Forests

City of Kuopio owns the most important forested areas in the surroundings of the city and in the archipelago. These areas are for example Puijo forest, Neulaniemi district, Jynkkä-Petonen district and the archipelagos of Lake Kallavesi.  The forest area owned by the city extends about 10 000 hectares. The tree reserve of the City of Kuopio amounts to 1,8 million m³.

The city’s forests are managed in accordance with the multiple-use forest management plan.

According to a decision made by the city council, 30 000 k-m³ of tree is being felled per year. With a few exceptions, the forest management plan, nonetheless, supports the biodiversity and growth of forest cover.

The first forest management plan was made already in 1882. At the moment, the current forest management plan is being updated.

The goals of the forest management

• Ecological goals and the targets concerning natural environment and scenery
• Social goals
• Culture-historical goals
• Economic goals
• To prepare future building locations
• To develop renewable energy production from the city’s forests

Uses of forest areas

Altogether 9772 hectares of the surface area of Kuopio consist of different forest areas which are used for many different purposes:

• 24 % of the forests in Kuopio are used for the wood economy
• 30 % of the forests in Kuopio are used for outdoor recreation in rural areas and 9 % of the forests in Kuopio for the outdoor recreation in urban areas
• 14 % of the forests are situated in urban parks in built-up areas
• 17 % of the forests are the transformation areas of a land-use which are intended for the needs of business life, industry or settlement
• 6 % of the forests are verified nature conservation areas