In the forest estate market, some buyers want an estate close to their home, but Jari Lamminen, from Pirkkala in southwestern Finland, has never considered the forest’s location a restriction for purchase.
Lamminen’s forests are located in Ruovesi, Ylöjärvi, Enontekiö and Kittilä. His most distant forest estate is more than 900 kilometres from his home.
“I’ve never felt that any of my estates was too far away. I’ve always trusted that I can find professional forest management competence in Finland.”
Lamminen, a member of Metsäliitto Cooperative, is satisfied with the services offered by Metsä Group. Among other things, he regularly uses the electronic Metsäverkko service designed for the management and administration of forest assets.
“I can view my forests’ wood reserves and management needs in Metsäverkko. The service can be downloaded to a mobile phone, and I often use the Metsäverkko map software when moving in the forest.”
Lamminen also uses Metsäverkko to communicate with his local forest specialist, request an offer or place an order for forestry work.
“There’s a great need for thinning and other forestry work at my estates in Lapland, so I talk to Roope Nilivaara, my forest specialist, nearly once a month. Communication is easy through the Metsäverkko service or by phone.”
Matti Vehmaanperä, Metsä Group’s forest specialist in Ruovesi, has assisted Lamminen with both wood trade and estate transactions.
“Last autumn, dozens of trees fell down in my forest along the edge of a felling site. Matti handled the wood trade from beginning to end, ensured the area was mounded and ordered the seedlings. A while back, when my son Mikael and I were looking for a forest estate, Matti visited a site on sale and offered us good pointers for determining its value.”
Vehmaanperä has been Lamminen’s forest specialist for ten years, and Niilivaara for six. Lamminen is satisfied with their long cooperation.
“For a remote forest owner, the trust you place in the other party plays a really big role. I’ve had the opportunity to cooperate with great people.”
The advantage of long-lasting cooperation is that both forest specialists have learned to understand how Lamminen wants his forests to be managed.
Lamminen’s forests are managed in accordance with the requirements of forest certification standards. The forest estates in Lapland comply with the FSC®, which means, among other things, that five per cent of the estate’s area is entirely excluded from forestry.
Decaying wood necessary for many species, as well as robust retention trees and protective thickets, are also left in the forest.
“As a forest owner, I consider it important that old trees are saved and that the nature values of forests are safeguarded.”
Lamminen has noticed that attitudes to forest use – and consequently to forest owners – have become stricter in recent years. It worries him.
“Finnish forestry is at a healthy level, and our forest assets continue to increase. Of course, old-growth forests must be saved, but it’s also important to ensure that forests grow and remain carbon sinks.”
Lamminen is a partner in Fysioline, a Tampere-based company that operates in the health care sector, producing and importing exercise and health care products. In addition to Finland, the company is active in the Baltics, Sweden and Norway.
Because of his work, Lamminen travels a lot and often works long days. The forest offers a counterbalance to hectic daily routines.
“My family includes my wife and four children, and we’re all nature lovers. In the early spring, we might take a light packed lunch with us into the forest and enjoy it with coffee made on an open fire.”
Text Maria Latokartano
Photo Tomi Aho
This text was published in Metsä Group’s Viesti 2/2024.
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