UEF Forests & Society Group - Forest economics and policy research

The Forests & Society Group is a multidisciplinary team of researchers dedicated to advancing understanding of the complex relationships between forests and society. Our work focuses on the political, socio-economic and cultural dimensions of forests, exploring how forest ecosystems and people interact, influence one another, and shape sustainable futures.

The Forests & Society group is situated at the School of Forest Sciences and Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology. School of Forests Sciences is an internationally renowned research and education unit. The research at the School is focused on forests, forestry and the significance of forests in a society.

Our research is organised around three interconnected themes: forest (bio)economy, policy and foresight. We investigate the dynamics of forest use across time, seeking to understand how historical developments have shaped current forest-related challenges and opportunities, and how forest futures may evolve under changing environmental, societal and economic conditions.

A central objective of our research is to critically examine forest-related issues from multiple perspectives, including governance, business, society, communities and individual experiences. We explore how forests contribute to human well-being, economic development and sustainability transitions, while also recognising their intrinsic ecological values.

Forest-based ecosystem services provide an important framework for our work, helping us understand the diverse benefits that forest ecosystems generate for nature, people, society and businesses. Through interdisciplinary research, we contribute knowledge that supports sustainable forest governance, responsible bioeconomy development and informed decision-making for the future.

Our research themes include, but are not restricted to: forest ecosystems, governance, sustainability transitions and transformations, sustainable business models, forest-based bioeconomy, ecosystem services, forest futures, policy, foresight, and human-forest interactions and relations.

The goals and purposes of the group are:

• We aim at providing an open space for everyone interested in having discussions and conducting research on topics related to forests and society.
• We encourage people to think and create understanding in an environment without pressure to be efficient and produce something.
• We offer a community for making connections, sharing ideas and discussing.
• We also take action with an ambition to initiate change and foster sustainability transformation by doing impact driven research.