From forest floor to digital twin: how Joensuu, Finland, is building a world-class forest innovation ecosystem

EFI Bioregions on June 29, 2026

Modern buildings and a brightly lit bridge reflected in a calm river at dusk, surrounded by trees and greenery in Joensuu, Finland

Joensuu, in North Karelia, is Finland’s fourth-largest municipal forest owner, managing around 9,000 hectares of forest. These forests are more than a natural resource – they have become living laboratories for research, innovation, and sustainable forest management. 

Here is a selection of recent articles published by the City of Joensuu showcasing how the region is using its forests to advance research, data science, energy innovation, and urban planning. 

Forests as a breeding ground for innovation in Joensuu

Joensuu’s forests serve many purposes, from Marteloscope observation sites for virtual learning and tree selection training to pilot grounds for continuous-cover forestry and forest-fire prevention using artificial intelligence. A particular strength of the city is the integration of the forest bioeconomy and photonics, which underpins its RDI activities. The city’s Forest Joensuu innovation ecosystem, active since 2023, is focused on turning this expertise into exportable solutions and new jobs, with a particular focus on high-value side streams, biomass valorisation, and sustainable wood processing. 

Read more

World-class forest data 

Joensuu is home to a growing cluster of remote sensing companies and research institutions, including the Finnish Forest Centre and Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), that are pushing the boundaries of tree-level data, biodiversity monitoring, and eventually fully automated forest digital twins.

Digital twins for forest roads 

Aerial view of Joensuu with a mix of modern and historical buildings, green parks, and a bustling square surrounded by trees.
Aerial view of Finnish town Joensuu. Photo: dudlajzov, Adobe Stock

Finland has approximately 160,000 kilometres of forest roads, making its network one of Europe’s densest. The Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) is creating digital twins of these forest roads in Joensuu, working with companies and research organisations. Road weather stations gather real-time data on temperature, moisture, and load capacity, which feed into predictive models. These models assist in planning wood harvesting, transportation, and maintenance more effectively, leading to potential cost reductions and enhanced safety in the sector. 

Robots analyse the quality of the wood for energy 

At Savon Voima’s heating plant in Joensuu, a sampling robot analyses the quality of incoming wood material, ensuring that excessively moist biomass is not burned inefficiently but is blended into drier fractions. The system uses LiDAR cameras, automated core sampling, and moisture-prediction algorithms to improve energy efficiency and sustainability traceability, with wood traceable back to the forest stand from which it was harvested. 

Data for climate-resilient urban planning 

The University of Eastern Finland (UEF), together with Karelia University of Applied Sciences and the City of Joensuu, has developed the Weather Vulnerability Index (WVI). It is a model that identifies the most vulnerable areas in a city and supports sustainable urban planning. The model combines solar exposure, wind speed, building stock data, and vegetation indices to map climate risk at the neighbourhood level and is designed as a universal method applicable to cities worldwide. 

Want to connect with other regions working on the forest bioeconomy? 

EFI Bioregions brings together regions to exchange knowledge and accelerate innovation in the forest bioeconomy. We would love to hear from your region. Have a news story, initiative, or success from your region worth sharing? Get in touch at bioregions@efi.int. 

Featured image: Rami Saarikorpi

DP-FOBI launch event introduced a new doctoral programme for advancing the forest-based bioeconomy

Satu Helenius on May 27, 2026

Row Of Young Adults At Work Photo

The University of Eastern Finland has launched the Doctoral Programme for Advancing Forest-Based Bioeconomy, DP-FOBI, a new international doctoral training programme co-funded through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND scheme.

The programme will recruit 15 doctoral researchers to four-year, fully funded positions at UEF. The application period opens on 11 June 2026 and closes on 10 August 2026, with selections planned for December 2026 and appointments by March 2027. DP-FOBI was introduced at a launch event held on 22 May 2026 at the Carelia building on UEF’s Joensuu campus, with the possibility to participate remotely.

The event presented the programme’s research themes, doctoral training model, recruitment process and collaboration opportunities. Guest speaker Saara Suurla, CEO of SpringDNA, also contributed to the event with a talk on moving from research to action.

Guest speaker Saara Suurla, CEO of SpringDNA, discussed how research can be translated into action. (Photo by Helen Reijonen)

Interdisciplinary research for sustainable forest-based solutions

DP-FOBI is designed to support doctoral research that addresses major sustainability challenges linked to forests, wood-based value chains, and the wider bioeconomy. The programme brings together expertise from across UEF, including forest sciences, chemistry, geography, law, public health and clinical nutrition, humanities and business studies.

The research themes reflect the broad and interconnected nature of the forest-based bioeconomy. They include forest inventory and ecosystem modelling, artificial intelligence and simulation-optimisation in forest management planning, laser scanning for tree structure and wood quality assessment, dead wood dynamics, forest plantations and ecosystem services, novel forest-based products, biomass-derived chemical fractions, enzymatic biomass conversion, forest-based food and functional resources, intellectual property rights, market behaviour, consumer choices, sustainability assessment and forest-related discourses.

Through this wide thematic scope, the programme aims to strengthen research-based solutions for resource-efficient and climate-smart wood-based value chains, non-extractive forest use, novel non-timber forest product innovations, and the commercialisation of new bioeconomy solutions.

Training future experts through research, mobility and collaboration

DP-FOBI is closely connected to the UEF Forests and Bioeconomy Research Community, providing doctoral researchers with an interdisciplinary research environment and opportunities to work with academic, public-sector and industry partners.

The FOBI Research Community connects forests, technology, and society to advance sustainable bioeconomy solutions.

The programme includes customised doctoral training that supports knowledge exchange between doctoral researchers, supervisors, mentors, companies and other stakeholders. Training activities will include biannual DP-FOBI workshops, summer schools on interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration, a forest-based bioeconomy hackathon, a stakeholder social lab, and a workshop on intellectual property rights and commercialisation.

Each doctoral research project will also include international mobility, such as secondments or short research visits to universities, research institutes or industry collaborators. These opportunities are intended to strengthen global career readiness and help doctoral researchers connect their scientific work with practical applications and societal needs.

A programme rooted in regional strengths and international networks

Professor Jouni Pykäläinen presented the new DP-FOBI doctoral programme at the launch event on UEF’s Joensuu campus. (Photo by Anu Laakkonen)

The launch event highlighted the role of UEF and eastern Finland as a strong environment for forest bioeconomy research and innovation. DP-FOBI builds on regional, national and international networks, including research institutes, innovation ecosystems, companies, policy actors and international research networks.

Read more about the DP-FOBI research themes and how to apply here.

Contact us

For further information, please contact:

  • Jouni Pykäläinen, Professor (forest economics and forest policy), Director of the Forests and the Bioeconomy research community, Scientific Coordinator of the DP-FOBI project, University of Eastern Finland, jouni.pykalainen@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 382 6094
  • Tommi Laukkanen, Professor (marketing and consumer behaviour), Director of the Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Research Group, Scientific Coordinator of the DP-FOBI project, University of Eastern Finland, tommi.laukkanen@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 438 7423
  • Helen Reijonen, University Lecturer, Impact Manager of the DP-FOBI project, University of Eastern Finland, helen.reijonen@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 435 2408

Featured image: Matthew Henry / Burst

Responsible future of wood use discussed at the 10th Karelia Symposium at the University of Eastern Finland

Dr. Henrik Heräjärvi and Satu Helenius on April 29, 2026

Authors: Dr. Henrik Heräjärvi and Satu Helenius

The 10th Karelia Symposium: Responsible Future of Wood Use took place on April 16 2026, at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) in Joensuu. Supported by the Teollisuusneuvos Heikki Väänänen’s Fund and co‑funded by the European Union, the symposium brought together researchers, students, industry representatives, and policymakers to explore and discuss how wood-based value chains contribute to sustainability transition and responsibility questions.

The programme combined invited keynote presentations, a panel discussion, poster pitching, presentations by previous grant recipients, announcement of the 2026 grant recipient, and the Best Poster Award. Throughout the day, discussions were framed by responsibility, strong sustainability, circular bioeconomy solutions, and the need for cross-sectoral collaboration.

Erno Järvinen (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland) is delivering the opening remarks, with Dr Henrik Heräjärvi as Chair of the Karelia Symposium. Picture by Jan Kunnas

From circular forest industries to strong sustainability

Keynote presentations addressed the transformation of forest-based industries in response to climate change, biodiversity loss, and evolving societal expectations driven by consumer awareness and normative guidance.

Professor Leena Aarikka‑Stenroos (Tampere University) examined pathways towards circular and low‑carbon forest-based industries, highlighting that technological innovation, business models, and societal acceptance must develop in parallel. She emphasised smart value chains, industrial symbiosis, and higher value creating solutions as key enablers of sustainable competitiveness.

An industry perspective was provided by CEO Mika Rytky (Kontiotuote Ltd.), who discussed sustainability as a critical success factor in the built environment. Log construction was presented as a long‑lasting carbon storage and a low‑emission alternative for the construction sector that is the largest greenhouse gas producing sector globally.

In a joint keynote, Dr. Anu Laakkonen and Katri Rusanen (University of Eastern Finland) explored the question “What is enough?” in the Finnish forest-based sector. Their presentation introduced strong sustainability, sufficiency, and regenerative thinking, stressing that economic activities should be embedded within planetary boundaries – a great challenge for humankind that currently consumes the resources of several planets. Forests were discussed as socio‑ecological systems that provide multiple values, including biodiversity, climate change mitigation, cultural meaning and human well‑being, alongside products and energy that reduce the need to use nonrenewable resources.

Panel discussion: Bridging responsibility gaps

The panel discussion, chaired by Sandra Lupien (University of Eastern Finland / Michigan State University), synthesised insights from the keynote talks. Discussion focused on how responsibility can be operationalised across forest-based value networks. Keynote speakers, supplemented by Dr. Kathryn Fernholz (Dovetail Partners, USA), ended up highlighting the need to clarify what responsible wood use means for practitioners.

Panel discussion featuring invited experts at the Karelia Symposium. Picture by Jan Kunnas

Key takeaways included the importance of radical cross‑sector collaboration, the recognition that much of the required knowledge and technology already exists, and the need to connect this knowledge into action through social licence, policies, and market demand. The discussion emphasised that sustainability should be de facto strong, with business value propositions centred on nature, planetary boundaries, and ethical paths for growth. Many woodworking companies, small and medium-sized in particular, already obey the rules of responsibility, while not necessarily even recognising it.

Posters, student research, and emerging solutions

Poster pitching and student presentations showcased a wide range of current research topics related to responsible wood use and forest bioeconomy at the UEF. These included biochar applications, indoor air quality in timber buildings, life‑cycle carbon impacts of end‑of‑life wood, biomass valorisation, use of bark beetle-damaged logs, and bio‑based alternatives to synthetic wood preservatives. Presentations by previous recipients of the Teollisuusneuvos Heikki Väänänen’s Fund illustrated the breadth and societal relevance of research supported through the fund.

Grant recipient and Best Poster Award

The symposium concluded with the announcement of the 2026 PhD grant recipient of the Teollisuusneuvos Heikki Väänänen’s Fund. The grant was awarded to Ville Oskari‑Komu for his research project “Cascade utilisation of idle forests – Enhancing the value of forests and forestry side streams through cultivation of Inonotus obliquus for spalted wood and nutraceuticals.”  The Best Poster Award – decided by audience votes – was presented to Viivi Berg for her poster “Birch wood and fibre hemp biochar – safe additives in bio‑based composites?”.

Concluding the symposium day

The 10th Karelia Symposium: Responsible Future of Wood Use conveyed a clear and shared conclusion: responsibility in wood-based value chains cannot be framed as incremental improvement, but requires fundamental rethinking of how value, growth, and sustainability are defined.

Across all presentations and discussions, participants highlighted that responsibility is not only a technical or efficiency question. Instead, it involves clarifying what “responsible” means in practice, recognising ecological, societal, and economic boundaries at the same time. Responsibility goes beyond the sustainability norms and regulations, involving a strong presence of ethics.

Overall, the Karelia Symposium underscored that achieving a responsible future for wood use is not the task of any single actor. It requires shared definitions, system‑level re-thinking and long‑term commitment.

How can European regions help develop the bioeconomy?

Rodrigo Mendes on April 21, 2025

European regions map

Regions play a crucial role in advancing the bioeconomy across Europe. Their closeness to local communities, businesses, and ecosystems gives them a distinctive advantage in aligning bioeconomic initiatives with regional socio-economic and environmental priorities. 

This local perspective allows regions to develop tailored approaches that address their areas’ specific needs, resources, and potential, whether that involves supporting rural development, enhancing sustainability in agriculture and forestry, or creating new market opportunities in bio-based industries. 

European regions are empowered to create and implement targeted policy instruments, regional bioeconomy strategies, and financial mechanisms that can tackle structural challenges, such as fragmented value chains, limited innovation uptake, and skills gaps. 

By leveraging EU funding programmes, mobilising local stakeholders, and investing in capacity building, European regions can serve as catalysts for sustainable economic development and transition toward a more circular and resource-efficient economy. 

European regions and their strategies 

In the EU Member States, 194 regions either have or are developing strategies related to the bioeconomy. This highlights the significant role of regions in promoting the bioeconomy in Europe. 

One example comes from Catalonia, Spain. The Catalan Bioeconomy Strategy (EBC2030) aims to promote the sustainable development of the region’s economy by fostering the production of biological resources and local, renewable processes. Forests are included in two of the four value chains that drive the Action Plan 2022–2024: improving forest management, utilising forest resources, and providing ecosystem services. 

Additionally, Flanders, Belgium has set targets to develop a competitive bioeconomy by 2030. Some of the region’s strategic objectives include establishing a comprehensive Flemish policy that promotes and enables the development of a sustainable bioeconomy and enhancing the competitiveness and market growth of bioeconomic sectors in Flanders. 

In Austria, the national bioeconomy strategy focuses on key players in agriculture, forestry, water and waste management, processing, and retail sectors. Regional governments, businesses, and research institutions work together to promote sustainable practices and speed up the transition to a bio-based economy.

European regions map and bioeconomy strategy
Some regions have multiple strategies related to the bioeconomy. On this map, regions appear only with the strategy that is ranked highest in the strategy pyramid (see map legend). © EU, 2022

Regions and cross-sector collaboration 

“The bioeconomy is the production, utilisation, conservation, and regeneration of biological resources, including related knowledge, science, technology, and innovation, to provide sustainable solutions (information, products, processes and services) within and across all economic sectors and enable a transformation to a sustainable economy.” 

The bioeconomy includes different sectors along the value chain, from forestry and agriculture to biochemistry, biotechnology, and construction. 

Understanding European regions’ unique perspective and expertise becomes an opportunity to foster innovation and develop new technologies. 

For example, the Bioeconomy Council of North Rhine-Westphalia is an independent body that brings together experts from science, industry, and civil society to assist the state government in shaping a sustainable and innovative bioeconomy strategy for Germany. 

So, forests can be used to create products and services that help the economy replace fossil-based materials, and that’s where forest-based bioeconomy comes in. 

As the bioeconomy increases, the demand for forest goods and services increases economic opportunities for the sector, for example, bioenergy, wood construction, packaging products, chemicals, and textiles.  

In the Basque Country, Spain, where forests cover more than 54% of the land surface, the government is working to advance a forest-based bioeconomy through partnerships with tech hubs and research centres. This initiative promotes training, entrepreneurship, research, development, innovation policy, and specific clusters. 

Still on innovation, Castile and León’s Bioeconomy and Circular Economy Vertical Accelerator’s goal is to promote innovative projects that contribute to the economic and sustainable development of the region, strengthening its business network with talent and projects that contribute to job creation. 

Thus, the Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León (ICECYL) and the Cesefor Foundation will support companies. Some support includes mentoring, access to financing, specialised training, and the opportunity to establish strategic alliances with key players in the sector. 

Advancing bioeconomy in European regions

Regions also face different challenges and require tailored solutions, which is important for creating a cohesive and competitive European bioeconomy. 

However, implementing bioeconomy strategies at the regional level continues to be a challenge. Many stakeholders still lack the knowledge to convert their strategy into region-specific solutions that align with their resources, infrastructure, and national goals. 

Therefore, fostered cooperation and knowledge sharing can be powerful tools for developing the bioeconomy. Initiatives like the BIO2REG Consortium, ERRIN, the Vanguard Initiative, ERIAFF, and the Bioregions Facility can help connect regions and stakeholders. 

The Bioregions Facility: working with European regions

For five years, the Bioregions Facility has been working with European regions to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, forest-based circular bioeconomy through knowledge sharing, stakeholder engagement, and innovation support. 

Governed by a multi-donor trust fund and facilitated by the European Forest Institute (EFI), the Facility is a hub for European regions to co-learn, align visions, and enhance their bioeconomy strategies. 

In 2025, we welcomed three more regions: Austrian regions, Castile and León (full members), and Flanders (Observer). These regions will join the Basque Country, Catalonia, North Rhine-Westphalia (full members), and the Committee of the Regions – NAT Commission (observer). 

Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn to learn more about forest-based bioeconomy, the work of our regions, and more. 

Featured image: AvigatorPhotographer from Getty Images & European Map from mapchart.net / Edited in Canva 

Bioregions Open Innovation Challenge: a year in review

Bioregions Facility on December 2, 2024

Bioregions Open Innovation Challenge winners

A year after announcing the winners of the Bioregions Open Innovation Challenge launched in 2022, the winners from Finland, Serbia and Spain shared their journey implementing their projects in North Rhine-Westphalia, Catalonia, the Basque Country and North Karelia.

Biomonitoring station

From left to right: a stationary air quality monitoring station, a mobile handy air quality and ozone monitoring device, and a device for detecting and early warning of smoke. Image courtesy of Zoran Poduška. 

The biomonitoring station is a set of smaller devices designed to detect, measure and monitor ambient air quality, including temperature and humidity, ground-level ozone, and forest smoke. 

During this one year, the team assembled the devices, developed the data-collection software, and conducted field tests. The station was tested in a natural environment in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Lessons learned 

“The biomonitoring station is a simple, accurate, financially sound, and easy-to-use set of devices; the sensors showed satisfactory measurement accuracy,” said Dr Zoran Poduška, the project head. 

During the tests, the team noticed the need to design a new device – an underground temperature and humidity sensor. This new device could help monitor disturbances like windstorms and early warning bark beetle calamities.

Assessing and monitoring carbon offsets in forests 

Bioregions Open Innovation Challenge Fora winner presentation
Iñigo Lizarralde, CEO of Föra, presenting at the Forestry Speed Dating webinar.

Föra forest technologies (föra) has a forest intelligence platform called förecast, which allows the assessment of carbon offsets in forests. This tool estimates the carbon stock in the forest and measures other forest variables using remote sensing and artificial intelligence. 

One of the most competitive functionalities of förecast is the capacity to calculate accurate and updated estimations of forest variables critical to forest management decisions. 

Lessons learned 

The number of players in the forest carbon market increased exponentially. For example, 146 million credits were retired (carbon credits that have been permanently removed from circulation after being purchased and claimed by an entity to offset its greenhouse gas emissions) in 2022, more than double in comparison with 2019. 

“However, some companies lack reliability and transparency in how they calculate or estimate carbon”, said Iñigo Lizarralde, CEO of Föra. Consequently, this created reputational damage to the whole sector. 

Förecast emphasises the need to guarantee accuracy and reliability, i.e., scientific soundness, carbon estimates, and carbon monitoring. It also must make biological sense since “we’re talking about trees.” 

Föra designed an almost-ready feasible prototype in North Rhine-Westphalia, and they were in contact with the Basque Country and Catalonia for future collaborations. 

Working with local forest owners 

Image courtesy of Panu Torniainen.

The Zerti Carbon project involved working with local independent forest owners who have been managing their forests. Together with the forest owners, the project examined their forest management practices. Drone flights were carried out, and tree mapping was conducted for biomass calculations. 

Lessons learned 

It is important to include the forest owner during the project’s implementation. For example, it is important to understand how much forest owners know about and contribute to carbon markets. One challenge for the company was finding a forest owner interested in this earning model for their property and new forest management practices.  

For example, some owners had doubts about the CO2 markets. The project was conducted in North Karelia, Finland, and Catalonia, Spain. 

Bioregions Open Innovation Challenge

Sign up for the Bioregions Facility InfoFlash to receive the latest news and updates on the next Open Innovation Challenge, and follow the Facility on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Plus, explore Föra and Zerti Carbon factsheets from the Forestry Speed Dating webinar series.

Driving innovation: students and sustainable business models in forest-based bioeconomy

Rodrigo Mendes on November 10, 2023

canopy view of a forest with green leaves. It's morning. There are hexagrams representing innovation and ideas coming out of the trees towards the sky

Within the bioeconomy, many new technologies and innovations have been studied and implemented, such as for wood construction, wood-based fibres for the textile industry, well-being, and non-wood forest products. But how can we guarantee the commercialisation and the knowledge transfer of these innovations into the market?

Dedicated to empowering and supporting aspiring entrepreneurs, the NOMADI Project organises workshops for students passionate about entrepreneurship and the bioeconomy. These workshops serve as transformative catalysts, fuelling innovation and paving the way for pioneering sustainable business models.

Networking event insights

Networking event: Woman and man wearing black standing. Behind a TV with a presentation open 'Start Me Up'
Kirsi Svärd and Janne Pakarinen, Business coaches at Business Joensuu.

On 24 October 2023, students from different areas of study attended the Networking Sauna Event in Joensuu, Finland. The first workshop of a series of three events was held by the European Forest Institute (EFI), Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) and the Finnish Forest Centre (Metsäkeskus).

The event aimed at introducing sustainable business models in circular forest-based bioeconomy to students to spark their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit and underline the important role education plays in fostering a greener future.

The event also counted with a presentation from Business Joensuu – an organisation that provides support and expertise for the different stages and challenges of entrepreneurship – showcasing Start Me Up, a competition that awards the best ideas for the future that can grow into sustainable business activities and Hack Me Up, a competition for students to brainstorm climate-smart solutions for companies’ sustainability challenges. Applications are open until 17 November at 15:00 EET.

Attend online or in person: dive into the circular economy

Students from any field of study are invited to attend the second workshop on 22 November at 17:00 EET online or in Joensuu. The consultancy firm Ethica will present how they have been helping organisations transition to a more sustainable circular economy in a rapidly changing market environment and showcase how to create a circular business model.

Check out the agenda and register for the event here.

The NOMADI project supports companies in the forest-based sector by seeking new solutions through the digitalisation of forest services. The project also helps to create new marketing and business concepts, supporting new bioeconomy start-ups and the scaleup of innovations – particularly ideas targeted towards remote private forest owners and forest management services and tools are welcome.

NOMADI is funded by the Regional Council of North Karelia through the European Regional Development Fund as a part of the European Union’s COVID-19 activities (REACT-EU).

Featured image: ChayTee – stock.adobe

Forest Joensuu: leading the new era

Anne-Maria Kankaisto on September 27, 2023

Globally unique and interconnected forest bioeconomy ecosystem, where all levels of education, world-class companies, and top-tier research converge.

Forest Joensuu is a collaborative network comprising prominent research, development, education and innovation entities in the Joensuu region, North Karelia-Finland, with the objective of enhancing both regional innovation capacity and global competitiveness.

Healthy forests provide excellent foundations for future resource-efficient forestry, where decades of expertise and material knowledge meet digitalisation. New innovations emerge by combining our expertise with other strengths of the region, such as photonics and emerging technologies.

Joensuu, the European Forest Capital, is the leading international player in the forest bioeconomy, accelerating the emergence of planet-restoring solutions that play a crucial role in combatting climate change, forest fires and loss of biodiversity.

Learn more about Forest Joensuu

Click the button below to learn more about our work and activities.

Learn more

Featured image: courtesy of Forest Joensuu

Be a beta tester for the Bioeconomy Solutions Platform

Bioregions Facility on July 25, 2023

Be a beta tester for the forest bioeconomy in action platform. Laptop on a table. Screen of the ubuntoo platform.

What’s the Forest Bioeconomy in Action Platform?

The Bioregions Facility invites beta testers to explore the pilot version of the Forest Bioeconomy in Action Platform—a community to discover solutions, learn from knowledge, and keep track of news related to carbon farming.

Innovative solutions are crucial to the development of the bioeconomy, and the platform can contribute to it. Initially, the solutions are focused on carbon farming, but the goal is to expand it to various forest bioeconomy topics.

The Facility is working with Ubuntoo, an environmental solutions platform provider, to search for relevant solutions. The platform is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and human curation, but users can also recommend solutions from other sources.

Solutions platform

The platform has about 100 solutions waiting to be explored, commented and shared. Users can filter the solutions based on “location,” “stage of development,” “seeking opportunity,” “solution theme,” and “organisation type.”

They can read an overview of the solution, check the organisation’s key contact, leave comments, and upvote or downvote the solution.

A special feature is creating a collection with chosen solutions, like a Spotify playlist but for project solutions. This collection has a unique link, and users can share the page with others.

Different knowledge products can be found in the “Learn” section, e.g., EFI publications, peer-review papers and other materials. The “News” and “Events” sections are useful for staying updated with the latest news and upcoming events.

Explore the solutions

Here’s a preview of two solutions:

Solution: SustainCERT

Overview: SustainCERT is a climate impact verifier that offers efficient and scalable certification through its technology-driven platform. A recognised authority for the Gold Standard for Global Goals, SustainCERT ensures that certified climate actions align with sustainable development goals.

SustainCERT overview on the solutions platform.

Solution: Zerticarbon app

Overview: Zerticarbon, a company that offers certified carbon sink solutions using blockchain technology, is dedicated to advancing climate-smart forestry solutions, connecting forest owners with companies interested in neutralising carbon emissions. The solution has recently won the Bioregions’ Open Innovation Challenge.

Zerticarbon app overview on the solutions platform.

Become a beta tester

Are you interested in becoming a beta tester? Fill out the request form now. Selected candidates will receive an email from the Bioregions Facility to register for the platform.

As a beta tester for the Forest Bioeconomy in Action Platform, you have direct access to the latest solutions applicable to the European market. Join the movement and help us make a difference in the bioeconomy.

FIll out form

Do you have any questions or suggestions? Email us at efibioregions@efi.int

Here’s what you can do on the solutions platform:

Create your account

Once you receive an email with a link to access the platform:

  • Click the “Click here to register to the platform” button in the registration email. This will take you to the page to create your login credentials.
  • Follow the instructions, fill in your email address and create your password.

Log in to the platform

Log into your account using the email address and password you used to create your account.

If you missed the initial invite or it has expired, simply visit Forest Bioeconomy in Action and click “forgot password” to create a new password and log in.

In your profile

On the platform, click the triple bar icon at the upper right corner of the menu:

  • Update your name or picture in “My Profile.”
  • Check other greenhouses and collections in “My Greenhouses.”
  • Click “Take the Tour” to learn more about the platform.
  • You can also “Change Password” or “Invite a Member.”

Discover solutions

In the navigation bar, click Discover:

  • Search solutions by clicking on the button “All Filters” or
  • Use the search bar using keywords, topics, or specific names.
  • Change the view to “Map” or “Grid.”

Inside a solution:

  • Read the overview and leave comments.
  • Upvote or downvote solutions.
  • Check key contacts and visit the original website.

Create a new collection:

  • Inside each solution, you can see the “+Collection” button at the bottom of the filter section.
  • Click “+Collection.”
  • Add selected solution to a collection, or
  • Create a new collection.

Learn

In the navigation bar, click Learn → Knowledge, Events, News to browse and search for other knowledge products, latest news and upcoming events.

Connect

In the navigation bar, click Connect → Members to see other members or (You can tag other members in the comment section when reading a solution.) → Forum to start a discussion with other members.

Recommend+

In the navigation bar, click Recommend+ to suggest a new solution. Our team will review the information provided and add it to the website if it fits our requirements.

Feedback

After using the platform, we will send a Feedback form requesting users to share their thoughts and help us improve the platform.

Questions

Do you have any questions or suggestions? Email us at bioregions@efi.int

See you on the platform!

Woodworking industries in European regions: LIGNA 23 workshop insights

Rodrigo Mendes on May 22, 2023

Six men posing for a picture in front of the Bioregions Facility stand at North Rhine-Westphalia Pavillion 35. From left to right: Inazio Martinez, Martin Schwarz, Oskar Azkarate, Javier, Eduard Correal Mòdol and Manuel García Barbero

On 18 May 2023, the Bioregions Facility hosted a workshop called Woodworking Industries in European Regions: Current Situation, Development Pathways and Investment Trends at LIGNA 2023 in Hanover, Germany.

Oskar Azkarate, Baskegur, at LIGNA 2023.

The General Director of Baskegur, Oskar Azkarate, emphasised the significance of a regional bioeconomy strategy, such as the Strategic Plan for Timber in the Basque Country (PEMA in Spanish) and Basque Circular Forest-based Bioeconomy Strategy. These initiatives aim to establish a comprehensive framework for advancing forestry in the region. To illustrate, the Basque Country Forest Bioeconomy Profile developed by the Bioregions Facility provides an overview of the regional bioeconomy innovation ecosystem in the Basque Country.

Next, Martin Schwarz from Wald und Holz in North Rhine-Westphalia shared his insights. In a region with a population of approximately 18 million, wood serves as the primary construction material. With the growing need for housing and apartments in urban areas, there has been a rising demand for wooden materials in urban construction, building modernisation, refurbishment and social housing projects. The legislation now permits wooden multi-storey buildings of up to eight stories, essential for promoting sustainable development in the construction sector and reducing carbon footprint.

Developing a bioeconomy strategy and the support provided by municipalities in utilising wood is essential for the forestry sector. However, the question arises: how can we give timber a higher value? Inazio Martinez, a researcher at EFI and coordinator of the Bioregions Facility, asked Manuel García Barbero, an architect and Wood Construction Manager at CESEFOR, regarding Castilla y Léon’s approach to increasing the value of its timber.

Inazio Martinez, Bioregions Facility, and Manuel García Barbero, CESEFOR, at LIGNA 2023

“In Spain, we have forest fires, and the problem is probably the abandonment of forests. It’s been demonstrated that things that are valued are better cared for,” stated Mr Barbero. While many believe forests should be left untouched, Spain’s forests require a different perspective, as they thrive through active management. Society has adopted the notion that forests should no longer be managed. Still, this approach leads to imbalances and problems — fire plays a natural role in forests by clearing brush and eliminating dead trees, for instance.

Eduard Correal Mòdol, representing the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia, concluded the discussion by presenting how forests have been managed in Catalonia, which bears similarities to those of Castilla y León. With over 60% of the region’s land covered by forests, Catalonia faces an increasing threat from wildfires as climate change advances in Spain. It is imperative to manage forests and fires effectively while educating the public about their natural occurrence.

Participating in LIGNA has been invaluable in acquiring knowledge about sustainable wood processing practices and discovering how they can be incorporated into our work at the Bioregions Facility.

Images: Rodrigo Mendes

Seeing the wood in the forests

Lauri Hetemäki on March 20, 2023

Humanity is becoming too big for our planet. After relying on a fossil-based economy for 200 years, we are threatening to reach a tipping point, crossing the resilience boundaries of our world. Using the words of Greta Thunberg – how dare you continue like this! – it is time for transformational action.

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Partnerships for Regional Innovation: first pilot plenary meeting

Bioregions Facility on July 21, 2022

The Partnerships for Regional Innovation – PRI Pilot Action held its first pilot plenary meeting on 7 July 2022. The initiative was launched in June jointly by the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions. The first plenary meeting was an interactive event to generate discussions, dialogue, and co-creation among all PRI Pilot participants. It presented the policy context around PRI, the PRI Playbook and a proposal for a PRI Pilot roadmap, outlining the organization of pilot activities

Bioregions Facility has been selected to participate in the pilot project as a group of regions, consisting of its current regional members: Basque Country; North Rhine-Westphalia; and North Karelia. Representatives of the Facility joined the event, together with more than 150 participants.

The online event, started with the presentation of the New Innovation Agenda for Europe and PRI, highlighting the need of a holistic approach, investment, diffusion, circular economy, and innovation to tackle global challenges such as climate change. The work that PRI does at a regional level was also emphasized, including establishing networks, creating cooperation and consortia in regions working in the same value chain.

A call was made to select a contact person representing each region with an academic or scientific background to act as a scientific track and maintain constant interaction with the directive.

The PRI Playbook

During the event, the PRI Playbook was presented as a guidance document, containing a range of tools and mechanisms to coordinate and enable the exploration of broad-ranging policy mixes for system-level innovation. The playbook will act as an empowering tool for policymakers and should be adapted to European realities, as it will be co-created via joint work and with feedback from the regions.

It contains a Toolbox that gathers 68 tools for diagnosis, policy design and implementation; and three building blocks as an initial approach to be co-developed through the pilot: Open Discovery Process, Policy and Action Mix and the Strategic Policy framework. Three working groups will be working around each building block.

The event ended with a discussion and feedback from pilot participants from the different participant regions, and final remarks from the EU committee.

Michal Miedzinski, economic and policy researcher at JRC said: “This is a collective effort from the bottom, with the best minds we can gather and do a collation of the willing, these are all the ingredients we need to move forward“.

Thomas Wobben, Director at Committee of the Regions gave a strong final message: “We really hope that this collaboration is building on trust, that we are able to have a frank exchange, and that we can help each other”

Background

The Partnerships are rooted in the upcoming Innovation Agenda for Europe to help integrate initiatives and investment at EU and national levels. It is an effort directly targeted to improve Innovation ecosystems as one essential area to boost Europe’s innovation performance. The key objective is to strengthen interconnection of regional and local innovation ecosystems for a green and digital Europe and to improve resilience of European sustainable value chains and deep-tech sectors.