UPM is launching its own doctoral program on the ecological impacts of forest management and on so‑called nature management actions in forestry. The University of Eastern Finland has been selected as the first partner in the program, with a focus on water protection. The research topic examines the effects of peatland management—and particularly the restoration of mires—on water chemistry and biota. The aim is to investigate how different restoration measures influence water quality and biodiversity in waterways immediately after the measures have been implemented.
”We want to create more responsible, safer, and more productive forest management methods through research and development. We need research-based information on the effects of our activities on tree growth, forest health, economic performance, and the state of waterways, climate, and biodiversity. Our own doctoral program enables long-term, cutting-edge research, the results of which can be directly applied in UPM’s forests while also developing our service offering to forest owners and influencing practices across the entire industry,” says Janne Uuttera, Research and Development Manager, UPM Forest.
”We chose the University of Eastern Finland as our partner for the program’s first doctoral dissertation because of its extensive expertise and long research tradition in this field. The University of Eastern Finland was recently selected for the Academy of Finland’s Centre of Excellence program (2026–2029) on the topic of mires, climate change, and restoration,” Uuttera continues.
”The research collaboration that has now been launched is a necessary and timely initiative, which will also allow us to utilize and combine the University of Eastern Finland’s expertise in mire and water ecology,” says Associate Professor Anna Laine‑Petäjäkangas of the Department of Forest Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland.
UPM’s first doctoral student is conducting research in the Doctoral Program in Natural Sciences, Forest Sciences and Technology (LUMETO). The research is supervised by Associate Professor Anna Laine‑Petäjäkangas and Professor Raine Kortet. The university is responsible for the scientific quality and supervision of the research. UPM’s own forests serve as the research platform and pilot areas, enabling the direct application of the results in developing forest management practices. The research will begin in spring 2026 and continue for four years. Funding is provided by UPM, LUMETO, the Department of Forest Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland, and the Academy of Finland’s Centre of Excellence program.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 