The projects range from short term individual research grants to medium-long term collaboration with multiple partners at national and international level. From the design phase to results dissemination, in all our projects we strive to establish a partecipatory approach with key stakeholders.
Green Forests policies: a comparative assessment of outcomes and trade-offs across Fenno-Scandinavia
The project GreenPole pursues interdisciplinary assessments of forest policy outcomes (climate,
biodiversity, and wider societal impacts). The project is led by Lund University, in a consortium also including Aarhus University and the University of Helsinki. The consortium was funded by
NordForsk. The main reference persons for this project at the University of Helsinki is Adjunct Professor Dalia D'Amato. Prof. Maria Brockhaus at the University of Helsinki is part of the scientific advisory group for GreenPole project.
Decarbon-Home provides research excellence in the intertwined and ongoing climate-related and social challenges which necessitate a major transition in the Finnish housing system. University of Helsinki coordinates the consortium during first stage (2020-23) and contributes to work especially from the perspective of using wood in urban residential construction and renovation. Decarbon-Home is funded by the Strategic Research Council (SRC) established within the Academy of Finland. Researchers involved from the FBBS include University lecturer Eliisa Kylkilahti, Prof. Anne Toppinen, postdoc Elias Hurmekoski, PhD Anne Viljanen. More information on the project site https://decarbonhome.fi/decarbonhome-in-english/
The FORPLAN project aims at developing forest planning and advisory services that support sustainable forest use in private forests. The project first analyses prevailing forest service types from the perspectives of sustainable development and different planning orientations (e.g., comprehensive-rationalistic, communicative, agonist). FORPLAN then measures demand for new kinds of forest services with the aid of a forest owner survey. The goal is to use these results to create new pluralist planning tools for utilization in a variety of existing forest services.
The project is funded by Maj and Tor Nessling foundation. The main reference researcher is post doc Tuomo Takala. Researchers involved from the University of Helsinki include Prof. Anne Toppinen, Prof. Maria Brockhaus, Adjunct Prof. Sami Berghäll. Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland are also involved. More info at: https://metsapalvelututkimus.wordpress.com/
Engaging Forest Relationships
The project aims at analyzing the current state of citizens' forest relationships in Finland and forecasting their changes. The objective is to provide information on how citizens' forest relationships develop and how they can be understood in different life situations and stages. VaiMetsä provides working methods and tools that can be used by different actors to support decision-making, action planning and increasing the impact of work.
The project is funded by Metsämiesten Säätiö and is led by Adjunct Prof. Sami Berghäll. Other members include post-doc researcher Sari Pynnönen, LUKE researcher Liina Häyrinen, Prof. Sirpa Tani and Prof. Katja Lähtinen.
Operationalising ecosystem services in business sustainability: drawing from green and circular-bioeconomy
The project OPES aims at advancing the current understanding and practices of business sustainability by examining the relationship between business and ecosystem services under the effects of emerging joint and multiple green economy and circular-bioeconomy strategies.
The project is funded by Academy of Finland (315912). The main reference persons for this project is postdoc Dalia D'Amato. More info about here.
Orchestrating Sustainable User-driven Bioeconomy: Policy, Transformation and Benefits
This project increases conceptual and empirical understanding of the societal and environmental challenges in the transition to a bioeconomy. The focus is at the industry, firm and consumer level structures driven by changing values, ethics and behavior at markets.
The project is funded by Academy of Finland. The main reference persons for this project are Prof. Anne Toppinen and post-doc researcher Jaana Korhonen. More info about the project here.
Wood Vision 2025 project explores the barriers to and opportunities for increasing the share of wooden multi-storey construction (WMC) in the construction markets, via policy measures, coordination and enhanced collaboration between the actors in the context of Finland and Austria. The project is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland (MMM), Forest Workers’ Foundation (Metsämiesten Säätiö) as well as the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK). The main reference researcher is Adjunct Prof. Ritva Toivonen. Other researchers include Prof. Anne Toppinen, post doc Heini Vihemäki and M.Sc. student Anna Lilja.
A consortium of eight research institutes to better understand regional disparities of national bioeconomy policies and the perceptions of a forest-based bioeconomy. Researchers involved in the Perform project at the FBBS-research group of University of Helsinki include Prof. Lauri Valsta, Prof. Anne Toppinen, postdocs Jaana Korhonen and Dalia D'Amato, PhD student Arttu Malkamäki. The network is funded by the European Forest Institute (EFI).
Bioeconomy Forest Data Initiative
This project will contribute to a better understanding of the innovation potential within data driven carbon accounting and value addition for the forest and wood-based value chains. This contributes to making forests a more attractive arena for sustainable innovation and investment. The goals of the project are:
1. Identify, evaluate and discuss the collection of data from the entire forest and wood value chain to work towards a landscape of opportunities and barriers in carbon accounting, public decision-making and value addition.
2. Identify and discuss potential business models for monetizing from collected data in a sustainable manner.
The project is funded by EU EIT Climate Kic and the partners are the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, University of Helsinki, University of Copenhagen and Aalto University. The project referent is Prof. Lauri Valsta. More info about the project here.
Natural capital and ecosystem services as opportunities for rural land financing and investments
This project aims at analysing the effects of the financial sector on natural capital and ecosystem services following land-use investments under sustainable or green labels. Such topic is gravely under-investigated in scientific research. The role of the financial sector may seem indirect, but it holds substantial potential for resource mobilization towards conservation and enhancement of natural capital. The project involves evaluating professional's adoption of these concepts and as well as defining the shortcomings of knowledge, skills and policy.
The project is funded by funded by Kyösti Haatajan Säätiö. The project is led by PhD Brent Matthies, while other members include Prof. Lauri Valsta and post-doc researcher Dalia D'Amato in collaboration with the company Dasos Capital. More info about the project here.
The Nordic forest-based sector in the bioeconomy
The overall objective of this project is to provide a platform for open communication and co-ordination of relevant thematic elements and research projects related to the Forest-Based Sector’s contributions in the bioeconomy in the Nordic and Baltic countries.
The main reference researcher is Prof. Anne Toppinen. This project is funded by Nordic Forest Research (NORDEN). More info about the project here.
End-user Approach to Development of Business Ecosystems in Wood-Based Building Sector
In collaboration with several domestic and international partners, this project investigates how to create added value in residential, wood-framed building projects by addressing the needs of the end-users in the business ecosystems.
The project is funded by Business Finland and several companies involved in wood construction and wood processing. The main reference researcher is Prof. Anne Toppinen. More information about the project is available here.
Green, Bio, Circular economy: synergies, limits and implementation in the private sector
The research will focus on two complementary objectives: 1. A systematic comparison of current global sustainability concepts Green, Bio and Circular economy (here); 2. The analysis of the implementation level of such concepts in corporate sustainability in land use-intensive sectors. More info about the project here.
The project is funded by Metsäteollisuustuotteiden vientikaupan edistämissäätiö (MVES) and by Jenny ja Antti Wihurin rahasto. The project involves post-doc researcher Dalia D'Amato, Prof. Anne Toppinen and MSc student Simo Veijonaho.
The socioeconomic impacts of large-scale tree plantations on local communities. Examining the empirical evidence.
The project was financed by the Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia. The main reference researchers are Prof. Anne Toppinen and PhD student Arttu Malkamäki. More info about the project here.
Searching for sustainable and competitive future for the forest sector.
The project concentrates on what are the future business conditions of forest-based industries, and especially what strategies of today would promote the long-term survival and both environmental and economic sustainability of the companies in the future.
The project is funded by Academy of Finland. The main reference researcher for this project is Prof. Anne Toppinen.
Interaction between Forest Ecosystem Services and Forestry Enterprises: Insights from Economic Valuation and Sustainability Reporting
ES-GRI was a three-year research project stemming from the joint collaboration of the University of Helsinki in Finland and the Nanjing Forestry University in China. The overall project aims at investigating the interactions – impacts and dependencies – of forest companies and other stakeholders (e.g., local communities) with ecosystem services in the context of China.
The project was financed by the Academy of Finland and the Natural Science Council in China. The main reference researchers is Prof. Anne Toppinen and postdoc Dalia D'Amato. Students Dinglin Cai and Juan Castellano were involved in MSc thesis development on related topics. More info about the project here and here.
Wood society perception
The aim of this project is the development and exemplary implementation of efficient communication strategies which demonstrate the relevance of the European forestry and wood sector as well that of its services and products on the way toward a sustainable society. In this way, the strategies aim to strengthen society's acceptance of the forestry and wood sector.
This project is funded by Tekes. The main reference researcher is Prof. Anne Toppinen. More info about this project here.
Economic and environmental sustainability of forest utilization alternatives - Strategic potentials and challenges for Bioeconomy
This consortium assesses different options for sustainable use of forest resources in the long run, taking into account the preconditions set by other societal challenges. The consortium members are VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and University of Helsinki, Department of Forest Sciences. The project leader is Prof. Lauri Valsta. More info about the project here.
Project focuses on how to shape a resilient building and housing system through the experience and learning of and interaction between businesses, cities (Helsinki and Turku), as well as their residents. The three research work packages include: WP1: Current state of the construction and housing environment and drivers of sustainability change WP2: Relations between businesses and residents towards resilient building and housing system WP3: Domestic and international knowledge and learning through collaboration between researchers, businesses and cities. Funder Business Finland Decarbonized Cities Programme https://www.businessfinland.fi/en/whats-new/news/cision-releases/2023/finnish-solutions-to-promote-the-carbon-neutrality-of-cities-globally
Consortium lead is Katja Lähtinen (Luke), University of Helsinki Sub-project is implemented by Anne Toppinen (PI) and doctoral researcher Anne Viljanen.