Sustainability impact assessment

“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987)

In Northern ToSIA we focus on sustainability impact assessment by comparing alternative forest resource use and forest value chains. Sustainable development is assessed using indicators of environmental, economic and social sustainability.

Forest-based sector activities play a crucial role in sustainable development of natural and community resources of the Northern Periphery region. Recently, there has been a strong increase in demand for various goods and services that forest resources offer. Forest resource management and regional development are thus facing great challenges with finding a sustainable balance between competing demands.

Case studies of the project give aspects of bioenergy production, reindeer husbandry, forest industry and tourism to forest resource use. The long term goal of Northern ToSIA is to foster sustainable forest resource use in the Northern Periphery.