KETTU

06.10.2026 | In Progress Forestry

Sustainable Management of Peatland Forests for Water and Climate

Vast areas of drained peatlands are approaching harvesting maturity in Finland. The way forestry operations are carried out in these areas will have long-lasting impacts on water bodies, forest health, and climate. The KETTU project promotes the transition to peatland forestry that combines the prevention of environmental impacts with forest management practices that support tree growth.

Official name

KETTU – Sustainable and Productive Forestry on Peatlands

Duration

2026/03–2027/10

Project leads

Jenni Lemettinen, Paavo Ojanen, Manne Viljamaa

Responsible organisations

Baltic Sea Action Group, University of Helsinki, Tampere University of Applied Sciences

Funders

Economic Development Centre of Lapland

Juuret tiedossa Funding

From knowledge to practice

Large areas of peatlands, that were drained during the 1960’s in Finland, will reach harvesting maturity over the coming decades. How forestry activities are managed on these sites will significantly affect water quality, the environment, and the climate. The KETTU project accelerates the shift toward peatland forestry that integrates environmental considerations with forest management practices that promote healthy tree growth.

A large amount of research exists on the impacts of forestry on water systems and the climate, and effective measures for reducing these impacts are already available. These same measures also improve forest growth and strengthen the resilience of forestry in a changing climate.

However, the need for change, identified by research, has not yet been sufficiently reflected in forestry practices. Drained peatlands used for forestry have changed over time, while climate change and nutrient imbalances in peatland forests create new risks. Avoiding these risks requires, among other things, careful management of both nutrient cycles and water conditions.

Strategic planning as a model for future forest management

Planning of forest management often focuses on individual operations, using standardized approaches at a small scale and over short time horizons. A strategic perspective is often missing. Yet the impacts of forest operations on water bodies and the environment do not follow property boundaries, and can last for decades.

Strategic planning is essential for minimizing the water and climate impacts of peatland forestry. It means examining the long-term impacts of forest management across larger landscapes rather than individual stands.

The KETTU project strengthens the strategic approach to peatland forest management. The project addresses the bottlenecks in strategic planning and makes visible the broader impacts of decisions made on stand-level.

Supporting forest owners and forestry professionals

Nearly 600,000 forest owners make decisions about forest management in Finland, supported by forestry professionals who provide advice and guidance. Forest owners do not always have sufficient information to support informed decision-making, while forestry professionals may lack the time to stay up to date with the latest research. Planning is often carried out at the individual stand level, leaving little opportunity for broader strategic planning.

The KETTU project translates scientific research into practical, accessible guidance that is easy to apply in practice. The project operates nationwide, with a particular focus on peatland areas where harvesting pressure is expected to increase in the coming years.

The project also strengthens dialogue within the forestry sector by bringing together researchers, forestry practitioners, and forest owners.

”

In the near future, industrial wood procurement in Finland will increasingly focus on former peatlands. This shift poses a growing risk to surface waters, even though the trend should be to the opposite direction. Action is needed right now to mitigate the impacts on our waters.
Taina Ihaksi, Project Director, Forestry , BSAG

PROJECT MILESTONES

Supporting Strategic Planning

Developing practical guidance materials, supported by clear examples, to help forest owners and forestry professionals apply strategic planning principles to peatland forest management.

Supporting Stand-Level Planning

Developing guidance materials that support forest owners’ decision-making when planning stand-level management on peatlands. The project will also compile a list of demonstration sites where different management approaches can be viewed in practice.

Materials into Practice

Disseminating the project’s guidance materials to forest owners and forestry professionals to encourage their practical use in everyday forest management.