6. Forests
Contents
6.1 Natural resources
Natural resources can take the form of food, materials or sources of energy. Trees, water, and chalk are all examples of natural resources than can be used as raw materials in themselves, or to produce other materials. They are all needed to produced paper, for example. Some natural resources that are used as materials in themselves can also be used as sources of energy. Such natural resources include trees, water, coal and crude oil. Uranium, natural gas and wind are examples of natural resources that are only used as sources of energy.
Natural resources that are used either as materials or energy sources can be divided into renewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable resources include things like biomass, wind, water and solar radiation. They replenish after they are used or consumed. In contrast, non-renewable resources include things such as metals, minerals, fossil fuels and uranium. They do not replenish after being used, which means that their supplies are limited.
Natural resources can also be divided into material and immaterial resources. Material resources are tangible things, such as trees and water, whereas immaterial resources are intangible things, such as sunlight or a cultural landscapes. The table below shows examples of various material natural resources.
Natural resources that are used either as materials or energy sources can be divided into renewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable resources include things like biomass, wind, water and solar radiation. They replenish after they are used or consumed. In contrast, non-renewable resources include things such as metals, minerals, fossil fuels and uranium. They do not replenish after being used, which means that their supplies are limited.
Natural resources can also be divided into material and immaterial resources. Material resources are tangible things, such as trees and water, whereas immaterial resources are intangible things, such as sunlight or a cultural landscapes. The table below shows examples of various material natural resources.
| Use | Renewable resources | Non-renewable resources |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | wood, energy plants, peat, biogas, waste | oil, natural gas, coal, uranium (nuclear power), peat |
| Material production | wood, water | minerals, ores, rock, gravel, sand |
| Food | plants, fungi, fruits, berries, game animals, fish, water | some minerals |
6.2 Forests as natural resources
Forests are renewable material resources. As renewable resources, they will never run out if they are used sustainably.Some renewable resources increase as they are used. Forests are example of such an increasing renewable resource, as more trees can grow in the place of ones that are cut down. In contrast, the amount of water does not increase as it is used, but it is still a renewable material resource.
The amount of wood in the forests of Finland has increased by 60 percent during the last 70 years. This has been achieved mainly through better forestry.
As forests are material natural resources, they can be owned. The ownership of a forest can be transmitted from one person or organization to another.
However, our forests are also immaterial natural resources. For example, the beautiful natural landscapes found in the Finnish forests are very much intangible and therefore immaterial. Immaterial natural resources cannot be owned, nor can their value be measured in money.
6.3 Forest biomes
Most Finnish forests belong to the Northern coniferous forest biome, also known as taiga. This biome stretches across the northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere, all the way from North America to Northern Europe and Siberia.
Finland is among the few nations that exists almost completely inside the Northern coniferous forest vegetation zone. The Finnish taiga can be divided into spruce-dominated wet taiga forests and pine-dominated dry taiga forests.
The southwestern and southernmost parts of Finland are located on the border of the Northern coniferous forest and temperate broadleaf forest biomes. This border zone is displays a mixture of characteristics from both Northern coniferous forests and the broadleaf forests of Central Europe. This mixed biome is sometimes called the oak forest zone. Groves are an example of Finnish broadleaf forests.
The northernmost parts of Lapland consist of barren fells. It is a mixture of coniferous forest and tundra vegetation.
In the fells, lower regions are dominated by coniferous forest, which is replaced by forests of small, twisted mountain birch in higher elevations. The tops of fells are free of most vegetation, as they are located above the tree line.
| Feature | Pine forest | Spruce forest | Grove (Broadleaf forest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecosystem | dry taiga | wet taiga | grove |
| Soil type | sand, gravel | till | nutrient-rich soil |
| Availability of water | bad | good | good |
| Amount of light on the forest floor | high | low | high during the spring, low during the summer |
| Primary tree species | pine | spruce | broadleaf trees |
| Undergrowth | lichens, mosses, lingonberry | sprigs, e.g. blueberry | shrubs, grasses, flowers, etc. |
| Animals | only a few animals | some animals | many animals |
| Distribution | all of Finland, especially eskers and rocky areas | all of Finland | Southern Finland |
6.4 Forestry and sustainable forest use
The forest law dictates that a forest owner must always replant their commercial forest after it has been cut. For decades, forest owners have taken care of their forests according to the guidelines set by various forestry societies. In Finnish forestry, the sustainable use of forests is a priority. Because of this, yearly fellings must not exceed the amount of new trees produced by the forest. After felling, forests are regrown either via natural regeneration or forest cultivation.
A forest is regrown via natural regeneration when it has enough suitable seed-producing trees and when the soil type is suitable for accommodating the growth of these seeds. Naturally regenerated forests help to conserve tree species that have adapted to the forest's conditions. For example, pine forests are regenerated naturally by leaving 20–50 seed-producing trees per hectare. After the seeds emitted by these trees have grown into saplings, the seed-producing trees are cut down.
In forest cultivation, new saplings or seeds are planted after felling.
In forest cultivation, new saplings or seeds are planted after felling. Saplings are often planted during the spring. Pine saplings grow efficiently after being planted, which is why they are often planted in dry areas. On the other hand, young spruce trees often lose out to other plants, which is why they are only rarely planted as saplings.
The saplings are taken care of after both natural regeneration and planting. Grasses are kept away from the trees, and excess moisture is prevented from accumulating in the forest.
Forests are often thinned out via improvement felling. In improvement felling, some trees are cut down to give other trees more space and resources to grow. Forest diversity is taken into account in improvement felling by leaving some dead trees and wind-blown trunks in the forest.
By fertilizing the forest, tree growth can be accellerated.
The final felling (or regeneration felling) takes place 70–100 years after the forest has been regenerated. Forest diversity is also preserved in regeneration felling by leaving some parts of the forest untouched.
Felling waste is gathered from the forest floor after cutting. It is used to create wood chips, which are one of the most important energy sources in Finland.
After regeneration felling, the commercial forest cycle continues either by planting seeds or saplings or by letting the forest regenerate naturally.
A forest is regrown via natural regeneration when it has enough suitable seed-producing trees and when the soil type is suitable for accommodating the growth of these seeds. Naturally regenerated forests help to conserve tree species that have adapted to the forest's conditions. For example, pine forests are regenerated naturally by leaving 20–50 seed-producing trees per hectare. After the seeds emitted by these trees have grown into saplings, the seed-producing trees are cut down.
In forest cultivation, new saplings or seeds are planted after felling.
In forest cultivation, new saplings or seeds are planted after felling. Saplings are often planted during the spring. Pine saplings grow efficiently after being planted, which is why they are often planted in dry areas. On the other hand, young spruce trees often lose out to other plants, which is why they are only rarely planted as saplings.The saplings are taken care of after both natural regeneration and planting. Grasses are kept away from the trees, and excess moisture is prevented from accumulating in the forest.
Forests are often thinned out via improvement felling. In improvement felling, some trees are cut down to give other trees more space and resources to grow. Forest diversity is taken into account in improvement felling by leaving some dead trees and wind-blown trunks in the forest.
By fertilizing the forest, tree growth can be accellerated.
The final felling (or regeneration felling) takes place 70–100 years after the forest has been regenerated. Forest diversity is also preserved in regeneration felling by leaving some parts of the forest untouched.
Felling waste is gathered from the forest floor after cutting. It is used to create wood chips, which are one of the most important energy sources in Finland.
After regeneration felling, the commercial forest cycle continues either by planting seeds or saplings or by letting the forest regenerate naturally.
6.5 Gallery: Forestry
6.6 Uses of forests
Wood has been used as a source of energy since ancient times. When Finland was first inhabited by humans, their livelihoods were intrinsically tied to the surrounding forests.
Forestry produces wood for different uses. In Finland, the most common uses of wood have been milling for construction and industrial production, paper production and energy production. The rising price of oil has once again made wood a popular source of energy in heating and energy production in Finland.
The forest industry is an umbrella term that encompasses the previously discussed field of forestry as well as the ways in which the trees gathered from the forests are refined and sold. It can be divided into two categories: mechanical and chemical forest industries.
In the mechanical forest industry, sawmills produce boards and planks from trees. The most important sawmill product is the versatile plywood. The boards and planks produced by sawmills are used as raw materials in construction.
Sawmills are an example of the mechanical forest industry.
The chemical forest industry can be dived into the pulp, paper and paper product industries. The chemical forest industry is concentrated on producing paper and cardboard. In addition, all kinds of raw materials used in paper and cardboard production, such as chemical pulp and mechanical pulp, are produced by the chemical forest industry. The production processes of the chemical forest industry are largely automated, and the final products are one of the most important Finnish export goods.
Paper production is an example of the chemical forest industry.
In total, the Finnish forest industry covers approximately one fifth of the nation's total economic production. The forest industry has an especially important economic role in certain densely forested and scarcely populated areas, such as Eastern Finland, Kainuu, and Koillismaa.
The bioforest industry is a rising field inside the forest industry. This rise is driven by the demands of the consumers, who wish for new, more sustainable products. As a result, the forest industry has begun to answer this demand by producing sustainable biofuels, biochemicals and other products. As such, the forest industry is an important part of the bioeconomy.
Forestry produces wood for different uses. In Finland, the most common uses of wood have been milling for construction and industrial production, paper production and energy production. The rising price of oil has once again made wood a popular source of energy in heating and energy production in Finland.
The forest industry is an umbrella term that encompasses the previously discussed field of forestry as well as the ways in which the trees gathered from the forests are refined and sold. It can be divided into two categories: mechanical and chemical forest industries.
In the mechanical forest industry, sawmills produce boards and planks from trees. The most important sawmill product is the versatile plywood. The boards and planks produced by sawmills are used as raw materials in construction.
Sawmills are an example of the mechanical forest industry.
The chemical forest industry can be dived into the pulp, paper and paper product industries. The chemical forest industry is concentrated on producing paper and cardboard. In addition, all kinds of raw materials used in paper and cardboard production, such as chemical pulp and mechanical pulp, are produced by the chemical forest industry. The production processes of the chemical forest industry are largely automated, and the final products are one of the most important Finnish export goods.
Paper production is an example of the chemical forest industry.
In total, the Finnish forest industry covers approximately one fifth of the nation's total economic production. The forest industry has an especially important economic role in certain densely forested and scarcely populated areas, such as Eastern Finland, Kainuu, and Koillismaa.
The bioforest industry is a rising field inside the forest industry. This rise is driven by the demands of the consumers, who wish for new, more sustainable products. As a result, the forest industry has begun to answer this demand by producing sustainable biofuels, biochemicals and other products. As such, the forest industry is an important part of the bioeconomy.
6.7 Forests and ecosystem services
What is an ecosystem service? Forests are ecosystems, meaning that they consist of living organisms and their non-living environment. Ecosystems provide various services and are therefore particularly useful for humans.Forests provide various ecosystem services. They absorb water when the snows melt in the spring, reducing the risk of floods. They attract clouds that provide useful rainwater. They provide a habitat for various organisms. Most importantly, they produce oxygen and absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which means that they act as carbon sinks.
The Natural Resources Institute Finland has listed the various ecosystem services provided by forests:
Production services
- Wood
- Bioenergy
- Berries and fungi
- Game animals
- Plants as raw materials for the medicine and food industries
- Clean water
- Carbon sinks, fighting climate change
- Water purification
- Breathable air
- Prevention of floods, storms and erosion
- Maintaining the productive capacity of the soil
- Noise absorption
- Pollination services
- Defence against diseases and pests
- Landscapes
- Recreation and nature tourism
- Education
- Forests in art
- Cultural heritage
- Photosynthesis
- Nutrient and carbon cycles
- Soil processing