Forest Sciences

Forests are our most important natural resource. They cover over three-quarters of Finland's land area. Everyone's rights ensure that all can enjoy the recreational values of forest nature. Furthermore, forests produce and maintain vital ecosystem services, such as water filtration and carbon sequestration. There are approximately 600,000 Finnish private forest owners, so families own a large portion of the forests in Finland. The Government, companies, and communities own the remaining of the forests. Products made from wood, such as paper and sawn timber, are mainly sold abroad, providing one-fifth of Finland’s export income. The master's studies in forest sciences provides to you different specialization options. You learn how forests are both sources of renewable raw materials and complex ecological entities connected to their environment. The relationship between humans and nature, as well as the society and natural resources, is strongly present in the teaching. The studies include interdisciplinary topics such as ecology, technology, economics, and social sciences. In the education program, you can study subjects like applied biology, environmental science, geoinformatics, business economics, and environmental policy.  The master's studies are divided into two study tracks: Forest Ecology and Management – study track, you study the biological processes of forests, the functioning and management of forest and peatland ecosystems. The studies examine forest models, ecosystem changes, forest management planning, game management, timber harvesting, and wood processing. Forest Economics, Business and Society – study track focuses on the development of sustainable and economically viable business operations, and analyzing forest policy in a global and local environment. The studies also consider the indirect values of forests, such as cultural (e.g., recreational use) and ecosystem services. Increasingly, emphasis is placed on innovation, entrepreneurship, and digitalization. Would you like to influence the future of one of the most important natural resources? How trees grow and are processed from seedlings to products sustainably and efficiently? How the diverse ecosystem services produced by forests benefit all of us? The forest sector offers extensive career opportunities both in Finland and abroad. Come and study at the University of Helsinki in one of the world's best and most respected forest science education programs. More information about studying forest sciences can be found on the Master's programme website.