1

European forests and wood mobilisation

Mr Antti Sahi, CEPF

Tallinn23 October 2008

2

European forestry

• Over 60% of forests owned by families– generation bridging management and experience

• 16 million family forest owners • Small scale forest holdings

– average size 2-50 ha

• Sustainable forest management– Balancing economic, social and ecological requirements– Respecting the diversity across Europe

• 60% of the annual increment in European forests is harvested

3

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Sweden

Finland

France

Germany

Italy

Poland

Austria

Greece

Latvia

United Kingdom

Czech Republic

Estonia

Lithuania

Hungary

Slovakia

Slovenia

Ireland

Belgium

Denmark

Netherlands

Luxembourg

Private Public

milj.haFORESTS IN EUROPE ARE MAINLY PRIVATELY OWNED

Sources: Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005, FAO Private Forest Ownership in Europe 2008, FAO

4

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Sweden

Finland

France

Germany

Italy

Poland

Austria

Greece

Latvia

United Kingdom

Czech Republic

Estonia

Lithuania

Hungary

Slovakia

Slovenia

Gross annual increment, if empty, data is missing

Roundwood fellings

milj.m3FELLINGS CAN BE INCREASED IN EACH EUROPEAN COUNTRY

Sources: Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005, FAO Private Forest Ownership in Europe 2008, FAO

5

0 % 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 %

Sweden

Finland

France

Germany

Italy

Poland

Austria

Greece

Latvia

United Kingdom

Czech Republic

Estonia

Lithuania

Hungary

Slovakia

Slovenia

Ireland

Belgium

Denmark

Netherlands

Luxembourg

Utilisation rate, if empty, figure can not be calculated

UTILISATION RATE OF THE GROWTH OF THE FORESTS CAN BE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY

Sources: Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005, FAO Private Forest Ownership in Europe 2008, FAO

6

Renewable energies :European objectives

• Reminder : the European Union set up ambitious objectives at the beginning of 2007 and reminded in the project directive on renewable energies communicated by the European Commission the23rd of January 2008 :20% share of renewable energies in the EU's

energy mix by 2020minimum target of 10% for transport biofuels for

the EU by 2020 to decrease greenhouse gases by at least 20%

by 2020.

7

What is the challenge?• The rise of Energy policy in the EU leads to a

higher demand for wood resources• There is potential in Europe’s forests.• The European private forest has been globally

under harvested for more than 20 years, but…

…Why aren’t forest owners harvesting it?

• It is time to propose solutions to increase wood mobilisation in Europe

8

Forest owners’ key points in wood mobilisation

• Mobilisation of forest owners’ income

• Demand driven from the markets

• Respects the ownership rights→ voluntary cooperation

9

CEPF – The voice of European Family Forestry

• Founded in 1994

• The umbrella federation of family forestry in Europe

• Represents the interests of family forest owners vis-à-vis the

European Institutions

• Participates in international and global forest policy fora

• Assembles national forest owner associations of 24 European

countries

• 2 General Assemblies per year

10

CEPF – in 24 countriesAustria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxemburg

Netherlands

Norway

Portugal

Slovakia

Spain

Sweden

SwitzerlandUnited Kingdom

11

CEPF’s main objective…

…is to foster reliable political framework conditions that enable long-term responsible investment in sustainable forest management by family forest owners

12

CEPF -Action in Brussels-- Member in different Commission Advisory Commitées (Forestry & Cork, Rural Development, Climate Change, Forest-Based Industries)

- Lobbying in different European Institution

- e.g. DG Agriculture, Environment, Enterprise, Trade, Research

- e.g. EU Parliament

- Working Groups (with common statement papers)

- e.g. CEPI & CEI-bois (Core group, Communication)

- e.g. Natura 2000 user forum (with ELO, FACE, European Fishers…)

- e.g. FBI Forum

- e.g. COPA-COGECA working party on forestry

- CEPF working groups (for Bio-energy, cooperatives, communication, research&development….)

- European Forestry House (cooperation with EUSTAFOR (European State Forest Association), EFI (European Forest Institute), FTP (Forest-based Sector Technology Platform), ENFE (European Network of Forest Entrepreneurs))

13

The global perspective

• IPF, IFF, UNFF – from an ad hoc panel to a permanent forum

CEPF – the focal point for the Major group “Small forest landowners”

• IFFA – International Family Forestry Alliance

• FAO – the technical expert

14

Priorities• EU Climate Change Policy - Boost bio-energy

• Strengthen forest owner association and cooperation – in order to get the right power for future challenges (different wood and non-wood market demands; wood mobilisation)

• EU Forest Action Plan

• Research (FTP; FP 7)

15

Case Finland

Possibility to increase fellings in Finnish forests with 10-15 milj. m3 durably.

1. Market demand steers the offer development

a. Influence of the forest industry’s structural development on timber demand

b. International development of timber prices

c. Growth of forest energy use

2. Measures of the forest policy for intensifying forest use

a. Forestry and environmental legislation

b. Legislation concerning land ownership

c. Tax legislation

d. Labour and education policy