Social Science -based Knowledge and Resource Management in Finland: Metsähallitus as a Case

Transcription

1 Social Science -based Knowledge and Resource Management in Finland: Metsähallitus as a Case A workshop: Moving from Rhetoric to Action: Social Science Information and Expertise in Resource Management Agency Decision-making I. Tuija Sievänen Finnish Forest Research Institute Metsäntutkimuslaitos Skogsforskningsinstitutet Finnish Forest Research Institute

2 Introduction Metsähallitus is a state enterprise whose main tasks are to supply wood to the forest industry and manage most of Finland s protected areas. Metsähallitus administers more than 12 million hectares of state land and water areas. Two major sections: Forestry Natural Heritage Services (including Recreation)

3 Introduction Natural Heritage Services manages 33 national parks 7 national recreation areas 400 other protected areas 14,961 km² in total

4 Social Science in Metsähallitus Social Science Expertise inside the agency Very few staff members with social science background Agency has supported some people to get more education in social sciences (doctoral degrees) Systematic information gathering into database (Explorer-system), where individuals make input as they learn, and information is shared with others Some individuals are appointed to follow social science related research and literature in Finland and internationally

5 Ways to learn about social sciences Continuous educational programs by the agency Seminars, courses etc. Future Day seminars with experts and scientists from different fields of society: to identify weak signals of societal change Participation in advisory groups of research projects and programs Metsähallitus is a popular partner in research projects serves also Metsähallitus people as they learn by participating at background. Participation if governmental processes such as National Forestry Program (KMO), including Forum of Future

6 Collaboration with research institutes and community of scientists Regularly and continuously Participatory planning processes and development of methods are the main types of projects/tasks Forestry section: research and development projects with different research teams, about 10 % of them main focus is in social science topics Natural Heritage section: most research take place in the context of planning guidelines for use and management in each park

7 Examples of research fields and topics Visitor information in parks Regional/local economic impacts Cultural heritage: history of places and people; Sami areas and people, Archipelago Conflicts between different users of resources; Sami people, environmentalists, forestry workers Conflicts between different groups of recreationists (new activities such as dog sledding, motorized recreation, horseback riding) Indicators for sustainable use of resources Surveys of resource users; fishermen, hunters Relationship of tourists and locals Forest culture

8 Research institutes and community of scientists: Who they are Metla (Finnish Forest Research Insitute) Several universities Other research institutes Consultant enterprises Cooperation also with local specialists, who maybe volunteers or hobby scientists ; e.g. in Lapland in Same issues, local cultural heritage, local names

9 When and where social science information is used? Strategic planning Development programs such as Regional Natural Resources Plan Methods for Planning systems of forest resources Processes and guidelines of sustainable development Principles of sustainable nature tourism Certification processes; indicators and criteria Planning processes on local level: Plans for Use and Management of a Park

10 The positive spirit of using social science information in Metsähallitus Research Strategy of Natural Heritage identifies several issues of social science based research needs Integrated cooperation with other actors of region demands better information of society as a whole; f.ex. Guidelines for sustainable use of natural resources around tourism centers Science-based management is recognized to offer new possibilities in the more and more complicated society Staff in Forestry Section have learned to see the benefits of social science based information input: they want more

11 Perspectives for future Social-science based information is needed more and more in future Metsähallitus should hire more people with social science background Also the educational programs of natural resources such as forestry should include more people/human and social science related courses at the university New information needs: human health and wellbeing impacts of green environment, equity issues

12 My thanks to : Metsähallitus: Martti Aarnio, Natural Heritage Services Joel Erkkonen, Natural Heritage Services Liisa Kajala, Natural Heritage Services Pauli Wallenius, Forestry and also to Per Wallsten, Swedish Nature Protection Agency