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Metsäntutkimuslaitos Skogsforskningsinstitutet Finnish Forest Research Institute www.metla.fi

Forest – Knowledge – Know-how – Well-being

Metla’s tasks and functions

Metla conducts research and generates research information

serves the information end-users and acts as an expert in a wide range of forest-related statistical, monitoring and inspection tasks

is responsible for forest-tree breeding at the national level, and conducts research in forest genetics

performs the tasks assigned to it as a state authority

publishes research results and serves information users

Main Research Areas

entrepreneurial and business activity based on forests

forests and the community sustainable silvicultural chains a forest economy- and forest environment -

based knowledge pool

Research management

The Research Directors are coordinating, developing and steering Metla's research activities.

The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) has a broad scientific mandate to advise Metla by:

reviewing Metla's strategic goals and focus areas in relation to other research organisations,

making initiatives on new research directions and research program areas,

reviewing the quality and relevance of the scientific and technical information produced by Metla,

promoting relevance and scientific impact of Metla's research internationally,

promoting co-operation and networking with other leading international forest research organisations, and

promoting Metla as a reliable producer of scientific knowledge and collaborator.

Evaluation

The research projects and programmes are evaluated at set intervals, the latest at the end of the project. Recognised national and international experts participate in the evaluation process.

Research Programmes

Renewing wood product value chains and timber procurement solutions (2009-2013)

Welfare effects of forests (2008-2012)

Cost-efficiency and quality in silvicultural operations (2007-2011)

Functioning of forest ecosystems and use of forest resources in changing climate (2007-2011)

Bioenergy from Forest (2007-2011)

Production forestry in drained peatlands (2007-2011)

Organisation

Metla’s Units

Regional Units

Southern Finland Regional unit. The central is Vantaa.

Western Finland Regional unit. The central is Parkano.

Eastern Finland Regional unit. The central is Joensuu.

Northern Finland Regional unit. The central is Rovaniemi.

Metla’s management and concern services are located in Vantaa

Metla’s whole personnel is about 800over 300 of them are researchers and nearly 150 with a doctors degree

Southern Finland Regional Unit

Vantaa Research Unit is the central of Southern Regional Unit.

Vantaa conducts research of biological and technical sciences and forest genetics and tree breedingas well as research of social and economical sciences

Southern Regional Unit includes also tree breeding station in Haapastensyrjä as well as research units in Evo, Solböle and Tuorla.

Metla has research forests in Lapinjärvi, Preitilä, Ruotsinkylä, Solböle and Vesijako.

In Ruotsinkylä and Solböle the public has free access to go hiking in research forests.

Western Finland Regional Unit

The Parkano research forest is characterised by a high proportion of relatively nutrient-poor peatlands, whereas the Vilppula research forest is famous for its fertile mineral soils.

The central of regional unit is Parkano. Other places of business are Kannus, Vilppula and Multia

Parkano research unit initially concentrated on research on into peatlands and peatland forestry as well as topics related e.g. to silviculture and forest condition and health.

Kannus focuses on research topics associated with its location in the Ostrobothnia area

Eastern Finland Regional Unit

Joensuu is the central of the regional unit.Other research units are Punkaharju, Suonenjoki and Nurmes.

The Joensuu Research Units goal is to promote and to develop regional economic and enterprise activities based on forests and forestry products, especially in Eastern Finland.

The Punkaharju Research Unit is internationally famous for its research on forest genetics. Management of exotic tree species and special trees is also studied here.

The Suonenjoki research unit has established for forest tree nursery studies and forest regeneration studies. It is also responsible for inspection the biological efficiency and applicability of all the pesticides to be used in forestry.

Northern Finland Regional Unit

The central of Regional Unit is Rovaniemi. Other research units are Kolari, Muhos, Pallasjärvi, Paljakka and Salla.

The Rovaniemi Research Unit specializes in research on forests and forest ecosystems in the north.

The Muhos Research Unit specializes in research on the ecology of forest regeneration and the development of forest management methods for use in the Ostrobothnia-Kainuu region

The Kolari Research Unit focuses on northern timberline forests, especially on the effects of climate change on forests in the northernmost part of the country.

Research forest are located in Laanila, Muhos and Kivalo.

Official Tasks Monitoring of forest health Greenhouse gas reporting National forest inventory Forest statistics Testing and inspection of pesticides Timber scaling methods and guidelines Basis for forest taxation Forest tree breeding Monitoring regeneration success in protection forest area Forest damage diagnostic and advisory service

Marketing and Sales

Commissioned research and consultation Forest statistics information services Information systems and methodological

consultation services Forestry extension services Forest damage assessment services Laboratory services Forestry modelling and analysis Know-how and education Picture archives

Financing

Budget about 45 million euros in the year 2011, nearly 70% is direct government funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Other sources of financing:

Ministry of Environment, Suomen Akatemia, Tekes, EU, trusts, foundations, etc.

Publications Metsätieteen aikakauskirja

series comprising research articles in Finnish and Swedish

Silva Fennica

a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal of forest science published in English

Working Papers preliminary research results, proceedings and learned discourses,mainly in Finnish and in English, published in the net

Dissertationes Forestales forestry dissertations together with Helsinki and Joensuu universtities