The inventory, carried out by the Finnish Forest Research Institute, shows that total growth in productive and low productive forests is 98.5 million m3 per year.
The Finnish Forest Association believes growth may actually have broken 100 million m3, since the inventory’s figure is based on the average of the previous five years.
In 1970, the growth rate was 57.2 million m3, while in 1984 it was 68.4 milllion m3.
The volume of wood in the forests also continues to increase, with the 10th NFI showing a figure of €2.19bn m3.
The proliferation of young stands and favourable weather conditions are two reasons given for the increase in forest growth.
Current harvesting is only at 78% of Finland’s sustainable annual cut.
