Effects of energy wood harvesting on timber production potential and biological diversity in North Karelia, Finland

Abstract

We conducted a two-dimensional production possibility frontier analysis to study the relationships between energy wood removal and 10 variables representing timber production possibilities and biological diversity. The analysis was restricted to the North Karelia region in Eastern Finland over a 40-year period. A large-scale forest planning system was used to define efficient future joint production possibilities between energy wood removal and the 10 variables. The results indicate that in North Karelia, a moderate amount of forest chips and firewood can be harvested without large impacts on the timber production potential or biological diversity. Large amounts of energy wood can be harvested from thinning stands, and this simultaneously supports timber production. Energy wood can be harvested from young stands with only minor effects on variables measuring biological diversity. However, if the economic outcome is maximized, about 50% of the energy wood removal at the target level of 1.5 million m3year_1will be from final cutting areas. The results of this analysis show that economically sound production of energy wood is strongly linked to the harvesting operations of other forest industries.