Forests and Development -
Building on Finnish expertise

Seminar 2.4.2024

What are strengths in Finnish forestry expertise? What should we focus in the future in order to export Finnish forestry expertise globally? How to integrate youth and students into this? These questions were discussed in the seminar of Forests and Development - Building on Finnish expertise on 2.4.2024. The seminar was taken part by experts from forestry and development fields, students and everyone interested on the topic.

Finland is committed to strengthening sustainable forestry and afforestation projects in developing countries while increasing the global carbon sink and improving local living conditions (Finnish Government Programme 2023). Although Finland has a long history and experience in the development cooperation, we need a critical look to evaluate the future needs and possibilities to continue the work in efficiently. 

Strong expertise in sustainable forest resource management (forest inventory and information systems, remote sensing) and good understanding of forest policies have built stable basis for Finnish forest and forestry work. Having awareness of variability in forest related interests and their meanings for people living in and from forests is essential too see forests as part of wider context of land use and rural development; there are linkages to agriculture, conservation, biodiversity, restoration, commodity chains, circular economy, etc.

In future we need broader understanding and system approach to address global forest related challenges. Engaging in long-term (10-15 years) forest projects provide continuity and more stability for the work and to build sustainable results together with local people and actors. Here close and stable collaboration with private and public sector, civil society actors and embassies are part of sustainable and effective activities. This also requires better expertise in finances and involvement with multilateral financial instruments to export Finnish forestry expertise globally. 

Active engagement of youth and students into international cooperation in forestry field needs more concrete and accessible possibilities, since many students lack resources, time and knowledge on how to expand their studies and career paths abroad. This development requires active integration of students with varied backgrounds into research (PhDs, Master's thesis, trainings), practical projects and international trainings (NGO programmes, Junior Professional Officer, UN Volunteer, etc.). Along Finnish forestry education needs to provide courses on tropical forests and development field for students to broad their possibilities through education. Finnish forestry expertise is well appreciated globally, and we should market us in that way!

This seminar was organized by FFD together with The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK), Ministry For Foreign Affairs of Finland, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Keskitie foundation, Siemenpuu foundation, Fingo and Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). The seminar featured presentations and speeches by forestry experts from Finland and internationally: World Bank, FAO, DAFC and NICFI.

We want to thank our partners and all seminar participants for their contribution and effort in this seminar!

SEMINAR PROGRAM AT 13:30 – 16:30 (HELSINKI, UTC+3) 

What forestry knowledge and expertise are needed in the future? How Finnish forestry expertise can be efficiently used in the development cooperation and international field? 

13:30 Opening – Marko Mäki-Hakola, Forest Director/MTK Presentation – Finnish forest/forestry knowledge  

13:45 Dr. Matti Nummelin, Chair of IUCN Finland Presentations of forest initiatives, Siemenpuu 

International institutes and organizations: perspectives and cooperation

14:00 Tuukka Castrén - Senior Forestry Specialist, World Bank  

14:15 Zhimin Wu – Forest director, FAO

14:30 Tobias Gräs - Green Climate Fund (GCF), Senior Consultant, DAFC

14:45 Ellen Bruzelius Backer – Policy Director - Environmental Integrity, The Government of Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative, Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment

15:00 Coffee break 

15:15 Group discussion: Discussion, reflecting on key priorities to improve government program

16:00 Conclusions

16:20 Final words: Vesa Kaarakka, Senior Advisor, Development Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Landsbygdens Folk (26.4.2024) article:
Framtidens behov i utvecklingssamarbetet i brännpunkten på FFD:s skogsseminarium