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Total roundwood removals and drain by region 2021

Published 2.6.2022

Total roundwood removals increased to 76 million cubic metres in 2021, exceeding the previous five years’ average by five per cent. Total drain increased to 92 million cubic metres driven by higher removals. Some 103 million cubic metres of new stemwood grow in our forests every year. This means that the total roundwood volume increased by roughly 12 million cubic metres.

  • In 2021, a total of 76.3 million cubic metres of stemwood was harvested from Finnish forests, which was 7.5 million cubic metres, or 11%, more than in the previous year. The average felling volumes of the preceding five-year period were exceeded by 5%, or 3.8 million cubic metres.
  • Of the total stemwood removals, 66.1 million cubic metres, or 85%, consisted of logs and pulpwood. Of these, 65.7 million cubic metres were felled for the forest industries and to the export market and 0.3 million cubic metres for domestic use by forest owners. Logs accounted for 29.3 million cubic metres and pulpwood for 36.7 million cubic metres.
  • The remainder, 10.3 million cubic metres, consisted of energywood, i.e. stemwood to be used as fuelwood in small-scale housing or as wood chips at heat and power plants. The volume remained unchanged from the previous year. In addition, 2.7 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.
  • Luke has estimated 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. In the period from 2016 to 2020, the whole country’s realised felling volumes were on average 91% of the felling potential. In Northern Finland in the three northernmost regions, 76% of the felling potential were used. However, felling volumes in Southern and Central Finland were significantly higher, covering 96% of the estimated felling potential.
  • Average removals between 2016 and 2021 exceeded the maximum sustainable yield in six regions. The level was exceeded by 14% in South Karelia and by 6% in Päijät-Häme. In the regions of Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa, Kymenlaakso and South Savo, the excess was between 1% and 4%
  • In 2021, felling volumes covered on average 99% of the felling potential in the regions of Southern and Central Finland. In addition to the aforementioned six regions, felling volumes were also higher than the estimated sustained yield in Satakunta, North Savo and the Åland Islands.
  • Total drain increased to 91.6 million cubic metres in 2021. In addition to stemwood harvested for consumption, total drain includes 15.3 million cubic metres of naturally died stemwood and stemwood of logging residues remaining in forests. The volume of standing trees increased by approximately 103 million cubic metres. This means that the total volume of growing stock increased by roughly 12 million cubic metres.

 

Press release here

Statistical data concerning 2020 were corrected on 20 May 2022. Pine and spruce pulpwood removals changed in the whole of Finland and the region of Northern Ostrobothnia. Pulpwood removals decreased by 0.1 million cubic metres. Tree growth was recorded based on values in accordance with the 13th National Forest Inventory.

The graph includes volumes of the total roundwood removals and drain

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