The governments of Finland and the Canadian province of Nova Scotia have signed a five-year action plan to deepen their cooperation in the forestry and bioeconomy sectors.
The agreement, signed on April 26, 2024 in Helsinki, brings together the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland and the Department of Natural Resources of Nova Scotia. It aims to leverage the expertise and experience of both regions to improve the efficiency and sustainability of their respective forest industries.
The areas of cooperation include forest management practices, digital solutions, forest technologies, and education. It will also facilitate increased industry and research collaboration between the two regions.
"We are transforming how we do forestry in Nova Scotia and there is much we can learn from our colleagues in Finland to help reach climate change goals and grow our green economies," said Colton LeBlanc, Nova Scotia's Minister of Cyber Security and Digital Solutions.
Finland and Nova Scotia share many similarities in their forest sectors, including a reliance on the bioeconomy. The action plan seeks to capitalize on new wood-based product developments and the efficient utilization of forest industry byproducts.
This agreement builds on the long-standing forestry cooperation between Canada and Finland, and is another indication of the growing ties between the two countries.
