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Forest policy since the 19th century |
Finnish forest policy is based on sustainable forestry and the multiple use of forests. The use of forests is regulated to ensure the welfare of both nature and people and the economic sustainability of the forestry.
Finnish forests are open to everyone by virtue of the so-called everyman's rights. This means that everyone may freely and without charge ramble in all Finnish forests, regardless of who owns them. No permit from the forest owner is needed to enjoy the everyman's rights, and no charges are payable. However, the use of everyman's rights may not cause harm or disturbance to anyone.
The roots of Finnish forest policy go back to the 19th century, which is when general concern over the state of forests was awakened in the country. Finland's forest resources were dwindling at an alarming rate, due to the selective felling of the stoutest timber and the gathering of firewood. Before this period forest destruction had been caused by the slash-and-burn agriculture and the manufacturing of pit tar. In 1859, the Government established a forest management authority, subsequently named the Metsähallitus (Forest and Park Services), to restore the state of the forests and to improve their management. In 1886 a new Forest Act was passed, prohibiting the destruction of forests and striving to safeguard the regeneration of forests after felling.
After Finland's independence in 1917, a reform with a significant impact on forest policy was passed in the 1920s. Tenant farmers were given the right to buy the land they had held under their tenancy agreements. This was the beginning of Finnish family forestry.
During the 1990s, Finnish forest policy was thoroughly reformed. At that time, the concept of sustainable forestry was redefined, so that the requirement of ecological and social sustainability was given an importance equal to the sustainability of timber production.
Diversified forest planning
Forest policy is translated into practical action by various means, including forest planning and the activity of forest organisations. The target areas of forest planning range from single farms to regions and the whole country.
The highest forest authority in Finland is the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The duties of regional forest authorities are managed by the 13 Forestry Centres. Among other things, they enforce the Forest Act and also manage the forest planning for regions and individual farms.
Forest Management Associations are statutory organisations of private forest owners. They operate within one or several municipalities, and their aim is to support the profitability of forestry and the achievement of other forest management goals set by the owners. Forest owners are subject to a statutory forest management fee, which is used to finance the advisory activity of the Forest Management Associations. The associations are entitled to levy a payment for other services which they provide for the forest owners.
The authority in charge of managing the state forests is the Metsähallitus (Forest and Park Services). Certain sections of the state forests are in commercial use, while others are protected. Under the Metsähallitus organisation, the management of these two is strictly separated. The management goals of commercial forests are defined by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and those of protected forests by the Ministry for the Environment. The aim of commercial forest management is to generate revenues for the state, while the management of protected areas is financed by the state from its annual budget.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry also sets the framework for the activity of the Finnish Forest Research Institute and the Forest Development Centre Tapio.
Finland is also an active participant in international forest policy, both within the European Union and elsewhere in Europe, as well as globally.
Also in forest.fi:
National Forest Programme 2010
Graphics:
 Finland and her forests in a nutshell 27,18 Kb |
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