Media release of the European Committee of the Regions, the European Commission, the Finnish Forest Foundation and the Natural Resources Institute Finland
The forest innovation camp will bring a group of EU decision makers, top executives and regional and municipal managers from across Europe together in North Karelia in December. The camp will provide EU decision makers and forestry stakeholders with a unique forum for a top-level dialogue focused on current forest issues.
The forest innovation camp will strengthen the participants’ knowledge of the state of forests, carbon sinks, the bioeconomy, and the diverse uses of forests.
“The goal of the forest innovation camp is to promote a sustainable future in which forests and the sustainable use of wood are seen as a partial solution for global challenges,” says Johanna Kohl, Programme Director at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).
The forest innovation camp will delve into the EU forest strategy’s themes through practice. EU decision makers from across Europe, including Sweden, Estonia, Ireland and Portugal, will visit Joensuu, the forest capital of Europe, and learn more about wood construction and innovation, the multiple uses of forests, and the Finnish forest landscape.
“The innovation camp is an eye-opening and thought-provoking forum. We will go into the forest and enjoy the snow and cold, linking the most recent scientific results to all this. Our goal is to also hold similar camps in the future. In EU decision making, a committee of 329 members represents regions and towns,” says Markku Markkula, the Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions.
As the leading theme of the forest innovation camp is sustainability, Finland and Sweden will play a significant role in its content as the leaders of sustainable silviculture. The camp will highlight monitoring the state of forests, the restoration of nature, and the innovative use of wood. The event will combine research with practical activities, and therefore steer Europe’s economy towards a sustainable future.
“Forests represent irreplaceable and renewable natural resources for Nordic societies, and our goal is to provide a more in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities of forestry in a European context,” says Professor Taina Tukiainen, Board Member of the EU Mission on Climate Adaptation.
The forest innovation camp will start with a seminar held at Metla House in Joensuu on 13 December. After the seminar, the participants will visit Koli National Park and the natural environment of Vaikkojoki river on 13–15 December. The forest innovation camp will be organised by the European Committee of the Regions, the European Commission, the Finnish Forest Foundation and Luke, as well as local forest sector operators from Eastern Finland.
