also greatly benefit biodiversity.

'Quantifying N, P and C losses to waters from Fennoscandic/Baltic forests and the effect of various forestry operations'

nbforest — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 13:47:12 +0000

Facts & Reviews

29.01.2014

The SNS-supported network 'Leaching of carbon, nitrogen and phosporus from forest land in the Nordic and Baltic countries' has published a new research and policy brief:

Baltic Worlds

Alex — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 08:57:35 +0000

Facts & Reviews

28.01.2014

Baltic Worlds is an open access journal with international distribution. It’s published by the Centre for Baltic and East European Studies (CBEES) at Södertörn University, and is financed by funds made available by the Östersjöstiftelsen (Baltic Sea Foundation).

It covers a wide array of interesting topics including forests, agriculture and landscapes.

See Baltic Worlds homepage HERE

Journal news feed from Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 28(8)

nbforest — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 13:04:40 +0000

Facts & Reviews

23.01.2014

Journal news feed from Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research (SJFR) Volume 28, Issue 8, 2013.

The journal news feed presents the editor's condensed summaries of key findings from selected scientific papers from Nordic Forest Research's (SNS) scientific journal, Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research.

FORESTENERGY2020

Alex — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 09:05:25 +0000

Facts & Reviews

23.01.2014

FORESTENERGY is a five year (2012-2016) joint research and innovation programme at METLA (Finnish Forest Research Institute) and VTT (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland).

It covers the whole span of forest energy value chain from biomass production, supply chain to conversion plant and end use. The economic and ecological implications of all phases of the chain are in the scope of the research.

The project strives to bring innovative solutions for increasing bioenergy applications and forest utilization in the global bioeconomy.

Fewer emissions from forestry operations in Norway

Alex — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 12:52:06 +0000

Facts & Reviews

20.01.2014

Most CO2 emissions from forest production chain’s emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) come from on-road timber transport. As part of the KlimaTre project, the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute has tried to quantify the emissions of GHG linked to the entire life cycle of a tree, from planting to delivery at the sawmill or wood processing industry (cradle-to-gate inventory).

Big trees in the forest just became more important for carbon sequestration

Alex — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 10:40:48 +0000

Facts & Reviews

20.01.2014

New findings published in Nature add to the understanding of how tree growth rates change over time. The study revealed that on average, the biggest trees in the forest are the fastest growing trees in terms of mass.

The general belief was that trees follow a pattern of slow growth at young ages, followed by increased growth rates in adolescence and eventually slowing down as they get older.

How northern tree species manage to withstand freezing temperatures in winter

Alex — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 13:32:59 +0000

Facts & Reviews

17.01.2014

A new article published by the Finish Forest Association :”Trees need antifreeze too” explains how trees from the Northern hemisphere can withstand the low freezing temperatures of winter thanks to their cellular chemical structure.

'Need to develop recreation indicators in forestry'

nbforest — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 12:29:06 +0000

Facts & Reviews

10.01.2014

The SNS-supported network 'Social indicators in forestry – further development in the north European context' has published a new research and policy brief:

Traditional and Wild Project

Alex — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 10:28:39 +0000

Facts & Reviews

03.01.2014

Local knowledge on collecting plants and herbs was often passed down from generation to generation. However, due to urbanization, land ownership and lifestyle changes such traditional knowledge is slowly lost. Central European countries are main exporters of products originating from plants. It is therefore important to preserve such knowledge in these areas.

Boosting jobs and growth through sustainable and intelligent forestry: SIMWOOD and MOBILISER

Alex — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 10:29:48 +0000

Facts & Reviews

20.12.2013

The EU-funded SIMWOOD (Sustainable Innovative Mobilisation of Wood) is a project designed to develop the MOBILISER, a new online knowledge platform meant to disseminate information on viable policies across Europe. This pan-European information system has the overall objective to unlock substantial forest resources in more a sustainable manner.

The reasoning behind this project is that sustainable utilization, especially in privately owned forests, is not valued to its full potential and that these do not meet the ever-increasing demand for wood and energy.

Social Indicators for Forests in Northern Europe

Alex — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 09:39:04 +0000

Facts & Reviews

05.12.2013

The new report: Social Indicators in the Forest Sector in Northern Europe focuses on Nature-based Conservation and Tourism. Social values in the northern forests are growingly important as urbanized societies are in need of social services, such as recreational areas from forests. Private forest owners have started to recognize the great potential commercial recreational value of forests.

'Introduction of exotic tree species' and 'Genomics based breeding in forest trees'

nbforest — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 07:44:55 +0000

Facts & Reviews

05.12.2013

The SNS supported Centre for Advanced Research in forest genetics, breeding and regeneration for adapting and mitigating climate change (AdapCAR) has published two policy and research briefs:

Distribution Maps of Tree Species Across Europe

Alex — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 17:22:50 +0000

Facts & Reviews

30.11.2013

Acurate distribution maps of tree species around Europe are available from the EUFORGEN Network. The maps are based on existing bibliography and other information sources.

Individuals can use the maps for personal, educational, scientific or other non-commercial purposes without prior permission from the EUFORGEN Secretariat but they must acknowledge EUFORGEN as the source of information.

What should we do with our storm-damaged forests? Researchers at Harvard say: Nothing

Alex — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:23:57 +0000

Facts & Reviews

26.11.2013

After intense weather conditions such as powerful winds, heavy snowfalls or ice storms, large numbers of fallen or damaged trees, sometimes entire forests, are often the result. On such occasions, landowners, municipalities, and state agencies are faced with important financial and environmental decisions. And the question arises: What to do with the trees damaged by natural disasters?

Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Europe. The CI-SFM Project

Alex — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 10:07:31 +0000

Facts & Reviews

22.11.2013

One way of promoting the sustainable management of our forests is through the powerful tool/concept of Criteria and Indicators (C&I).

The movement started in 1992 in Rio, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNECD).Ever since, several different international processes and initiatives have developed criteria and indicators as a policy instruments to evaluate and report progress towards sustainable forest management.

Insect-killed trees for Bioenergy

Alex — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:17:18 +0000

Facts & Reviews

21.11.2013

A consortium of academic, industry and government representatives was awarded US$10 million by the USDA for a research project focusing on transforming insect damaged trees in the Rocky mountains into feedstock for bioenergy.

The NEW EU Forest Strategy

Alex — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 09:14:54 +0000

Facts & Reviews

20.11.2013

The new EU Forest Strategy was adopted on the 20th September 2013 to respond to new challenges facing forests and the forest sector. The Strategy is a response to the increasing demands put on forests and to significant societal and political changes.

The EU contains 5 % of the world's forests which are faced with multiple pressures, and face new social, economic and ecological challenges but also opportunities.

Hence, important developments of the EU Forest Strategy include:

Northern forests in a changing climate

nbforest — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 11:55:47 +0000

Facts & Reviews

25.09.2013

This was the theme of NordGen Forest’s annual conference held at Hallormsstadur in eastern Iceland on 17-18 September.

More than 30 participants from all Nordic countries attained the conference which contained 11 high-quality presentations addressing the expected nature of climatic change, consequences for forest ecosystems and forestry and measures to meet these changes.

Read the NB Forest Policy and Research Brief 'Northern forests in a changing climate' (pdf).

Introduced species in a changed climate – how should we handle the risks?

nbforest — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 19:54:41 +0000

Facts & Reviews

09.09.2013

Introducing exotic tree species offers an attractive solution to dealing with a warmer climate. However, it is a solution associated with risk. What are the guarantees that the exotics don’t become invasive and turn out to be a problem? An SNS- supported project draws the conclusion that introductions will still be needed, but must be undertaken with caution and based on experience.

What is bioeconomy?

nbforest — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 19:43:44 +0000

Facts & Reviews

15.07.2013

The term “bioeconomy” is relatively new, but has evolved into one of the top hits in recent policy documents. It entered the policy discussion in Europe as late as in the middle of the 2000s. The recognisability of the term is illustrated by a doubling of hits on Google searches from 2007 to 2013.

Climate Change- are forest trees adaptive?

Alex — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:04:44 +0000

Facts & Reviews

12.06.2013

A new study on NordGen talks about how forest trees have survived a series of climate change cycles in the past. The study implies that trees are robust and have an extensive adaptive potential to changing climate patterns.

Joensuu Forest Networking Week 2013, 27-31th of May

Alex — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 07:20:55 +0000

Facts & Reviews

05.06.2013

The 5thJoensuu Forest Networking Week was arranged by Metla in cooperation with University of Eastern Finland, EFI, EFINORD and North Karelia University of Applied Sciences.

Model Forests in the Baltic Region

Alex — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:28:26 +0000

Facts & Reviews

23.05.2013

The International Model Forest Network (IMFN) is a global community that works towards the common goal of sustainable managing forest-based landscapes through the Model Forest approach. The IMFN is comprised of all member Model Forests around the world.

Finnish forest owners are getting older, but what does that mean for the timber industry and the national economy?

Alex — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:39:29 +0000

Facts & Reviews

07.05.2013

A new study shows that the average age of forest owners in Finland is on the rise and that Finns are paying more and more attention to immaterial values related to forests.

Some facts about Finnish forest ownership and the report in a “nut-shell”:

FORest Management Options for enhancing the MITigation potential of European forests – FORMIT

Alex — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:54:05 +0000

Facts & Reviews

08.04.2013

The FORMIT (FORest Management Options for enhancing the MITigation potential of European forests) project sets to develop key criteria, know-how and methodologies for assessing forest management strategies that explicitly focus on the mitigation potential of European forests, taking into account regional differences.

Thus, the overarching goal of the project is to investigate the associated risk, conflicting or even contradicting issues in managing forest for carbon mitigation.

Fungi carbon sequestration in northern forests. Scientists find it is more important than initially believed.

Alex — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:50:44 +0000

Facts & Reviews

30.03.2013

Scientists in Sweden found that most of the carbon that is sequestered in northern forests is stored thanks to fungi that live on and in tree roots, rather than via dead needles, moss and leaf matter.

The INTEGRAL project and its relevance for the NB region

Alex — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:32:24 +0000

Facts & Reviews

11.03.2013

The recently launched project: Future-Oriented Integrated Management of European Forest Landscapes (short: INTEGRAL) is a four-year collaboration project (from 01.11. 2011 to 01.11.2015) of universities and R&D institutes working on solutions for better forest management in Europe.

Collaboration in the NB region and the many advantages it offers. The case of Swedish-Finnish partnership-aiming to secure forest plant breeding material suited for a future climate.

Alex — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:06:53 +0000

Facts & Reviews

07.03.2013

The recently finalized project NOVELTREE (www.noveltree.eu ) has resulted in a number of valuable research results and publications on genetic breeding of forest trees.

The CARBONES project - understanding CO2 fluxes and stocks from European forests

Alex — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:43:34 +0000

Facts & Reviews

01.03.2013

The European Forest Institute (EFI) is involved in the forest related DataStream development to provide information on Carbon stock and fluxes of European forests in the newly launched CARBONES project.

Conservation efforts are becoming visible. The numbers of birds are increasing.

Alex — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:19:19 +0000

Facts & Reviews

28.02.2013

Recent studies show that birds are benefiting from conservation efforts under the new approaches of Swedish forest management.

The Swedish forest management system has been receiving a lot of criticism related to its biodiversity and nature conservation approach. The intensively managed forest land, short rotation periods, extensive monocultures with no deciduous tree species and lack of old growth forest are just a few of the weakly represented approaches in the Swedish forest management.

Seasonal changes mapped by satellite

nbforest — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:49:23 +0000

Facts & Reviews

08.02.2013

The recently completed SNSproject Satellite-based mapping of the growing season in northern Fennoscandia and neighbouring parts of NW Russia (SNS-108) tackled the challenge of using remotesensing data to map the start and end of the growing season, and also to monitor the ecological impacts of a changing climate.

by Anne Tolvanen

Research must be implemented

nbforest — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:41:17 +0000

Facts & Reviews

08.02.2013

“The problem is not the amount of research, but the long time it takes for the results to reach practitioners. New findings must be implemented. That is what we pay for. ”

Communication pays off

nbforest — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:35:07 +0000

Facts & Reviews

08.02.2013

Science needs to be communicated. The more targeted the communication, the higher the impact. And the higher the impact, the better the justification for conducting the research.

News & Views met Dr. Erkki Kauhanen, who is the head of the communication department at the Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla). In his position, he has the tough job of optimising communication of the results produced by about 370 scientists.

Finnish–Swedish teamwork helps foresters prepare for climate change

nbforest — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 20:10:34 +0000

Facts & Reviews

11.01.2013

Zoom in on your planting site in Google maps. Choose if you want to optimise for the current or future climate. Press the button “Show orchards”, and a list of recommended reforestation material is shown. The program makes a selection of all available Scots pine seed orchards from Finland and northern Sweden.

Xylan modification may allow customisation of wood properties

nbforest — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 20:10:34 +0000

Facts & Reviews

11.01.2013

Hemicelluloses constitute some 25% of the total wood biomass on earth, making them one of the most abundant polymers, along with cellulose and lignin. Xylan is the main hemicellulose in deciduous trees and grasses, and is also an important component of conifer wood. Xylan interacts with both cellulose and lignin, and is thought to have an important role in cell wall architecture.

Exotic tree species in Norwegian forestry – experiences with new method for risk assessment

nbforest — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 08:53:17 +0000

Facts & Reviews

26.10.2012

By Tor Myking, NordGen Forest

In June 2012 the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre launched the Black list which is a risk assessment of introduced species. We will here briefly review the method used in the assessment and some experiences with risk assessments of introduced forest trees. The article is based on a report financed by the Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee (SNS).

Ett nytt avskräckningsmedel mot älgar skyddade plantorna effektivt på älgarnas vinterbetesområden

metla — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 09:50:24 +0000

Facts & Reviews

18.09.2012

Enligt Metlas undersökningar kan älgskador minskas med Trico-avskräckningsmedlet. I testerna under vinterperioden 2010–2011 fick de tallplantor som behandlats med avskräckningsmedlet vara nästan i lugn och ro från älgarna. På flera testområden där skyddsmedlet använts upptäcktes inga skador under testet. I stället åt älgarna obehandlade plantors kvistar och toppskott. Metla testade Trico-avskräckningsmedlet mot älgar i sina fälttester i älgarnas vinterbetesområden i Kuusamo samfällda skog där älgstammen är stor och älgskadorna ständigt svåra.

Forskning och kustskogar: Företagen inom träproduktindustrin ska utveckla certifieringspraxisen – konsumenternas intresse för hållbar skogsskötsel är svagt.

nbforest — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:13:45 +0000

Facts & Reviews

27.03.2012

Företagen inom träproduktindustrin uppskattar skogscertifikaten mellan kommersiella aktörer, men ännu kan inte särskilt många företag berätta för sina kunder vilken konkret nytta de skulle ha av en god miljöprestationsförmåga. Konsumenterna antas inte vara intresserade av hållbar skogsskötsel – det nordiska miljömärket Svanen är enligt företagen det effektivaste sättet att inspirera konsumenter att köpa träprodukter.

Who owns the genes of forest trees?

nbforest — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:19:26 +0000

Facts & Reviews

08.03.2012

A new report on access and exclusive rights to forest genetic resources in the Nordic countries has been published.

In the Nordic region we are used to a simple and non-bureaucratic exchange of forest genetic resources between countries. This valuable exchange secures access to seeds and breeding material.

Electropulse can replace chemical preservation

nbforest — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 16:01:09 +0000

Facts & Reviews

25.02.2012

The electropulse protection of wood (PLEOT) is a Norwegian invention tested by researchers at the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute. The technology can replace the use of chemicals for preservation and increases the durability of wood.

Wood – the eco-friendly Nordic material

nbforest — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:50:17 +0000

Facts & Reviews

25.02.2012

Wood is an environmental friendly, durable and adaptable material for house building and many other purposes. Wood constructions have a long history in northern Europe, although, recently, timber has had to compete with steel and concrete. However, it is still a viable alternative, and new inventions have increased the potential uses of wood in construction.

Ash trees that can survive the emerging infectious die-back disease

nbforest — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:19:20 +0000

Facts & Reviews

09.02.2012

Ash trees are threatened in most parts of its natural distribution area, including Denmark by the emerging infectious pathogen Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus. The forest genetic research group at Forest & Landscape, University of Copenhagen is studying if and how active genetic management can ensure the species a future in Danish forests and landscapes.

During the last decade an emerging infectious pathogen Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus has spread across Europe causing devastating damage on ash trees and associated plant communities.

Cellulose isn't just cellulose

nbforest — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:01:27 +0000

Facts & Reviews

09.02.2012

Researchers from KU-LIFE have recently discovered how one structure of cellulose, known as slip planes is important for the interaction between cellulose and enzymes.

The implications of this phenomenon have not yet been recognized or explored within the use of cellulose for fuels and chemicals, and may provide us with a new and more efficient tool for using biomass as a replacement of fossil fuels.

European Forests: Central to the World We Live in

nbforest — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:55:37 +0000

Facts & Reviews

14.01.2012

European Forest Institute has released a new multimedia video on European forests.

Called “European Forests: Central to the World We Live in”, it gives an overall picture of Europe’s most versatile ecological infrastructure, tracing a path from south to north and from west to east. As we tour around Europe, we ask why forests continue to be so important to each region, even in the 21st century.

Environmentally friendly wood protection - PLEOT

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:53:53 +0000

Facts & Reviews

22.09.2011

Forests provide clean water

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:33:58 +0000

Facts & Reviews

22.09.2011

Factsheet from Centre of Advanced Research on Environmental Services (CAR-ES)

Efficient forest operations

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 10:23:29 +0000

Facts & Reviews

23.08.2011

The forest sector is subject to fierce competition. Success relies on first-class products and competitive costs. Research on competitive and environmentally sound raw-material supply is of central importance. This research should be supported by forest industry, machine manufacturers, forest owners and society. A threat scenario implies decreased productivity development and low added value, which create decreases in supply and profitability in forestry, and decreased investments in forest industry. If the leadership within the Nordic technology for cut-to-length is lost to e.g.

Northern ToSIA Project

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:49:03 +0000

Facts & Reviews

18.08.2011

The Northern ToSIA project investigates options for improving the sustainable use of forest resources in selected regions of the Northern Periphery in Finland, Sweden, Scotland and Norway by using an innovative tool for sustainability impact assessment (ToSIA).

Forestry serving urbanised societies

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:21:31 +0000

Facts & Reviews

18.08.2011

Nordic-Baltic Centre of Advanced Research on Forestry Serving Urbanised Societies II

Adaptation of forest trees to a changed climate

nbforest — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:56:35 +0000

Facts & Reviews

26.08.2011

Research connected to genetic resources, breeding and climatic adaptation of forest trees is a prerequisite for developing tools to mitigate the effects of climate change. Networks and cross-country research initiatives will increase the efficiency of this effort.

GENECAR (Nordic Virtual Centre of Advanced Research in Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding) is one of five CAR`s financed by SNS. GENCAR focuses on research connected to adaptation of forest trees, sustainable forest management and breeding in a changing climate.

Environmental services from forests

nbforest — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:58:08 +0000

Facts & Reviews

10.06.2011

Centre of Advanced Research on Environmental Services (CAR-ES)

Objectives
The overall objective of the CAR-ES is to provide the necessary knowledge for informed decisions on forest management with respect to the following major environmental services: carbon sequestration, water protection and biodiversity.

Urban forestry in the Nordic countries

nbforest — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:33:35 +0000

Facts & Reviews

10.06.2011

Nordic policy context and needs