KARLANDS NEWSLETTER $H:\\Karlands\\photos\\logos for newsletter.JPG$

6/2014

23.10.2014

Sustainable Karelian Landscapes - ENPI Karelia Project KA 528 ______________________________________________________________________________

**KARLANDS’ Approaches Presented in Conference of the Renewable Energy in Petrozavodsk 15-16 Oct. 2014**

Renewable Energy Conference photo.png The project results were presented in the Conference of the Renewable Energy organized by the Nordic Council of Ministers in Petrozavodsk on 15-16 Oct. The conference brought together partners from all over Northwest Russia and provided an opportunity for colleagues to share their unique expertise in the field of renewable energy. Issues and problems related to the development of renewable bioenergy in the Republic of Karelia, Komi, Kaliningrad, Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions were also discussed in the plenary sessions.

ENPI KARLANDS project presented research results on the forest biomass potential in the Muezerkiy and Kostamukshskiy districts in the Republic of Karelia. The utilization of the project results was discussed with the administration of the Kostomukshskiy district and potential opportunities for sustainable resource mobilization were also identified.

Photo: Anna Lopatina

__________________________________________________________________

KARLANDS’ Activities Disseminated in IUFRO Congress in USA 5-11 Oct. 2014

IUFRO Indian representatives.png KARLANDS attended IUFRO Congress (International Union of Forest Research Organizations), the largest forestry congress in the world that was held in Salt Lake City, USA, on 5-11 Oct. The massive scientific forestry event joined together about 3000 officially registered participants (students, presenters) and about 16 000 attendees.

Arches NP kuvakaappaus.PNG The general themes of the Congress included six key sections: 1) Forests for People, 2) Forest Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, 3) Forests and Climate Change, 4) Forest and Water Interactions, 5) Forest Biomass, Bioenergy Forests and Forest Products for a Greener Future, and 6) Forest Health in a Changing World. KARLANDS activities were presented in the first two sections.

The participants of the Congress also had a chance to see the unique local landscapes and their management in practice.

Upper photo: Maxim Trishkin Photo from Arches National Park: http://www.travelwest.net/arches

__________________________________________________________________

KARLANDS' Research Reveals Key Landscape Values and Elements along the Green Belt of Fennoscandia

Alpo Hassinen Landscape.jpg KARLANDS carried out an intensive research on the attitudes and the perceptions of key stakeholders in cross-border landscape management. Forestry specialists and students were asked to evaluate natural aspects, forestry infrastructure, destructive land uses etc. The knowledge is vital for the implementation of a bottom-up approach in integrated landscape planning.

Is this landscape valuable? Photo: Alpo Hassinen

The Russian respondents clearly indicated that clear felling, mining and construction are considered the most harmful activities for landscape integrity. Peat production, agriculture and bioenergy collection were all considered less important. The result might indicate both the frequency of encountered landscapes and the general attitude towards the activity (e.g. if mining and agriculture are compared). Bioenergy is not common on an industrial scale in Russia and extensive stump collection, e.g., is not practiced. The number of respondents in the study was 111.

The Finnish part of the research is still ongoing! Please participate by filling out a questionnaire in English or Finnish. Read more about the study results here.

__________________________________________________________________

KARLANDS at International Forestry Forum and Exhibition in St. Petersburg

Int. Forestry Forum Mr. Shwartz.jpg KARLANDS attended the biggest forestry event in Northwest Russia on 29 Sept. - 2 Oct. The main theme throughout the forum was to discuss major challenges of the Russian forestry sector. The key topics of the forum were forest intensification, European Union Timber Regulation, forest certification, bioenergy development, multiple forestry, and landscape planning.