The objective of forest policy is to ensure the welfare founded on the use of forests and diversity of the forest nature. The tools of forest policy are legislation, public funding and information. Sustainable forestry has several dimensions: economic, ecological, social and cultural sustainability. Their reconciliation is a great challenge to which forest policy needs to respond. Success can be evaluated through the criteria and indicators for sustainable forestry.
The main elements of Finnish forest policy are defined in the National Forest Programme 2015, while the regional objectives are written down in the Regional Forest Programme. The Forest Biodiversity Action programme for Southern Finland 2008-2016 METSO supplements the National Forest Programme in objectives concerning ecological sustainability. In the Strategy Programme for the Forest Sector of the Ministery of Employment and the Economy the focus is on improving the preconditions for enterprise in forest industry and in the whole forest sector.
