“From an economic point of view, it would be ideal to own a lot of forest of varying ages. What happens in prac- tice, though, is that when we harvest old trees, our children will be cultivating the seedlings we plant to replace those old trees. But if we did not regenerate the forests at all, at some point their growth would peter out and eventually stop altogether,” says Anttila. A FOREST PLAN LOOKS IN TO THE FUTURE There is plenty to do in all seasons. Thinning, for example, is performed almost year-round, depending on when var- ious sections of the forest are ready for harvesting. “One of the factors that impacts the harvesting time is weather. In terms of harvesting, a dry summer is better than a frost-free, mild winter,” says Tauno Tuuppa , a For- est Specialist at Metsä Group. Like in most other forest estates, the focus at the Sipari estate in the spring is on planting the seedlings. Given that the planting work often coincides with spring sowing in the fields, outside help is a must. “Traditionally, most of the seedlings of coniferous trees are planted in the spring or early summer. But you can plant seedlings starting from the frost melting all the way to the autumn, as long as you account for the soil, tree spe- cies and the seedlings’ cultivation method,” says Tuuppa.
Anttila and Vehmas are customers of Metsä Group’s for- est asset management service. They have been provided with an estate-specific forest plan that views forest man- agement from a long-term perspective. In the plan, the forests are divided into stands according to the development stages and growth locations of the trees as well as future management and harvesting needs. The plan also displays valuable habitats on the estate, such as herb-rich forests and sunlit slopes, or any other areas different from the surrounding forest. “Before, a forestry plan was valid for ten years at a time. Nowadays, a plan in digital format in the Metsäverkko service is good for up to 20 years,” says Tuuppa. Monitoring and updating the plan is included in the service and taken care of by the forest specialist. In addi- tion, the forest specialist updates changes to the stands and any suggestions for further measures. Many management activities and harvesting carried out by Metsä Group are updated into the plan automatically. PRACTICAL PLANNING TAKES PLACE IN THE FOREST The annual plan is a tool with a shorter range than a forest plan. It includes entries on the stands that are next up for harvesting or management measures. The required meas- ures are specified for one year ahead.
“It is great to be able to turn to the specialists for advice and guidance.” Hanna-Maija Anttila, forest owner
“We plan the management measures with a forest specialist during walks in the forest. A visit to the forest gives you the best idea of what needs to be done and when.” Timo Vehmas, forest owner
Thinning carried out at the right time serves to ensure that the trees have enough space to grow.
Tauno Tuuppa, Timo Vehmas ja Hanna-Maija Anttila taking a walk through the forest of the Sipari estate.
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