Increasing the amount of carbon stored in forests by 30% (in hectares) from the 2018 level
We promote sustainable forest management, which is key to increasing the carbon storage of forests. Forests store carbon while growing. With the sustainable forest management and e.g. thinnings the trees get more light and space that supports the strong growth and accelerates carbon storing. Fertilising the forests can also be used to support the growth.
In 2020, the management of young stands increased 14% compared to the base year as a result of
dedicated efforts. However, the land mass of forest regeneration has declined by 11% due to
smaller volumes of felling.
Increasing the amount of carbon stored in products by 30% (in tonnes) from the 2018 level
Metsä Group aims to increase the amount of carbon stored in products with a long life span. Those products have a clear role in mitigating the climate change. As an example, in buildings wood products store carbon for a long time. In the future, the portfolio may include for example textile fibres.
In 2020 the production of sawn timber and wood products decreased by 8.9% compared to the base year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the strikes that occurred in Finland in early 2020.
In 2020, an investment decision was made to construct a major sawmill in Rauma, Finland, which will greatly increase our volume of carbon-storing products.
Safeguarding biodiversity of forests: We leave high biodiversity stumps in 90% of thinnings and leave retention trees in all the regeneration cuttings
Safeguarding biodiversity is part of our daily actions. For different species, standing and fallen decayed wood is a key habitat. For that, we aim to leave high biodiversity stumps and retentions trees in harvesting.
In 2020, high biodiversity stumps were left in over 84% of thinnings and regeneration logging sites. This
supports the biodiversity of forests through leaving vital habitats for hole nesters and species dependent on decaying wood. Retention trees were left at 94% of all regeneration logging sites. They have two principal purposes: providing a forest with trees of various ages, and with decaying wood.