The forests of Finsilva, one of the largest forest owners in Finland, have been studied for the first time to assess the effects of the new Metsä Group Plus forest management model. According to an assessment conducted by Tapio in 2024, the amount of decaying wood and retention trees on regeneration areas more than doubled compared to 2022.
Finsilva’s forests have shown a significant increase in the amount of retention trees, high biodiversity stumps, and decaying wood. The assessment was conducted in 2024 by Tapio, a provider of forest and nature management quality evaluations. The evaluation included 40 of Finsilva’s regeneration areas. The previous comparable assessment was carried out in 2022.
The increase is linked to the Metsä Group Plus forest management model, which Finsilva adopted in the summer of 2023. The model aims to enhance forest biodiversity.
“This is the first time we have concrete figures on the effects of the Metsä Group Plus forest management model. And since the model aims to increase decaying wood, it seems to be working! There are now almost 4 cubic meters of large decaying wood and created snags per hectare on the regeneration areas,” says Juha Hakkarainen, CEO of Finsilva.
Overall, based on the quality assessment, nearly 17 cubic meters of decaying wood and retention trees per hectare have been left on the regeneration areas. Retention trees accounted for over 12 m³/ha (2022: approx. 5.6 m³/ha) and decaying wood nearly 4 m³/ha (2022: approx. 1.3 m³/ha).
The charts below show the increase in the amount of living retention trees and large decaying wood compared to 2022. Source of the charts: Tapio – Implementation of Environmental Requirements on Finsilva’s Work Sites 2024.
“The overall picture looks very good”
According to Tapio’s report, the criteria for forest certifications and Finsilva’s own environmental guidelines were generally met without issue on the regeneration areas. Out of the sample of 40 sites, only a few issues were identified, with one site requiring more significant corrections. Compared to 2022, the number of sites receiving a good rating increased slightly.
“The overall picture looks very good, and in some areas, we have made significant progress. When managing such a large area, it’s inevitable that some human errors will occur. That’s why conducting external assessments is essential; they provide us with valuable insights into our operations and help us improve for the future,” explains Juha Hakkarainen.
