Browsing by Author "Hänninen, Maria"

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.