Finland’s forest sector employed 200,000 people in 2005, covering a wide range of areas from machinery operators to university lecturers.
More than half were employed directly by forestry, forest industry and other wood-related industries, with 21 million ha of forests supporting the sector, according to figures from the Finnish Forest Association.
In addition, the association has noted that an additional 8,300 jobs could be created if areas protected from commercial work were opened up to the forestry sector.
However, Rita Toivonen, from the Pellervon taloudellinen tutkimuslaitos research institute, has noted that these areas offered employment through tourism and nature management and that, if they were extended, jobs would not be lost as employment in other industries, including tourism, would become available.
