The New tree project gathers together today’s bio solutions
The bioeconomy is one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. It concerns the production, use, processing and marketing of renewable natural resources and the consumption of products made from renewable natural resources. Wood is a renewable and increasing natural resource, which makes the forestry sector a natural part of the bioeconomy.
Finland’s bioeconomy strategy aims to create competitive, sustainable solutions and create new jobs. However, strategies do not materialise by themselves.
That is why the Finnish forest industry has launched a joint project called New tree (Uusi puu in Finnish) to increase awareness of the wood-based bioeconomy and promote today’s wood fibre based bio solutions – of products and solutions already available, their impact on society and economy and the growth potential of the sector.
New tree is targeted primarily at opinion leaders in Finland. The participants represent an extensive range of Finnish forestry sector players, from forest owners to small and large companies, educational institutions, interest groups and users of wood-based products. From Metsä Group, Metsä Board and Metsä Tissue are taking part in the project. Other participants are for example VTT, FIBIC, Metsähallitus, Tetra Pak, Pyroll, Huhtamäki and Stora Enso. The main sponsor is the Finnish Forest Foundation.
“Metsä Board’s products promote bioeconomy so it was quite natural for us to take part in the project,” says Katri Kauppila, responsible for marketing at Metsä Board. “Quite many still feel that bioeconomy is in the remote future although we already have solutions that are made of renewable raw materials.”
As part of the project, New tree 2014 competition seeks for best solutions where fibre based materials have been utilized. They can be already existing products, methods or processes. The competition is open for everybody and can be attended at www.uusipuu.fi until 6 December.
Read more about the project at www.uusipuu.fi or in Facebook or Twitter.