Nature, sustainable development and innovations Dr. Timo J. Hokkanen Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for North Karelia/ North Karelia Biosphere Reserve North Karelia Biosphere Reserve

Sustainability and innovations  Biosphere Reserve programme and BR activities  platform & tool for co-operation throughout the world 2. New concepts  Combining nature protection, use of natural resources (sensu lato) and tourism business

Keywords  Forests, forestry, research and innovations  Extensive and productive co-operation  Societal point of view (> development, sensu lato)  Position, power & influence

1. North Karelia Biosphere Reserve

Section 1 – Biosphere Reserves  UNESCOs MaB programme and Biosphere Reserves  621 sites, 117 countries  North Karelia BR  What are we doing and how

”Biosphere Reserves – connecting people”

Gapalagos islands Ecuador

BR network: Europe

BR network: Asia

Indian Biosphere Reserves Source: UNESCO

Biosphere Reserve functions Sustainable development Conservation Logistics, support

North Karelia Biosphere Reserve North Karelia BR (1992) – ha – inhabitants Archipelago Sea BR (1994) – ha –1200 inhabitants

Biosphere reserve steering committee ( ) Prof. Paavo Pelkonen (chairman)University of Eastern Finland (Prof. Taneli KolströmFinnish Forest Research Institute) Mayor Markku LappalainenIlomantsi municipality City clerk Jari HorttanainenJoensuu City City clerk Matti TaponenLieksa City Park superintendent Kyösti TuhkalainenMetsähallitus (CEO Tiina TolvanenNorth Karelia Chamber of Commerce) Prof. Ari LehtinenUEF Planning officer Hanne LohilahtiNorth Karelia Regional Council Leading researcher Raimo HeikkiläFinnish Environment institute, Joensuu Unit Prof. Erkki SutinenUEF CEO Markku LitjaKarelia-Expert OY Head of department Aarne WahlgrenCentre of Economic Development, transport and the Environment for North Karelia Co-ordinator Timo J. Hokkanen (secr.)North Karelia Biosphere Reserve

North Karelia Joensuu RUSSIA

North Karelia BR Joensuu Lieksa Ilomantsi

NK biosphere reserve Established 1992, extended 2009 Total area: ha Population: Core areas: ha Buffer zone: ha Main activities Forestry related actions, tourism, services

KALEVALA – the national epic of Finland

Slash and burn agriculture

Sonkaja Village

Patvinsuo National Park Photo:

Forest, mires and lakes Photo: Markku Tano Koli National Park

North Karelia Kainuu Border area provinces in Russia North Karelia BR Activities

Greater entities, more extensive activities Future needs environmental AND developmental emphasis Future is international ROK-FOR Project Sustainable Forest Management providing renewable energy, sustainable construction and bio-based products

GREEN BELT OF FENNOSCANDIA geology bedrock, ice age biodiversity values indigenous species biological assemblages ecological corridor cultural heritage Sami people Kalevala hunting and fishing transboundary co-operation

The Green Belt of Fennoscandia Old bedrock (archaic) Young bedrock Height above sea level (m) Height above sea level (m) Generalized location (in green)

Biodiversity values  western margin of Eurasian taiga  all boreal zone subzones included from South to North  outstanding climax Scots Pine (Pinus silvestris) stands (no Larix)  a sample of productive and diverse sites forming an ecological corridor from South to North through the boreal zone

Large carnivores Source: European changing Nature, 2000 Wolverine (Gulo gulo) Wolf (Canis lupus)

European Green Belt

Vision: Ecological network from the Barents Sea to the Adriatic Sea/Black Sea Global symbol for transboundary co-operation in nature conservation and sustainable development

Border area forest studies New technology Mapping biota Forest continuity Improved performance in both conservation and in forestry

Input data GeoDatabase on presence (coverage)/absence of indicator species Satellite images GeoDatabase on stand structure variables

Data workflow Expert knowledge: What kind of forest structure?

Predicted number of OGF indicator species Lopatin et al. 2006

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle At Mekrijärvi Research Station  Launched from hands  Automated flights  High resolution aerial photos in 20 minutes

Elimyssalo area – good connectivity

(Lopatin, Kolström, Hokkanen 2009, manuscript) webserver: mekri.joensuu.fi/gap_karelia Continuity of OGF at the border area between Finland and Russia

Development of transboundary ecological networks source IUCN core areas protected corridors and stepping stones not necessarily protected Border

2 – RoK-FOR Project  Based on sustainable forestry  Regional emphasis  Innovativeness  Co-operation structures created GOAL: European-wide (and beyond!) co-operation

Sustainable forestry providing renewable energy, biobased products and sustainable construction (FP7 - Regions of Knowledge project )‏ RoK-FOR Consortium Finland – Germany – France – Spain - Croatia/Serbia

RoK-FOR  Forests and related economy  Innovations: advantage of differences  Regions & LMI  ROK - Building on regional strengths, innovative approaches and strategic co-operation

ROK-FOR consortium

Co-operation between different actors Heterosis ( a.k.a. hybrid vigor or outbreeding enhancement), describes the increased strength of different characteristics in hybrids; the possibility to obtain a genetically superior individual by combining the virtues of its parents.

Cellulose

Plastic

Regions & LMI  Innovations often emerge in small businesses  Regions can be driving force of the LMI processes – with help of the right partners and policies

Bioenergy (% of total energy consumption)‏ %

North Karelia: emphasis on bioenergy  Regional Bioenergy programme  Forest bioenergy innovation and development centre under development  University of Joensuu, Finnish Forest Research Institute,  European Forest Institute, Regional Council  Businesses  Koli forum  led by nobelist Martti Ahtisaari & ex Nokia CEO Jorma Ollila  c.a. 100 distinguished national & international participants

Koli Forum theses forests and bioenergy make up the main tools for mitigation of climate change and adaptation to it Photo: Newspaper Karjalainen

RoK-FOR structure: strengths adding to each other AdministrationSMEsResearch Regional cluster REGIONAL ACTION PLAN RoK-FOR Consortium (5 regional clusters, 20 partners) ‏ JOINT ACTION PLAN Mentoring

Koli Visitors’ and Culture Centre International sustainable development model Koli Cultura ~ 40 M € investment

Koli Cultura - Combines services and regional development - C.a. 40 M€ investment - Aims at creating - World level, sustainable development based visitor and culture centre - a model to operate in between a protected area and society - a permanent platform for development actions - an extensive network of co-operation

10000 hrs Time Place Partners Skills

KOLI CULTURA JUHA MÄKI-JYLLILÄ, JKMM Architects

Koli Sustainable Development Platform K o l i Cultura National Park Koli Village Sustainable Development In Centre North Karelia province National & International Contacts Green Belt of Fennoscandia MaB programme Technology Programme

Energy solutions National top class parties involved

Energy solutions, e.g., bioenergy chain - a very simple example

Making wood pellets in a small enterprise

FUTURE Are we Leading or Following? The importance of environmental issues is growing ” Leading = Creating relevance” ”Actions = relevance combined with the will to do”

Influence & results Position and power are not equal to influence! ”You can achieve miracles with your ideas and innovations if you are not too strict who gets the credit!”

Rosa acicularis – Rose of Karelia