We took a 3 hour bus ride north from Urjala to the Metsä Bioproduct Mill in Äänekoski, Finland. Here, we toured their facility and learned about a closed economic loop design, and how Metsä uses 100% (or close to it) of each tree they get. They produce a large variety of products and focus on sustainable practices, even generating the energy for their facility and more (~240% of their required energy is generated). Their production methods operate in a closed loop where only timber comes in and only wood products come out. They rely on a variety of forest owners to clear-cut their forests and replant them accordingly, which allows them a large amount of timber year-round. According to them, their practices allow forests to grow faster than they are cut down.
While their practices are sustainable, they are deliberately not mentioning any other measurements of forest health than volume of trees. Biodiversity, deadwood volume, and age difference in trees are all very important factors in forest health, and they aren’t accounted for by Metsä’s methods. Their method of generating energy by burning biomass contributes carbon to the atmosphere. However, their methods are certainly a step in the right direction, and their goal is to be carbon neutral by 2030. These claims they give are just claims, but assuming they are accurate, this type of closed-loop economy should prove effective and sustainable.
My take is that this is a company, and they need to make money. However, they are clearly trying to work towards a better future, and they shouldn’t be chastised for that. While they aren’t accounting for everything when it comes to forest health, volume of trees is an important factor and one of the first ones that should be worked towards maintaining. If given time and incentive to do so, I believe that Metsä will be able to work towards a more sustainable future when it comes to forest health.
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