Forest-based bioeconomy, or green bioeconomy, encompasses various industries and production sectors that rely on forests or wood. It includes processes such as the refining of forest biomass in forestry, energy, chemical, or food industries. Forest bioeconomy encompasses numerous production processes based on wood raw materials, and likewise, the range of end products is extensive.
In addition to traditional products such as sawn timber or paper, wood and wood fibers are used to produce raw materials for various purposes, including textile fibers, chemicals, cosmetics, transportation fuels, medications, smart packaging, coatings, adhesives, plastics, composites, animal feed, and functional foods. New applications and uses are continually sought and developed.
Additionally, forests provide raw materials for various industrial processes and products. Forest bioeconomy also includes recreational use of forests, berries, game, and nature tourism. Moreover, the intangible benefits of forests should not be overlooked. These include the oxygen produced by trees, prevention of erosion or soil degradation, and maintenance of carbon balance.
One core idea of forest bioeconomy is to utilize the raw materials provided by forests, such as wood and its various components, technologies, services, and energy. The goal is to increasingly use wood in production, where the raw material base has traditionally been non-renewable, such as replacing various plastics with wood-based materials. Bioeconomy is linked to concepts of sustainability, circular economy, resource efficiency, and carbon neutrality.
