Total roundwood removals and drain by region, 2020

In 2020, a total of 68.9 million cubic metres of roundwood was harvested from Finnish forests, which was 4.1 million cubic metres, or 6 per cent, less than in the previous year. The average felling volumes of the preceding ten-year period were exceeded by 2 per cent, 1.6 million cubic metres.

• Of the total roundwood removals, 58.5 million cubic metres, or 85 per cent, consisted of logs and pulpwood. Of these, 58.2 million cubic metres were felled for the forest industries or for export and 0.3 million cubic metres for domestic use by forest owners. Logs accounted for 25.0 million cubic metres and pulpwood for 33.5 million cubic metres.
• The remainder, 10.3 million cubic metres, consisted of energy wood, i.e. stemwood to be used as fuelwood in residential housing or as wood chips in heat and power plants. The volume grew by 1.1 million cubic metres, or by 12 per cent, from the previous year. In addition, 2.4 million cubic metres of logging residues and stumps were also harvested from forests for burning. This volume is not included in the total roundwood removals.
• The total roundwood removals (the total volume of roundwood felled) decreased in all regions of mainland Finland. The relative change was greatest in the regions of Kymenlaakso, South Karelia and Central Ostrobothnia, where the total roundwood removals decreased by at least 11 per cent.
• Luke estimated in the winter of 2020 that the sustained yield of Finnish forests during the ten-year period from 2016 to 2025 is 80.5 million cubic metres of roundwood per annum in the whole of Finland. Finland’s roundwood removals in 2016–2020 were 90 per cent of the felling potential on average, with the level varying by area. In Northern Finland in Finland’s three northernmost regions, three quarters of the estimated felling potential were covered between 2016 and 2020. During the same period, the corresponding figure was 95 per cent in Southern Finland.
• Between 2016 and 2020, average roundwood removals exceeded the sustainable yield by 15 per cent in South Karelia and by 7 per cent in Kymenlaakso. In the regions of Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa, Päijät-Häme and South Savo, the excesses were between 1 and 4 per cent. With the decreased felling volumes in 2020, the felling potential was only exceeded at the annual level in the region of Åland, where storm damage increased felling volumes.
• Last year, the roundwood drain decreased to 83.4 million cubic metres. The total drain comprises roundwood removals, as well as naturally died stemwood and stemwood of logging residues left in the forest. The volume of standing trees increased by 103 million cubic metres on the basis of the National Forest Inventory. This means that the total volume of growing stock increased by approximately 20 million cubic metres.

Data on total roundwood removals and drain in 2019 revised on 7 June 2021.

The statistics for 2020 have been corrected on 20 May 2022. Removals of pine and spruce pulpwood for region North Ostrobothnia and the whole country were revised. The amount of pulpwood decreased by a total of 0,1 mill. m³. Based on VMI13, the annual increment 103.5 mill. m³ was recorded for year 2020.