Clear goals, but how to reach them?
Heidi Salomäki intends to continue forestry on the family farm with economic goals in mind, but nature values are also important to her. She has received a great deal of help in preserving them from her personal forest specialist, Tuomo Kuisma. Together they have surveyed the valuable nature sites and planned the locations of protective thickets and retention trees well before forestry work and felling.
While forest management is long-term by nature, and haste does not play a part in it, every forestry measure still has a specific time and place, with consequences that may stretch decades into the future. The forest specialist’s know-how and experience are a valuable addition when dealing with the whole picture. Tuomo has provided Heidi with guidance and encouragement for making the right decisions. “Although a spend a lot of time in the forest, it is important to have an expert tell you what measures need to be taken.
The forest joins the family
It has always been important for Heidi to take part in forest management as much as possible. By now, she has become familiar with the clearing saw and has also practised establishing a new forest. Heidi has learned that planting can be fun when carried out jointly with family and friends. The forest has joined the family in other ways as well, since the generational handover was organised through a jointly-owned forest, with four family members as the shareholders.
Heidi enjoys forestry work, but since her principal job is in the city, she does not have time for everything. She therefore assigns some of the work to Metsä Group. Tuomo says this suits Metsä very well. “Owner-members can choose to do their own forestry work or have us do some or all of it on a turnkey basis.”
Metsäverkko facilitates communication and wood trade
In her main job, Heidi works in the office with event organisation, which can be seasonally hectic. At such times, forestry work offers exercise as well as a welcome change from office work. Financial aspects are part of a forest owner’s tasks.
Heidi belongs to the generation that is very familiar with mobile technology, and she is used to handling forestry matters through Metsäverkko. “The shareholders of our jointly-owned forest live in different parts of the country, so the online tool makes it easier to sell wood.” In Metsäverkko, the wood trade offer is clearly itemised, and users can have a say in the details. Heidi and the other family members go through the offers remotely and then decide together whether to go ahead with the deal. “And whether the price is right,” says Tuomo. “You said it,” Heidi answers.