Paper short abstract:

In Finland, forest professionals have a strong impact on forests, and the way forests are defined and managed in society. Civil society institutions have strongly challenged professionals' position and expertise. This paper studies professional human-forest relationships, and its transformations.

Paper long abstract:

In Finland, forests cover approximately 86% of total land area. Consequently, forests resources have been major source for economic wellbeing and institutions supporting the management of forests have established powerful positions in society. Traditional forest sector's formal and informal power to define the forests and their use has strongly been challenged by civil society.

According recent surveys, forests are still important. The identity and lifestyle of urbanized Finns influence their values and choices, which in turn reflect the changes in global attitudes to nature. These diverging forest-related interests and values cause conflicts, mainly between professional forest institutions and civil society.

In my presentation, I study forest professionals and their relationship with the forests. How do they experience the forest, and how professional institutions affect to their relationship with forests? What kind of cultural, societal and personal meanings and emotions they connect, consciously or subconsciously, to the forests? Usually , the motivation to become a forest professional is the love and appreciation for nature. To act as forest professional, is then to intertwine personal and professional relationships with forests. This embracement of institutionalized professionalism transform their identity, and can also cause tensions.

After graduation, professionals occupy tasks both in traditional forestry and in the fields of environmental conservation and restoration. As responsible for managing forests, supplying wood, consulting private forest owners etc., forest professionals form a network that has visible impact on forests, economy, and society.

Presentation is based on phenomenological interviews of 35 Finnish forest professionals conducted in year 2020.