Forest growth rate decelerated – volume of growing stock increased
The volume of the growing stock on forest land and poorly productive forest land totals 2,506 million cubic metres, while the annual increment is 103 million cubic metres. The mean volume of the growing stock on forest land is 122 cubic metres per hectare. The latest information is based on the National Forest Inventory (NFI) prepared between 2016 and 2020.
Forestry land accounts for 86 per cent (26.2 million hectares) of the total land area of Finland. Forest land covers a little more than three quarters of forestry land. Poorly productive forest land accounts for 10 per cent and completely or nearly treeless unproductive land 13 per cent of forestry land, while forest vehicle roads and other forestry maintenance areas cover one per cent.
Forest land, i.e. land with a high potential of annual increment of growing stock, accounts for 66 per cent of the total land area of Finland.
“Etelä-Savo is the most forested region, with forest land covering 85 per cent of the land area. In North Karelia, Central Finland and Kainuu as well, forest land coverage is more than 80 per cent. Correspondingly, the coverage is the lowest in the Åland, 41 per cent of the land area,” says Kari T. Korhonen, principal scientist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).
Peatlands account for one third of forestry land, while the rest consists of mineral soils. Pine dominated peatlands make up more than half of the peatland area, while spruce dominated peatlands account for one quarter. Treeless peatlands cover 17 per cent. A little more than half of the current peatland area has been drained.
More than half of forestry land under private ownership
Of forestry land, 52 per cent is under private ownership, and 35 per cent is owned by the state and seven per cent by companies. The remaining six per cent is owned by municipalities, parishes, and organisations.
The volume of the growing stock on forest land and poorly productive forest land totals 2,506 million cubic metres. One quarter of the volume of the growing stock is located in peatlands and the rest on mineral soils. Private individuals own two thirds, companies almost one tenth, and the state one fifth of the volume of the growing stock. A total of 89 per cent of the volume is located on wood production land. Wood production land does not include conservation areas, for example.
The mean volume of the growing stock on forest land is 122 cubic metres per hectare. The mean volume is 148 cubic metres per hectare in Southern Finland and 90 cubic metres per hectare in Northern Finland. Measured by region, the highest mean volume is in Kanta-Häme (172 cubic metres per hectare). In Uusimaa, Päijät-Häme and the Åland, the mean volume is above 160 cubic metres per hectare. In Lapland, the mean volume is clearly lower at 78 cubic metres per hectare.
The volume of decayed and other dead trees on forest land is 6.1 cubic metres per hectare in Finland. Of this, trees on the ground account for a fair 70 per cent, and standing trees make up the remaining share. The volume of decayed and other dead trees is 4.8 cubic metres per hectare in Southern Finland and 7.7 cubic metres per hectare in Northern Finland.
Annual increment of the growing stock has decreased on forest land and poorly productive forest land
According to the most recent information, the annual increment totals 103 million cubic metres, while mean annual increment is 4.6 cubic metres per hectare. Compared with the previous inventory, the annual increment has decreased. The annual increment of pine has decreased, while that of spruce has increased. During the NFI13 growth measurement period (2014–2020), the pine growth ring index was lower than the long-term average. Annual variation in the growth ring index is caused by environmental factors, such as the temperature and rainfall, seed production, and damage.
On forest land, mean annual increment of the growing stock is 5.1 cubic metres per hectare. Measured by region, mean annual increment is the highest in Kanta-Häme, i.e. 8.5 cubic metres per hectare, while it remains at 2.1 cubic metres per hectare in Lapland.
Forestry land breaks down into forest land, poorly productive forest land and unproductive land according to its capability of producing volume increment.On forest land the capability is 1.0 m³/ha/year or more, on poorly productive forest land 0.1-1 m³/ha/year and on unproductive land less than 0.1 m³/ha/year. Forestry land also includes nature conservation areas.
