Opportunities offered by forests within reach of young people

In the next ten years 80 000 woodland estates will have new owners. At the present moment mainly old people are forest owners. Their average age is 60 years.

Mr Michael Hornborg, President of the Finnish Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK), says that a change of generations is urgent if there are to be any active forest owners and workers in the future.

Young peoples' views of the prospect that the in the future forests will provide an opportunity to earn one's living were mapped out at a recent forest seminar for young persons.

The participants believed that businesses in the forestry sector will provide key elements for success. Apart from the exploitation of the fruits of one's own work, networking with other forestry entrepreneurs constitutes one of those elements. A change of generations, as well as a lot of know-how will be needed to get started in the forestry business.

At the present moment forests offer a lot of jobs. There is a shortage of lumberjacks and forest machine operators. It is ever more evident that forests offer opportunities of new forms of entrepreneurship. Also raw material producers can expect more revenue in the future from forests.

For further information, please contact Mr Michael Hornborg, mobile phone + 358 — 40 — 7220 552.