European Forestry Pulse #26 🌲

Hello,

Stora Enso just launched a science-based framework for nature-positive forestry. It integrates biodiversity metrics directly into forest planning systems. Economic returns meet ecological outcomes in the same model.

Meanwhile, US lumber tariffs took effect on the 14th of October. European exporters face 10% duties on softwood lumber. Futures climbed past $610 per thousand board feet.

Here's what's moving European forestry this week:

Stora Enso, IUCN, and Newcastle University finished an 18-month project on October 9, 2025. They built a framework for net positive biodiversity in commercial forestry. The partnership started in early 2024. It ended with a completed framework now available for the entire forestry sector.

What they built: A way to measure biodiversity impact alongside timber and money. The framework integrates IUCN's STAR metric with forest planning systems. STAR stands for Species Threat Abatement and Restoration. It's an established IUCN biodiversity metric. The framework adapts it for forest operations. Companies can now see how management decisions affect species extinction risk. They see this alongside traditional timber volumes and financial returns. Not separate reports. Integrated planning.

How it works: The framework combines threat reduction with ecosystem conservation and restoration. Forest planners optimize for biodiversity and economic returns in the same model. This differs from separate environmental impact assessments. Those happen after decisions are made. This framework integrates biodiversity into decision-making.

Why this matters: Natural capital accounting is coming. Biodiversity disclosure requirements are expanding. TNFD frameworks are being adopted. Forest companies need systems that measure nature impacts like they measure financial performance. This framework provides that capability. Stora Enso operates across multiple countries and ecosystems. They needed something that works in different regulatory environments. The framework is designed for broad adoption, not just internal use.

Public launch: Stora Enso SVP Sustainability Annika Lundmark Nordin presented at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi on October 10. The "Nature of Success" session featured business leaders implementing IUCN biodiversity frameworks.

What happens next: The framework is available now for industry use. Other companies can adopt it. Stora Enso will likely share implementation details in sustainability reports and at industry events. Stora Enso releases Q3 results on October 23. They may provide updates on their own framework use. But the tool itself is designed for everyone.

Industry shift: Nature-positive forestry moved from concept to operational framework. Companies can now implement biodiversity metrics systematically. No more separate conservation assessments bolted onto existing plans.

What this means for you: Biodiversity metrics are becoming standard practice. The technical infrastructure exists now. Early adopters will be ahead when biodiversity disclosure becomes mandatory. This isn't about compliance in five years. This is about being ready when regulations arrive. The tools exist. Implementation timing is a strategic choice. Source: Stora Enso, Market Screener

New Section 232 tariffs took effect October 14. 10% duties on softwood lumber imports started. They escalate to higher rates in 2026. Lumber futures climbed past $610 per thousand board feet in mid-October. European exporters to the US market face immediate cost pressures. Austrian and Nordic exporters particularly affected. The tariffs target all softwood lumber imports. No exemptions for European producers. Companies must absorb costs, raise prices, or find alternative markets.

The takeaway: US market access just got more expensive for European wood. Reassess US export strategies now. Consider alternative markets or domestic European sales. Source: SDI - Tariff Shock Analysis

Sappi Europe confirmed closure of Paper Machine 2 at its Kirkniemi Mill in Finland. Shutdown by year-end 2025. Annual capacity reduction of 175,000 tonnes. The closure reflects continued pressure on European paper manufacturing. Demand weakness and cost pressures force capacity rationalization. Finnish forest sector faces prolonged market turbulence. The Kirkniemi Mill continues operating with remaining machines. But the PM2 closure signals broader industry challenges. Expect more capacity adjustments across European paper sector.

The takeaway: European paper capacity continues shrinking. Monitor supply impacts on pulpwood demand in your region. Source: Paper Advance - Sappi Kirkniemi

Swedish company OTMETKA advances forest traceability with ForestQR system. Creates unique encrypted codes on each log at harvest. Full supply chain tracking from stump to mill. Direct EUDR compliance solution. The system provides verifiable chain of custody without complex paperwork. Each log gets a QR code at harvest. Codes track through transport, processing, and final products. Encrypted data prevents tampering. Auditors can verify origin claims instantly.

The takeaway: Technical solutions for EUDR traceability are emerging. Evaluate digital tracking systems now to simplify compliance. Source: OTMETKA - ForestQR Launch

UN negotiators met in Bonn to finalize permanence standards for Article 6 carbon markets. The discussion centers on how to include nature-based removals. Some negotiators want to exclude forest projects entirely. Others want strict permanence rules that make projects unworkable. The balance between environmental integrity and market function remains contentious. Decision outcomes weren't available by publication. But the debate shows continued uncertainty around forest carbon in compliance markets.

The takeaway: Article 6 rules will shape forest carbon markets. Monitor outcomes closely if you're considering carbon projects. Source: Jen Stebbing Newsletter

Komatsu forestry equipment supports Spanish government wildfire protection in Tenerife. Smart Forestry technology enables digital terrain analysis and precision harvesting. The system helps create strategic fuel breaks and defensive zones. Reduces wildfire risk through targeted vegetation management. Technology makes wildfire prevention more efficient and effective.

The takeaway: Wildfire protection technology is advancing. Consider how precision forestry tools can support fire risk reduction in vulnerable areas. Source: Forest Machine Magazine - Wildfire Tech

No more paywalls

As promised in issue 25, I have removed all paywalls in ForestryBrief, feel free to roam around the archive and test the tools I created, soak up the knowledge I gathered. More Professional issues upcoming. And if you are concerned that I might have to sell my kidney to keep my head above the water: thank you, but please don’t. I had worse and handled it. I trust the process and the miracles of Life, looking forward for what is coming.

Explore biodiversity metrics for your forest holdings. Stora Enso's framework shows nature-positive forestry is operational, not theoretical. Check if your forest planning systems can integrate biodiversity data. Start simple: identify high-conservation-value areas in your holdings. Map them against harvest plans. Look for conflicts and opportunities. The tools exist now. Early adopters will be ahead when biodiversity disclosure becomes mandatory.

Until Tuesday!

Wish you all the best: Peter

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