Strengthening Biodiversity in Finnish Forests: Insights from the Scientific Café in Helsinki

On November 21, 2024, the Scientific Café, organized by the project coordinator and national partner MMM for Finland, explored the theme “Strengthening Biodiversity in Finnish Forests". Held at the House of Science and Hope (Puistokatu 4) in Helsinki, the event took place on a stormy Thursday evening, creating an intimate café-like atmosphere complemented by coffee and light refreshments. Despite the extreme weather reducing attendance to fewer than ten participants, the event fostered meaningful and productive discussions.

The attendees, primarily university students specializing in forestry and related fields, engaged in the Café following a methodology tested in other FV2 partner countries, adapted to suit Finland’s context.

The event began with a brief introduction by MMM, providing an overview of the ForestValue2 project. This was followed by a short presentation on the history and ideology of the House of Science and Hope. Senior Scientist Minna Räty and Programme Director and Principal Scientist Mikko Kurttila from the Natural Resources Institute of Finland then presented the topic from multiple perspectives, setting the stage for in-depth discussions.

Following these introductions, participants worked collaboratively in groups to address two key tasks: identifying the potential consequences of declining biodiversity and developing strategies to enhance it. The discussions, conducted in a relaxed yet focused manner, produced a wealth of ideas relevant to society at large.

During the problem-identification phase, participants highlighted both the direct and indirect consequences of biodiversity loss. In the strategy-development phase, they proposed a wide range of solutions, including advocating for value shifts, emphasizing the importance of research, and implementing diverse policy instruments. Remarkably, the number of strategy proposals more than doubled the problems identified, underscoring the group’s proactive approach to tackling this issue.

This event demonstrated the potential for multidisciplinary discussions to generate innovative solutions to forest-related challenges. It also highlighted the importance of engaging a variety of stakeholders in these conversations. Biodiversity loss in forests is a pressing societal issue, and collaborative, cross-sectoral efforts are essential for developing effective strategies to address it. The student-centered approach of the Scientific Café yielded promising insights and serves as a strong foundation for further dialogue on forest sustainability and biodiversity enhancement.

More information from Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Mika Kallio, mika.kallio[at]gov.fi

Miska Ruokangas, miska.ruokangas[at]gov.fi