Browsing by Subject "metsänomistajat"

Solutions to mitigate climate change are continuously sought, and one of the most considerable way is to increase carbon seques-tration in forests. Climate impact of Finnish forests has been positive over the last ten years but carbon sequestration is possible to further increase. In Finland, most of the forests are privately owned, so the addition of carbon sequestration requires changes in forest management to support carbon sequestration. The study examines the Helsinki metropolitan area private forest owners’ attitude to increase carbon sequestration in their own forests. Attitude is considered from the perspective of forest owners’ percep-tions on climate change, the importance of forest ownership, and acceptability of the various possible ways to increase carbon sequestration. The data was collected between November and December 2015 by thematic interviews (n = 15) of the Pääkau-punkiseudun metsänomistajat ry (PKMO) members. Forest owners’ attitude to increase carbon sequestration in their own forests was favorable but the majority consider compensation as the most important condition for participation. Forest owners could be divided into four types concerning their views on storing carbon in their own forests. Forest owners’ willingness to participate is influenced by their knowledge of the link between climate change and forests, the factors related to owners and their parcels, as well as to acceptability of possible policy instruments and programs. In terms of political guidance, it is important to provide flexible and cost-effective ways to increase carbon sequestration in private forests. Designing political instruments, the potential link between economic incentives and increasing awareness should be taken into account. In addition, the aim of political instruments is to primarily reach potentials, because pioneers are already taking measures to sequester carbon in their forests. Deniers are able to get involved in carbon sequestration by offering various ways to increase carbon sequestration as well as compensation that is equivalent to the lost in timber sales revenue. From the perspective of political guidance, the most problematic forest owners to reach in carbon sequestration programs are indifferent owners.

The operation environment in the roundwood trade in Finland in the 1990’s include several changes. They are changes in the structure of non-industrial private forest (NIPF) ownership, forest taxation, in forest legislation, in price recommendation agreement, diminishing resources of forestry extension services, etc. At the same time, the roundwood demand has been rising. All these developments cause uncertainty in wood procurement organisations, and call for research to find out how to adapt into the changing environment. The objective of this study is to produce information for roundwood purchasing planning and cus-tomer satisfaction management to be used by Stora Enso Metsä Customer Service, Helsinki. For this pur-pose, data needs to be gathered about the urban NIPFs and their forest estates, behaviour related to forestry and timber-selling, customer satisfaction in their latest timber selling transaction, and their opinions about Enso’s new customer service office and its service concept. To fulfil the objective of the study, a NIPF -owner -survey (N=1064, response rate 39,7%) was con-ducted in October 1998-January 1999. The sample was made on the basis of the marketing database of Stora Enso Oyj Forest Customer Service in Helsinki. In planning the frame of reference of the empirical study, the model of service quality by Grönroos was applied. The following aspects were included in the 7-page questionnaire: demographic, sosio-economic and forest estate background, relation to the forest service supply, behaviour related to forestry, timber-selling motives and behaviour, last contact organisation and its image in forestry business, expectations and percep-tions in the latest timber-selling transactions, and behavioural intentions. The results revealed that the share of women, pensioners and academically educated people among forest owners was quite high. The majority of the forest estates of the metropolitan forest owners were situ-ated in the provinces of South Finland and East Finland. The average forest estate area was considerably smaller than in a previous study. Economic and recreational objectives were most important in the use of forests. Forest Associations were involved in half of the roundwood sales transactions of the respondents in the metropolitan area. The wood quantity of transactions was considerably higher than the average in the whole country. Bank-organised forest-related activities, taxation infos and trips to the forest were the most popular activities. Among the services, silvicultural advices were needed mostly and stub treatment least. Brochure material related to stumpage timber sales and taxation were considered most important compared to material related to delivery sales. The service expectations were at highest for women and they were less satisfied with the service than men. 2nd and 3rd generation residents of the metropolitan area thought about the new customer service concept more positively than the 1st generation residents. Internet users under 60 years thought more positively about new satellite picture-based woodlot search concept. Cross-tabulation of factor scores against background variables indicated that women with relatively low education level a greater need to sell roundwood than entrepreneurs, white-collar workers and directors, and Internet users. Suspiciousness towards timber procurement organisations was relatively strong among women and those whose forest income share of the total income was either null or over 20 %. The average customer satisfaction score was negative in all nine questions. Statistical differences be-tween different companies did not exist in the average satisfaction scores. Stora Enso’s Helsinki forest cus-tomer service could choose the ability to purchase all timber grades as its competitive advantage. Out of nine service dimension included in the questionnaire, in this particular service dimension, Enso’s Helsinki forest customer service’s score exceeded most all organisations’ average customer satisfaction score. On the basis of importance – performance matrix, advice and quidance could have been provided more to the forest owners in their latest timber–selling transaction.