MTK organized a forest bioeconomy workshop seminar in Rovaniemi
''Promoting the forest bioeconomy in Northern Finland'' was the topic of a workshop seminar held in Rovaniemi, Finland on the 14th of March 2023. The seminar included expert presentations about the forest bioeconomy in Northern Finland and a panel discussion. The event was a continuation of the previous event organized by MTK in April 2022. Last year the focus was on the current state of the forest bioeconomy in Northern Finland, and the region's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were mapped in the workshop.
This year the workshop focused on creating a strategy, with the aim of making concrete plans to exploit the region's potential and to avoid potential threats. The presentations were followed by a panel discussion and a workshop. SWOT analysis from the previous year’s event was used as a basis for to work on the TOWS analysis produced this year. Remote participants were also able to join the workshop and write down their ideas through interactive Miro platform. The discussion focused on different land uses and on their reconciliation.
Program of the webinar:
· Opening words: Marko Mäki-Hakola, MTK
· Forest Bioeconomy in Northern Finland - Arto Sorri, Metsäkeskus.
· Forest growth and use: how can Lapland's forests meet different objectives? Hannu Salminen, Luke
· Northern forest industry, factors affecting wood supply - Jarkkko Parpala, Metsä Group
· Utilization potential of forest and wood - Katariina Torvinen, VTT
· Forest owners - Ossi Pesälä, Metsähallitus
· Co-development and panel discussion: supporting the potential of the forest bioeconomy in Northern Finland and avoiding threats. How to coordinate different forms of land use?
Panelists: Jani Jaakkola / Pölkky Oy, Ilkka Länkinen / SantaPark Oy, Jarkko Parpala / Metsä Group, Rainer Peltola / Luke, Hanna-Leena Pesonen / Lapland Regional Council.
Northern Finland's forest bioeconomy was chosen as a special area to be examined in the project because of its high potential for wood use, and on the one hand, to enhance land-use reconciliation. The project has been successful with good coordination, which has been supported by international, national and regional actors. Thank you for the joint promotion of the region to everyone involved,'' said Kalle Karttunen, MTK's project manager of the BRANCHES project, after the event.
Based on the panel discussion and the TOWS analysis initiated during the event, a project report will be written to support the promotion of the forest bioeconomy in the region. It will be published during 2023 as part of the BRANCHES project.