To remain within planetary boundaries, global production and consumption must become more sustainable and biobased. The transition towards the biobased economy depends on the development of new uses of wood, increased material-use and processing efficiency, and development of new markets, while keeping supply chains legal and free of deforestation. The overarching objective of this thesis was to study how the forest-based bioeconomy can be driven by innovation and developed based on legal and deforestation-free supply-chains. Regional analysis in North Karelia, Finland (Article I), demonstrates that while companies are generally oriented towards innovation, they face significant structural barriers. Innovation is hampered by regulatory complexity, financial limitations, and skilled labour shortages. As the bioeconomy develops, the demand for forest resources is expected to increase. Due diligence and enforcement to ensure legal supply chains require scientific verification to combat fraud. A global market study (Article II) revealed that while 87% of stakeholders are aware of wood identification (ID) tools, their effective uptake is constrained by high costs, limited access to reference data, and technical gaps in countries with weaker governance. In addition to requiring legal supply chains, the European Union (EU) Deforestation Regulation expands requirements to prove that products are sourced without causing deforestation. A quantitative risk framework (Article III) reveals that 17% of total EU wood-based import value is exposed to high-risk origins, with risk profiles varying significantly for each commodity. The results highlight where wood ID tools and intensified due diligence could focus to ensure market integrity. By assessing company innovation and constraints in developing the forest-based bioeconomy, estimating the market capacity for wood ID technologies, and developing a tool for quantifying risk exposure of trade in legal and deforestation-free wood-based commodities, the research presented in this thesis offers tools and insights for private and public actors to govern the forest-based bioeconomy.
In recent years, workforce and leadership competencies, and their importance in the workplace in the forest sector, have gained considerable attention. In contrast, the ability of higher forestry education to develop the appropriate skills in supervision and management has been criticized. The main aim of dissertation was to advance the development of supervisory and management competence in higher forestry education. More specifically, it evaluated: i) the importance and competency gaps in the different supervisory and management skills at the beginning of forestry professionals’ careers, and the necessity to include the teaching of these skills in higher forestry education (study I), ii) the current supervisory and management competencies of mid-career forestry professionals in comparison to the requirements that emerge during advancement of their divergent careers (study II), and iii) the organizational and employer perspectives on supervisory and managerial work in the forest sector, including its characteristics, current and future challenges, and the competencies needed for supervisory and managerial duties (study III). The thesis was conducted through survey questionnaires (I and II) and in-depth interviews (III) that produced data for both statistical and qualitative content analyses. Supervisory duties were found to be typical among early-career forestry professionals, and supervisory skills were also seen as important for all regardless of their position (I). During work experience and career progression, gaps and weak development in several important supervisory skills, self-management, and change management skills were revealed (II). Leadership skills were recognized as a key requirement in forestry organizations (III). The competencies of forestry professionals with regard to human relations, feedback provision, and change management need improvement. The role of supervisors as coaches or mentors will be important in the future but is currently threatened by large team sizes and an overwhelming number of duties. To conclude, the need for generic skills in the context of management was emphasized. Supervisory competence cannot be achieved through theory alone; practical training and experience are also essential. Higher forestry education should invest more in the teaching of supervisory and management skills through the expansion and diversification of pedagogical practices.
Biomass systems have been increasingly adopted across Europe as sources of renewable energy and bio-based products. Particularly, fast-growing plantations have expanded rapidly in response to the need to reduce carbon emissions, mitigate climate change and strengthen energy independence. Beyond their productive role, biomass systems can provide multiple environmental services to the landscapes where they are embedded. However, these benefits are highly context dependent. Additionally, spatial data on biomass systems remains scattered and decentralized, limiting the capacity to study their effects. To address this gap, this thesis compiles spatial data on biomass systems across Europe, characterizing their surrounding land use context, and exploring spatial configurations through which these systems can enhance landscape properties and ecosystem services. Using available data on biomass system locations alongside land use datasets, we assessed land use diversity, modelled ecological connectivity, and applied multi-objective spatial planning to optimize management actions across trade-offs between profitability and ecosystem service provision. Our results show that poplar and willow plantations hold the highest potential to diversify agricultural landscapes, owing to their relatively small stand sizes and predominant location within intensive agricultural matrices. In contrast, eucalypt plantations pose a risk of landscape homogenization, driven by their large stand sizes and occurrence within predominantly forested surroundings. At the river basin level, poplar plantations can work as steppingstones connecting large forest patches, but their effectiveness depends on their spatial configuration and the dispersal ability of the studied species. Spatial optimization of poplar plantation management revealed their potential role in sustaining ecosystem services under stringent conservation scenarios. Coupled with riparian forests, they can achieve both economic viability and desirable ecological outcomes in working landscapes. Overall, this thesis makes a novel contribution to the understanding of biomass systems in Europe, providing a spatial framework to support land managers, policymakers, and researchers in designing landscapes that balance productivity with sustainability.
Thinning intensity, timing and tree selection can substantially influence forest growth and the rate of carbon sequestration. Remote sensing‑based forest planning increasingly incorporates tree‑level estimates alongside stand‑level assessments so information on the status of the trees must be transferred effectively to the harvester operator. This doctoral thesis evaluated the current state of development of tree-level operator guidance systems based on mobile laser scanning (MLS) and their potential to improve thinning operations in the future. Study I examined the effect of prior tree marking on cutting productivity and harvesting quality in thinnings. Prior tree marking increased cutting productivity by an average of 2.7–2.8% through reduction in the time spent during the boom‑out and moving, and also helped the operator maintain the target density of the remaining trees. Study II investigated the effect of tree-level guidance (with the laser scanning-based thinning density assistant (TDA) system from Ponsse Plc.) on cutting productivity in thinnings, the workload experienced by harvester operators and the overall profitability of the investment. At the pioneering implementation stage, the guidance system modestly improved productivity (by 1.0–1.2%), and less experienced operators reported benefiting from the system. Improved implementation could unlock greater benefits in both productivity and harvesting quality. Study III evaluated the capacity of MLS to measure harvesting quality attributes and to improve harvesting quality with the TDA in thinning stands. The results showed strong agreement between MLS‑based assessments and traditional field measurements, while also highlighting the need to develop new methodologies. Harvesting quality met the recommendations for sustainable forest management on almost all reference and TDA plots. The findings show that tree‑level guidance can improve operators’ productivity by 1–3% while helping to maintain good harvesting quality, with greater benefits achievable through improved usability and a more immersive user experience. However, achieving investment feasibility requires other, intangible value streams both from and to all stakeholders.
Recent policy development and technical support have created prerequisites for Finland to become a forerunner in wood-based construction. However, especially utilizing reclaimed wood, wooden retrofits, and wood as part of nature-based solutions in construction all remain at a nascent stage in Finland. Therefore, the overall aim of this dissertation is to identify the processes for enhancing wood use in construction. This dissertation is comprised of three empirical case studies, utilizing the policy network and the business and innovation ecosystem lenses as theoretical underpinnings. Methodologically, a descriptive social network analysis and two qualitative studies using thematic analysis were conducted. The research proceeded by first understanding the characteristics of the local wood-based construction policy network (Article I), then exploring business ecosystem and solutions for overcoming existing barriers for reclaimed wood use (Article II), and finally by suggesting ways for enabling the development of innovation ecosystem when diversifying wood use in construction (Article III). The analysis of the local wood-based construction policy network (Article I) illustrates that the actors revolve centrally around research, industry, business, and government in the local diffusion of wood-based construction. The study on reclaimed wood use in construction (Article II) addressed high circularity potential, while its adoption is hindered by many limiting factors. Addressing these barriers requires engaging expert intermediaries and leveraging solutions across the market, technological, regulatory, and cultural domains. Article III shows that the development of an innovation ecosystem could be accelerated by the key actors' engagement, while facilitating actor links is possible through information sharing and greater communication, technological and platform development, re-education, and co-creation. Results show that municipalities have the capability to serve as ecosystem orchestrators, facilitating knowledge and skill development, disseminating best practices, and reinforcing local level governance. Expert actors' and intermediaries’ support is paramount from planning stage to the end of life of buildings. Overall, the mainstreaming of wood-based innovative solutions requires active engagement of relevant actors both at the local and the ecosystem level. This calls for continued interaction through stronger collaboration and sharing responsibilities between municipalities and construction companies.
