Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee

Setting the Agenda in Nordic Forest Research in an Era of Globalization

Niels Elers Koch IUFRO Vice President Director General, Professor Danish Centre for Forest, Landscape and Planning University of , 1.1 Norden • What is Norden?

• Five countries •Denmark • • • •

• and three autonomous territories Norway Finland • the Faroe Islands Åland • Greenland Sweden •Åland Iceland Faroe Islands Denmark • Covers eight time zones. Greenland • Over 24 million citizens. • Ca. 60 million ha forests. Nordic Council of Ministers Nordisk Ministerråd

The Nordic Council of Ministers, founded in 1971, is the Nordic organisation for inter- governmental co-operation.

The tasks are to improve Nordic co-operation, promote Nordic identity and work in favour of Nordic interests.

The five take turns at chairing the Council for a year at a time. Norden as a global winner region Nordisk Ministerråd

To start with !

• Global economy increases both competition and possibilities

• EU as cooperation but also competition Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee

Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee (SNS)

The overall purpose of SNS is to promote research into the diverse functions in sustainable forestry, as well as to advice the Nordic Council of Ministers on questions concerning forests and forestry research.

SNS wishes to contribute to socially, economically and ecologically responsible management and utilization of forests and timber resources in the Nordic region.

The areas of responsibility of the SNS encompasses forests and other wooded areas. Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee

Specific goals: • to create Nordic synergy within forestry research by granting support to networks, research meetings, projects, joint utilization of unique research facilities, etc. • to promote the development of new research areas through initiating networks and task forces • to promote research co-operation with the Adjacent areas (mainly the Baltic countries and Northwest )

• to strengthen the role of Nordic forestry research in European collaboration and encourage Nordic forest researchers to take part in international projects

• to work to ensure that research results are communicated Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee

Organization The SNS executive committee has two members from each Nordic country (and two deputies)

Members represent research institutes, research funding bodies, forest administration agencies and forest owners and industrial interests.

The SNS secretariat rotates between the Nordic countries, and is from January 1st 2006 based in Finland at METLA. Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee

SNS gives financial support to the following types of research collaboration: - Virtual Centers of Advanced Research (CAR) - Research projects - Preparatory studies for larger projects (pilot projects) - Networking activities - Preparation of applications to the EU framework program

Budget: 1 million € per year Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee

Virtual Centers of Advanced Research (CAR)

SNS support granted for 5 years

A combination of networks and projects

SNS contributes about 50 000 € to each CAR per year (about 10 % of total costs) Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee

Virtual Centers of Advanced Research (CAR) -a network, approved by SNS, with a specified core in terms of scientific subject matter and leadership, in which research is carried out in a decentralized manner - as agreed on in regular planning processes by the CAR partners themselves - and as funded by the participants - each CAR must address the question of integrating existing networks of SNS in the area - a CAR should be open to other Nordic research in the area - a CAR should be open to Baltic/Adjacent Area cooperation Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee

Presently approved CARs - Nordic-Baltic Centre of Advanced Research on Forestry serving Urbanised Societies (CARe-FOR-US) - Centre of Advanced Research on Environmental Services (CAR-ES)

- Centre for Advanced Research in Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (GENE-CAR)

- Operations Systems - Centre of Advanced Research (OS-CAR)

- Virtual Centre of advanced Research in Forest Pathology (Pat-CAR) Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee

Target areas defined in strategy plan 2007-2009: • Sustainable utilisation of wood resources for generating energy and as compensation to fossile fuels • The impacts of climate change on the forests and forest sector • Wood material science and increased utilisation of wood products • The economic and social value of forests in the society of tomorrow • Biodiversity and nature values of forests Nordic Forest Research Cooperation Committee

www.nordicforestresearch.org WoodWisdom-Net (www.woodwisdom.net)

Expected funding available for some partners (in million Euro):

Finland: Tekes: 7,5 Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MMM) 0,3 Academy of Finland 1,0

Denmark: Danish Forest and Nature Agency 2,0 Research Council for Prod. & Technology 1,0

Norway: The Research Council of Norway 1,2 Innovation Norway 0,4

Sweden: Formas 1,5 VINNOVA 0,45

Nordic Forest Research Coopperation Committee 0,25

Austria 3,0 ?

Germany 2,25 Danish Centre for Forest, Landscape, and Planning University of Copenhagen WorkingWorking areasareas

We are working with • research and development • education and training • monitoring • advisory services and dissemination of knowledge • ministry services • development and environ- mental aid within the following areas: forest, landscape and planning VisionVision

We want to generate opportunities for development for • people • cities • landscapes and •forests in a creative interaction between the four elements and everybody in Skov & Landskab StartingStarting fromfrom

Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Danish Forest and Landscape Dept. of Economics, Research Institute and Natural Resources Ministry of the Environment Research based Research based advising and education dissemination of knowledge

Danish Forestry College Ministry of Education Job oriented education Danida Forest Seed Centre Ministry of Foreign Affairs Development aid SkovSkov && LandskabLandskab MergerMerger

We have merged because it will • strengthen our professional environment and our competitiveness • create a unit with national as well as international weight • secure good coherence between the educations • secure coherence in the knowledge chain The Skov & Landskab affiliation

Ministry of the Ministry of Science, Ministry of Ministry of Education Environment Technology and Innovation Foreign Affairs

Rektor of UC

Skov & Landskab

»Subsidiary company« to UC with four main stockholders GlobalGlobal nicheniche

We want to be leading in the World in: • Urban forestry • Christmas trees and greenery

• Environmental services from forests StaffStaff andand economyeconomy

• approx. 150 scientists and ca. 300 in total • a total budget of approx. 20 mill. € per year