The damage was unfortunate, but it spurred the new forest own- er to make a firm decision. “I resolved to put my forests in good shape to avoid similar setbacks in the future.” Forest on loan from future generations There are more than 600,000 private forest owners like Junkkala in Finland. Together, they own nearly 60 per cent of Finland’s forest area. Private landowners are important to the forest in- dustry, because they supply 80 per cent of the domestic wood the industry needs. As for their goals, private forest owners are a diverse group. Some are attracted by the income from selling wood, while oth- ers place greater importance on the intangible values of forests. Most forest owners have multiple goals, meaning that the forest provides them with financial security and offers them a source of recreation. “In my work, I try to consider what the forest owner is seeking and make my forest management proposals based on that. Many owners think of the forest as something we all own temporarily, and the goal is to maintain it as well as possible during our term,” says Reko. The transgenerational approach of Finnish forest owners is best seen in forest renewal. For each tree felled, at least four seedlings are planted.
Juho Junkkala, Forest owner “I am more interested in forest management and forest-related questions now than I was when I took on the forest. When I am on the road, untended forests now catch my eye in a different way.”
In Finland, forest use is guided by legislation and by the requirements of forest certification. Certification tells that the wood originates from sustainably managed forests.
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