METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / Barents Forest Sector Task Force Timo Karjalainen, chairman of the task force Finnish Forest Research Institute Joensuu Research Unit Barents 2010 Final Conference 21 February 2006, Petrozavodsk

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / Barents region includes nearly 30% of the forest area in Europe substantial proportion of the population dependent of the forest sector through employment, forest ownership and lifestyle net exporter of forest sector products forests and forest industries can foster sustainable development in the region and increase the welfare of its population key question calling for new focus is development of right balance between ecological, economic, social and cultural sustainability

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / Barents Forest Sector Task Force Cooperation in the Barents region under the auspices of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC), through the meetings of the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) under the Ministers of Foreign Affairs CSO established several Working Groups – basically for sustainable development of the region Mars 2000 the Working Group of Economic Cooperation (WGEC) established a subgroup working specifically on forestry issues in the Barents Region – Barents Forest Sector Task Force (BFSTF) –goal was to prepare a Northern Dimension Forest Sector Programme (NDFSP)

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / General objective for the BFSTF to create necessary conditions for development in forestry, environmental care and wood based industries through co- operation, mutual concrete actions, projects and programs within the forestry sector

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / BFSTF/WGEC has identified major themes calling for action Development of more transparent forest sector through regional cooperation Fight against illegal logging and securing that legitimate authorities take measures against violations of rules Strengthen the democratic local decision making and communication Encourage cross-country education programs and training of personnel in the forest sector Develop guidance on multipurpose silviculture, mixed land use and model forests

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / BFSTF/WGEC has identified major themes calling for action Disseminate major obstacles to achieve international competitiveness for wood products of the region Contribute to development where property rights should be settled and well defined Update actors with key policy and forestry sector information to encourage private investors, especially small and medium sized businesses for new investments Development of infrastructure

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / BFSTF prepared a statement on forestry issues for the Barents Ministerial Conference in Harstad, –suggestions adopted in the official statement, development of forestry sector addressed as key question for economic development in the region

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / To promote development of the forest sector in the region, BFSTF has two major themes, network activities, for Business environment in forestry sector in the Barents region –overall acceptability of the business, trade and investment barriers, role of small and medium sized industries/enterprises, delivering industries, entrepreneurship, logistic chain, transparency, certification, etc. and

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / To promote development of the forest sector in the region, BFSTF has two major themes, network activities, for Cost-effective forest land use in the Barents region –intensification of forest production to fulfill various needs of the society, expansion of forestry know-how, development of forest management planning, model forests, value adding in the wood chain and bioenergy needs

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / Network activities result of discussions in the task force meeting in Bergen November 2005 Aim to involve forest sector stakeholders in the network activities which fit well to the overall objectives and plans of the WGEC In 2006 and 2007, seminars, networking and core croup meetings One seminar in 2006, most likely devoted to the first networking topic, business environment in forestry sector in the Barents region

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / Countries participating in the BFSTF should nominate representatives to the core group which will develop further network activities and plans –countries to provide their representatives also resources Basic material of the Barents forest sector will be collected, analysed and utilised in the network activities, and may be published and made available on the BEAC web-site

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / BFSTF is seeking possibilities for co-operation with related activities avoiding overlapps, gaining cost-effective utilization of resources, and better visibility to promote overall objectives of the task force for example with –other BEAC working groups –Barents 2010 sector programme, particularly that on forest –recently approved Baltic Forest project

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE / Contact person Professor Timo Karjalainen Chairperson of the BFSTF phone mobile

METSÄNTUTKIMUSLAITOS SKOGSFORSKNINGSINSTITUTET FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE /