Vastaranta Research Syndicate

We regard forest-based bioeconomy as a phenomenon that we aim to understand and then utilize this scientific understanding for the greater good in digitalized information societies. Most of the things that are happening within the forest-based bioeconomy can be conceptualized as interactions between nature, humans and technology. To us, this conceptual framework has unveiled a new kind of way to perceive spatiotemporal events and processes within digitalized societies. Consequently, considering nature-human-technology interactions, the forest-based bioeconomy presents a challenging and a complex environment for a multitude of research endeavors. From this viewpoint, we are currently exploring: 1) how new technology can be utilized to generate new knowledge and enhance human actions across space and time, 2) how machinery and knowledge-work can be automated, reducing the need for humans to engage in monotonous activities, and 3) how nature adapts to human actions. Geoinformatics plays an indispensable role in our research. Geospatial technologies, spatial data, digitalization and knowledge leadership converge in these themes, providing us with essential tools for our endeavors.