The Pilke building is a wooden structure on the banks of the river Ounasjoki in Sahanperä, housing the Pilke Science Centre and its shop, the offices of Metsähallitus (the Finnish Forestry Agency), the Finnish Forest Centre and the Finnish Institute of Natural Resources.
The Science Centre features a multi-sensory, interactive exhibition for all ages on the sustainable use of Nordic forests.
The Pilke Science Centre has the same focus as the National Forestry Board, Metsähallitus, wood, the only entirely natural and renewable building material.
The Pilke building can be seen as the masterpiece of the Science Centre’s exhibition ; it is an example of the sustainable use of the North’s forests. As the building is made entirely of wood, its carbon emissions are 1/3 of those of a steel or concrete building of the same size. Wooden architecture is becoming increasingly important in this complicated climate, as it is a valuable and sustainable source of carbon.
What can we learn about the forest ?
The area in which the Pilke building is located, Sahanperä, or ‘the sawmill hinterland’, was the cradle of the forestry industry in 1870. Rovaniemi was the centre for timber supplies.
It’s hard to imagine that this area was a bad place to live in those days, but it was ! Liquor smugglers, beer halls and nightclubs populated the area. When people knew you were going to this area, they’d tell you ‘You’ll know you’ve arrived when you get stabbed’ !
Fun fact : the Marttiini knife factory was right next door to the Pilke building.
The boreal forests
Almost a third of the planet’s surface is covered by forest. 86% of Finland’s total surface area is forest. Exploited forests represent around 77% of Finland’s land area, making it the most forested country in Europe. The taiga is the largest and most important macroecosystem in the northern hemisphere. The taiga, or cold zone of the boreal forests, makes up the majority of Finland.
It is divided into six forest vegetation zones with different climates. The dominant species are conifers. There are also some deciduous species.
Finland is the forest and the forest is Finland.
The growth of forests
The rotation period of a forest is longer than a human lifetime. A forest felled today will give a mature forest to the next generation. And during the growth period, 16 cubic meters of wood grow in Finnish forests every second. One cubic meter of wood can produce 250 kilos of photocopy paper or 200 kilos of tissue paper, which is the amount consumed in Finland per person per year. One cubic meter of birch logs is equivalent to 170 liters of light fuel oil.
Every forest owner in Finland is obliged to ensure that a new generation of trees grows in the place of those felled.
The tree species in Northern Finland
Northern Finland is home to nine natural tree species, each with different habitat and climate requirements. During the short growing season in the north, some species do not have time to reproduce. Further north and higher above sea level, first the spruce, then the pine and finally the birch disappear. These are species of great economic value.
Of the total volume of tree stands in Finland, pine represents 47%, spruce 34% and broadleaved 19%. Biodiversity requires a wide enough range of tree species to support a large number of insect species.
Scotch pine, spruce, warty birch, downy birch, red birch, common juniper, aspen, white alder, mountain ash, cluster cherry and willow are the different tree species in Finland.
The forestry law and the nature protection act
Forestry in Finland is governed by the forestry act and the nature conservation act.
Biodiversity is promoted by preserving groups of trees when felling, by using controlled burning in forests, by favoring mixed forests, by taking into account valuable natural sites and by leaving various protected areas in the forest.
In Northern Finland, forest protection has focused on state forests, of which almost 15% are protected.
The fact that almost all commercial forests are certified is a guarantee of the sustainable use of Finland’s forests.
The forestry law of 1886 was designed to prevent the destruction of forests and ensure their solid growth. Today, the forestry law aims to ensure timber production, ecological diversity and the multiple uses of forests. Every forest owner in Finland is obliged to ensure that a new generation of trees grows in place of those felled.
Around 95% of Finland’s forests have been certified under the National Forest Certification Scheme, or PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes). The Finnish PEFC system was approved by the international PEFC system in 2000.
The FFCS system takes into account all the elements of forest certification, including the criteria required for forest management and exploitation, verification of the origin of the wood used as raw material for products, and the impartiality and competence of the external audit. The criteria are based on the pan-European principles of sustainable forest management. The certification process is carried out by the federation of forest owners on behalf of its members.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international organization established in 1993. Membership is open to organizations and individuals. Its aim is to promote environmentally responsible, socially useful and economically viable forest management.
The FSC assesses the sustainable use of forests according to ten fundamental principles and forest management criteria (ecological, social and economic indicators).
There are very few FSC-certified forests in Finland, less than one per cent of the commercial forest area.
What can the forest teach us ?
Forests have many uses : they can be used for commercial purposes, as a hiking area, as reindeer pasture, as a landscape forest, as an animal habitat or as the courtyard of a country house.
Forests are a very important part of Finnish people’s daily lives, and they recharge their batteries with all kinds of winter and summer activities. Snowshoeing, ski touring, picking berries, mushrooms or flowers, camping with a campfire, fishing, hunting, boating…
The right of common access in Finland allows everyone to access and use the forests in Finland, regardless of who owns them. But this does not give the right to do just anything anywhere !
What can we find in the forest ?
As landfill charges are quite high, Finns have got into the habit of leaving their rubbish in the forest. There you can find a whole life of slowly decomposing metal and plastic objects.
Stolen beer cans, scrap metal, the man who disappeared from the old people’s home, stuffed animals, an old teapot, a television set, the remains of a sled dog, shoes, rifle cartridges, a skull, a forestry car, the body of a man, a smuggler’s car, the remains of a building, and so on.
But this waste is a real obstacle to walkers, animals and forest management work.
Beauty lies in the forest
The subterranean life of the forest allows the trees to develop ; for example, mycorrhizal fungi live in symbiosis with the trees, providing them with nutrients and a better water intake, in exchange for carbon compounds containing energy.
The forest carbon cycle is based on photosynthesis, the natural circulation of carbon between ecosystems and the atmosphere.
Fungi play an important role in this process. Many fungi and polypore species live on dead wood. It is therefore important to allow the wood to decompose in order to maintain biodiversity.
Some species are harmful to trees, perhaps causing brambles to develop and preventing proper growth.
Other species grow on the ground, the shiny Ganoderma, or Reishi. This is a fungus that decomposes wood and then grows in sawdust. It is collected and cultivated to produce food supplements and natural medicine.
In the photo on the left, below, you can see the shiny Ganoderma mushroom, which was grown at the Pilke Science Centre, and which originally came from KÄÄPÄ Biotech (a company that researches, innovates and develops a new industry with mushrooms).
An interactive, sensory installation entitled ‘Lose yourself in the forest – in complete safety’ is a reminder that the forest can be a familiar and pleasant environment, but it can also become a strange and frightening one, where spatial disorientation can be so strong.
According to a Finnish folk belief, a person can enter a state known as ‘forest cover’, experiencing a strange sensation of being invisible to others and unable to return home.
Other people experience a very strong relationship with the forest, feel at one with it or have experiences of holiness.
‘We can get lost in the forest, but without the forest we are lost.’
To enjoy the most of the beauty of the forest in Finland, there’s nothing better than a snowshoe hike with our excursion agency :
Threats to the forest
Finland’s forests are in a very good state of health and have a low pollution load, but they are suffering from damage linked to climate and habitat conditions.
Here are the main threats to the forest :
- Frozen snow on trees, ‘tykkylumi’.
- Forest fire
- Elks
- Moles
- Insects
- Storm
The disease caused by the snow canker, Phacidium infestans, the pathogenic fungus Gremmeniella abietina, and heavy snow loads, although having a protective effect against the cold of winter, are some of the possible damage to the forest.
Insects and fungi are also a danger to the forest, despite their essential role in decomposing dead wood, stumps and branches.
Men of the forest
The majority of forest felling is carried out using feller-saws. Private forest owners take care of the management of their forests themselves in order to save money. Around 15% of the wood sold in private forests is cut by the owner. It’s an enjoyable hobby for most. Lumberjacks are responsible for managing young plantations and felling on special sites.
The harvester operator and the logger are multi-skilled professionals who are responsible for making decisions about the work to be carried out.
Forest machine operators
At the end of the 1960s, mechanized transport developed and made the forest more accessible, so logging became mechanized after the mid-1980s. In the 1990s, development accelerated.
Harvesting companies are generally small, employing fewer than 10 people in addition to the owner. The owner is also involved in the work. Companies generally have one or two harvesters, one or two self-loading carriers, a repair shop for maintenance work and transport and maintenance equipment.
Felling and short-distance transport are their core business. Forest management is also part of their business.
Lumberjacks
The proportion of non-mechanized work in forestry is around 5 to 10%. Some of the first thinning cuts and cuts on small sites (land or landscape challenges) are carried out by lumberjacks using chainsaws.
The work of the lumberjacks has changed considerably, and now consists mainly of plant management, planting, planning and other support functions.
Technicians
The forestry sector involves a vast amount of research and development, testing and machine building, as well as a multitude of expert activities. The forestry sector and related industries together form what is known as the forestry cluster.
Some examples of jobs : paper mill laboratory technician, teacher, Centre of Excellence project manager, packaging designer, etc.
The forest industry and forestry
Forests continue to be an important source of employment and income for Finns. The forestry sector includes forestry and the forestry industry.
The forestry industry can be divided into two sectors, the mechanical forestry industry and the chemical forestry industry.
The first manufactures sawn timber, wood panels and their processed products, such as wooden houses, doors and furniture.
The latter manufactures chemical and mechanical pulp, which is then used to make paper, cardboard and bio-oil, which is transformed into plastic.
Forestry (the science of cultivating, maintaining and exploiting forests in a rational manner) is responsible for the sustainable supply of renewable raw material to the forestry industry. The mechanical and chemical forestry industries transform wood raw materials into finished products.
Sawmills are essentially primary wood processing industries. They consume almost half of the raw wood used annually by Finnish industry.
They offer a wide range of products, from basic sawn timber to special products manufactured in small batches. They often operate in conjunction with processing units, such as planing mills, glue-laminated timber factories and component factories. A large proportion of sawmill products are exported.
The annual output of Finnish sawmills would be enough to build a 5,000 km wall as high as the model pictured in the gallery below.
The biorefinery
As part of sustainable development, it is essential to make efficient use of raw materials and energy so as to generate as little waste as possible. The bioeconomy makes use of renewable natural resources without producing waste.
The Finnish pulp and paper industry produces more energy than it consumes.
The future of the forestry industry lies in biorefineries that produce biofuels, bioenergy and bio-based products from biomass (organic matter).
Biofuels, made from organic matter, produce energy known as bioenergy. Wood can be used to replace fossil fuels. Wood-based energy is renewable and carbon-neutral.
Finland is one of the leading countries in the use of wood-based energy. One-fifth of energy is produced from wood.
Practical informations about the Pilke Science Centre
Opening hours
Opening of the Science Centre :
– Monday – Friday 9am-6pm
– Saturday – Sunday 10am-4pm
In December :
– Monday 9am-4pm
– Tuesday – Friday 9am-6pm
– Saturday – Sunday 10am-4pm
Opening of the information point and the shop :
– Monday 8am-4pm
– Tuesday – Friday 8am-6pm
– Saturday – Sunday 10am-4pm
Some exceptions to these opening hours :
6.12. Pilke is open 10am-4pm
10.12. Pilke is open 9am-3.30pm
24.12. Pilke is closed on Christmas Day
25.12. Open 10am-4pm
26.12. Open 10am-4pm
31.12. Open 9am-6pm
1.1.2025 Open 10am-4pm
6.1.2025 Pilke is closed
Prices
– Entry tickets :
- Adult : €7
- Child 7-15 years old : €5
- Student : €5
- Senior : €5
- Child below 7 years old : free
– Family entry tickets :
- 2 adults and 2 children : €20
- 1 adult and 3 children : €20
– Season ticket (personal card, valid for 12 months) :
- Adults : €30
- Students : €20
- Seniors : €20
- Child 7-15 years old : €20
– Group tickets (to book in advance) :
- 15-50 persons : 6,50 €/person
- More than 51 persons : 6 €/person
– Culture Pass (the pass is personal, valid for 7 days and allows you to visit 3 cultural sites, the Pilke Science Centre, the Arktikum museum and the House of Culture Korundi, as many times as you like) :
- Adults : €25
- Students, seniors, unemployed : €20
- Children 7-15 years old : €10
– Museum Card (valid 1 year and allows you to visit 350 Finnish museums) :
- New card : €79
- Extending the validity of your card : €73
– Assistants :
- The personal assistant of a person with reduced mobility has free access rights
Address / Parking
Address : Ounasjoentie 6, 96200 Rovaniemi, Finland
The Science Centre is located in the Pilke building, a 10-minute walk from Rovaniemi town centre, near the Arktikum museum.
– Free parking is available near the Science Centre :
- 8 parking spaces, including one for people with reduced mobility, on Ounasjoentie street (1 hour’s parking with a parking disc)
- 14 parking spaces after the Pilke building, on Ounasjoentie street
- car park next to the Pilke building
- car park below the Pilke building
– Access to the Pilke building for people with reduced mobility is planned.
Contact
Phone : +358 20 639 7820
Email : pilke@metsa.fi
