Finland, Mexico boost cooperation in forestry

Finnish and Mexican forest experts will strengthen their cooperation in forest sector and a five-year memorandum of understanding was signed between the countries in this regard, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in a press release on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry signed the MoU for Finland while the National Forestry Commission of Mexico (CONAFOR) represented Mexico.

Areas in cooperation include forest inventories, drafting of national forest programmes, and the role of forests in mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

Forest inventories are among the key priorities of Finnish-Mexican forest cooperation.

“However, many of the new challenges relating to the methods for calculating carbon sinks, e.g., are quite similar for both countries,” said Natural Resources Institute Finland Principal Scientist Kari T. Korhonen.

Mexico is also interested in Finland’s experiences in drafting national forest programmes.

“What is common to Finland and Mexico is that there are many different objectives for forest management. In both countries forest policy preparation takes place as a participatory process where the relevant stakeholders are closely involved,” said Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Head of Forests and Bioenergy Unit Marja Kokkonen.

Forest cooperation between the two countries is based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2018.

“I am very happy for this opportunity for Finnish and Mexican forest experts to share knowledge and expertise,” said Finnish Ambassador to Mexico Päivi Pohjanheimo.

“We have a long history of cooperation on forest issues between Mexico and Finland. The first contacts between forest experts date back to the 1960s. Forest cooperation with Finland is highly appreciated in Mexico, and it is important for both countries to continue this interaction,” said Markku Simula, who has been involved in the cooperation since the 1980s.