The forest sector in the Baltic States, i.e. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, has recovered and advanced rapidly after the transition to market economy since the early 1990s. The countries are a growing home to thriving solid wood processing industries. The Baltic states currently rank globally in the second place as pellet exporters after US and significant producers and exporters of softwood sawnwood, birch plywood, OSB and prefabricated houses. The sawnwood production volumes have increased four times and plywood production volumes even six times over the past 25 years. The forest sector forms around 5% of the added value in the region.
Main reasons behind the rapid development of forest sector have been the significant forest resources coupled with local and international investments into advanced wood processing, as attracted also by well-educated and skilled labour. The development has been largely supported by cross-border co-operation between the countries and rapid introduction of new technologies and information systems.
The forest area of the three Baltic States totals almost 8 million ha and has almost doubled during the last 100 years, resulting by and large from reforestation and afforestation of (marginal) agricultural lands. At the same period, the growing stock has increased four times to 1.7 billion m3. The annual harvesting volume is close to 30 million m3. Due to progressing silviculture measures, increasing volumes of forests will mature for harvesting in future, especially for quality wood. At the same time, there will be added scope for biodiversity management and forest-based carbon sequestration as a part of sustainable forest management.
Dasos has been one of the forerunners in the Baltic timberland markets, being today one of the largest forest managers in the region. Since entering the market Dasos has focused on sustainable and responsible forestry and building long-term co-operation with local and international partners in wood sales and forest management. All Dasos forests in the Baltics are certified under the FSC certification scheme.
For further information, please contact Sami Veijalainen, sami.veijalainen@dasos.fi
