In January 2023, Pekka Pärnänen’s forest specialist at Metsä Group changed when Oona Taskinen, who had been holding the position for two years, went on parental leave.
Before this, Pärnänen and Taskinen had met almost on a monthly basis. At their meetings, the two had discussed management and felling needs and planned future measures at Pärnänen’s forest estates. Wood trade had also been carried out nearly every year.
When Taskinen took parental leave, she was first replaced by Irene Hämäläinen. In October, Hämäläinen got a permanent position in Haukivuori, and the job was taken over by Jere Auvinen, who had previously worked as a forest specialist in Rantasalmi.
The situation was not new for Pärnänen. According to his calculations, he has worked with eight different forest specialists in the last 15 years. Changes of forest specialists have not bothered Pärnänen, and after initial meetings, cooperation has worked well with all of them. It is important that the forest specialist learns from the outset how the forest owner wants their forest to be managed.
“I’ve advised new forest specialists to personally contact the forest owner. It’s the best way to build a common understanding,” Pärnänen says.
The meetings were also important for Auvinen. It can be difficult to provide personal service without understanding the customer: while one forest owner emphasises financial aspects, another considers their forest a source of recreation, and yet another wants to go hunting. There are as many goals as there are forest owners.
“Every forest owner is different. That’s why it’s important to meet and listen to each of them instead of just offering your own ideas.”
Thanks to their meetings, Auvinen knows Pärnänen is a conscientious forest owner who wants forest regeneration, young stand management and thinning to be carried out on time. Even though Pärnänen calls himself a dedicated Metsäliitto man, he does not hesitate to negotiate the best price in wood trade.
However, deals have not been the topic of the first meetings.
“Forest specialists should not go to meetings with only wood trade in mind. You find common ground by just talking about this and that. It’s how you build trust as well,” Auvinen says.
Pärnänen’s forest estates are in Juva and Joroinen in Eastern Finland. The estates cover around 100 hectares in total. Pärnänen inherited his home farm in 1981 and purchased more forest in the 1990s and in the early 2000s.
“Forests have been a good investment, but I don’t plan to buy more. At this age, it’s time to start thinking about dividing forest assets among your heirs,” says Pärnänen, who is now 73.
Pärnänen joined Metsäliitto Cooperative in 1976 because he appreciated the company’s Finnish ownership. Today, he is also a forest asset management customer of Metsä Group.
“For me, the company being Finnish is still important. Owner-membership has also proved a good investment. I’ve invested the income from wood trade in additional shares and have received good interest on them.”
In December, Pärnänen popped in for coffee at the district office. During coffee, the talk turned to a spruce stand that had suffered from the wind.
“Pekka asked me when I’d have time to take a look at it, and the following week, we visited the forest together,” Auvinen says.
Plans for the felling site’s boundaries were drawn up together at the dinner table, and the harvester is expected at the spruce stand before the end of the winter.
Taskinen’s parental leave will end in the autumn, and she will again take over as Pärnänen’s forest specialist.
“When Oona returns to work, we will discuss Pekka’s forests and the performed and planned management and felling work. The goal is to pass the baton as smoothly as possible,” Auvinen says.
This text was published in Metsä Group’s Viesti 1/2024.
Text Maria Latokartano
Photo Matias Honkamaa