This project will investigate options for improving the sustainable use of forest resources in selected regions of the NPP area using an innovative sustainability impact assessment tool (ToSIA) and applying it in regional development and business from two perspectives: First, public bodies engaged in regional development strategies will employ the ... More...

This project will investigate options for improving the sustainable use of forest resources in selected regions of the NPP area using an innovative sustainability impact assessment tool (ToSIA) and applying it in regional development and business from two perspectives: First, public bodies engaged in regional development strategies will employ the tool in a multi-stakeholder setting to explore better sustainable development scenarios in the region.

Second, companies using forest resources in the NPP region will adapt the tool to their sustainability assessment routines, enabling them to improve their corporate social responsibility as a part of the whole forestry wood value chain operating in the remote conditions of the NPP region. As a result, the tool will be available for wider application in the NPP area.

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ToSIA stands for Tool for Sustainability Impact Assessment of the Forest Wood Chain and it analyses the sustainability of production processes in the Forest-Wood Chain in terms of social, economic and environmental sustainability indicators. The ToSIA concept has been developed in the EFORWOOD project financed by the FP6 programme, and this NPP pro... More...

ToSIA stands for Tool for Sustainability Impact Assessment of the Forest Wood Chain and it analyses the sustainability of production processes in the Forest-Wood Chain in terms of social, economic and environmental sustainability indicators. The ToSIA concept has been developed in the EFORWOOD project financed by the FP6 programme, and this NPP project tests and develops the tool applications with the aim of adopting the tool for use in the whole NPP area.

 

The project implementation is based on close cooperation between research, public bodies and forestry businesses. Implementing partners i.e. regional development and forest sector bodies test and apply the Northern ToSIA tool for their functions in North Karelia Finland, in Norrland Sweden, in Scotland and Helgeland, Norway.

 

European Forest Institute, Swedish University of Agriculture and Forest Research (Scotland) as development partners support the testing and gain feedback for developing the applications and user instructions for applying the tool in the NPP area. The experiences of regions and companies are transferred to the Nordland region in Norway already during the project duration, and the dissemination seminars will introduce the tool for potential users in wider geographical coverage in the Northern Periphery. The viability of project results is sought by defining terms and conditions for use of Northern ToSIA as an open source tool after the conclusion of the project.

 

In the long term, the Northern ToSIA project aims to improve sustainable forest resource use in the NPP area: the regional development dialogue between research, public administration, business sector, and other stakeholders will be improved, and in turn, this will contribute to efficient and sustainable management and utilisation of resources in the NPP region.

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The project will bring a new decision support tool into use for assessing and enhancing the sustainability impacts of the forestry sector in the NPP area. The ToSIA tool has been developed in the EU R&D programme and this project will enable its customizing for practical application in planning and reporting of e.g. regional development organiz... More...

The project will bring a new decision support tool into use for assessing and enhancing the sustainability impacts of the forestry sector in the NPP area. The ToSIA tool has been developed in the EU R&D programme and this project will enable its customizing for practical application in planning and reporting of e.g. regional development organizations and the forest industries in the NPP area.

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