Hardwoods are good! Swedish Forest Agency, Lead beneficiary Gunilla Oleskog nr +46 (0) Project leader Ola Phone nr +46 (0) Information officer

Background Wood and forestry sectors are core branches for many rural municipalities. Regional actions in this field need to be developed. It contributes to a successful regional development in the South Baltic Region Need of transfer of knowledge and exchange of good practises in the Forestry Hardwood Chain (FHC) The FHC is lagging behind the chain of softwoods and need to be strengthened

The Forestry Hardwood Chain Restrictions: Focus on three phases of the use of woodlands 1.Sustainable forest production 2.Cutting and supplying wood to the industry 3.Wood-based industries

Adressing the SBR programme actions Strengthening of platforms and networks for better liaising between small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs*) in the South Baltic region (SBR). Joint initiatives of intermediary support structures for aimed to improve absorption of innovations and increase of competences in the private sector. * SME= Small and Medium sized Enterprises (< 250 employees) Axis 1 Economic competitiveness Measure 1.1 Entreprenurial development

Target groups Primary Entrepreneurs of the Hardwood Forestry Chain involved in cutting, transportation and to ready product Representatives for wood based industries, forest contractors, forest owners, forest management organisations, forest agencies, State forest organisations as students and exhibition visitors Secondary Partners Partner’s bosses (decision making) Partner’s organisations involved in the project

Partnership Partners Swedish Forest Agency (Lead beneficiary) Forest Owners Association of Lithuania Regional Directorate of Forests in Gdansk, Poland HCN High Competence Network, Germany

Partnership Immanuel Kant State University of Russia* Wood Centre Foundation Nässjö, Sweden SODRA Forest Owners Economic Organisation, Sweden European Network of Forest Entrepreneurs (ENFE) The Confederation of European Forest Owners (CEPF) Forestry Association of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany Associated organisations *

Challenges – why is this project needed? SMEs are the main actors of the Forestry Hardwood Chain (FHC) Supporting & developing good entrepreneurship is crucial for maintaining a functional FHC Hardwood forestry is important for the economical development, especially in rural areas Hardwood forests make a positive contribution to the quality of life; recreation, pleasant living environment, preventive healthcare etc. Environmental friendly and renewable raw material Circumstances

Problems to be solved Limited access of raw material Bad working conditions for SMEs Statistics are missing or difficult to compare between countries The use of Bioenergy can be further developed Challenges – why is this project needed?

Problems to be solved Female SMEs are heavily underrepresented in the branch Transport chains are indistinct and improvable Small wood sortiments and scattered forest stands demand special solutions Strong networks between actors of the forestry chain are missing ! Challenges – why is this project needed?

Project objectives Increasing the business volumes of the Forestry Hardwood Chain Increasing cross-border relations between SMEs in the FHC Creation of network to promote practical solutions

The three Components (Work packages) 1. Developing the basis for SBR exchange to benefit entrepreneurs of the FHC 2.Innovation and training of entrepreneurs of the FHC 3.Creating cross-border networks to benefit entrepreneurs of the FHC

Component 1 Developing the basis for SBR exchange to benefit entrepreneurs of the FHC 1.Fine-tuning the basis for SBR (South Baltic Region) exchange / SWOT review in each country 2.Inventorying working conditions and training needs 3.Mapping and supporting involvement in bioenergy production Activities

The SWOT-reviews – a working tool Aims to improve liaisons and absorption of innovations as well as competences for SME:s of the wood supply chain in the South Baltic area One country makes a model One SWOT-review per partner region Adapted to the needs of each region Three persons i. e. stakeholders representing one of the three phases of the wood chain

Outputs Component 1 Developing the basis for South Baltic Region exchange to benefit entrepreneurs of the FHC A model for country specific SWOT-analyze A SWOT-analyze report from each country Compilation of forest statistics Database of entrepreneurs involved in bioenergy

Activities Component 2 Innovation and training entrepreneurs of the FHC 1.Competence assessment of forest enterprises in forest management, extraction of forest products and in small-scale forest based industries 2.Best support practises catching innovations 3.Electronic assessment in relation to national wood classification systems

Outputs Component 2 Innovation and training for entrepreneurs of the FHC A survey of different conditions of training methods, curriculums, short and long courses Certified system for competence assessment of forest enterprises between countries Handbook of best practises in supporting entrepreneurs of the FHC Web based pilot system for electronic assessment in relation to national wood classification systems

Component 3 Creating of cross-border networks to benefit entrepreneurs of the FHC Setting up a test network Testing and implementing it A network for entrepreneurs in the Forestry Hardwood Chain Activities

Component 3 Creating of cross-border networks to benefit entrepreneurs of the FHC A good umbrella network for Hardwoods – supporting entrepreneurial development - Outputs

Hardw ds are g d!