How horizon scanning shapes the forest bioeconomy: Insights from the webinar
On 17 November 2025, EFI and the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) organised their first joint webinar on horizon scanning. Bringing together participants from diverse fields and interests, the webinar presented hands-on experiences with horizon scanning in research.
During the webinar, we heard examples of how different actors use horizon scanning.
Finnish Forest Centre
Dr Alisa Puustinen presented how the Finnish Forest Centre uses horizon scanning to anticipate emerging risks and opportunities affecting Finnish forests. Her work focuses on identifying weak signals, evaluating their relevance to forest owners and the forestry sector, and ensuring that early insights inform strategic planning. She highlighted the need for systematic scanning routines, cross-organisational collaboration, and tools that help translate signals into action for practical forest management and policy support.
In addition, Dr Puustinen exemplified practical tools for searching for the unexpected, visualising emerging trends, and categorising signals that require immediate action vis-à-vis those that the organisation should keep an eye on.
Check the Futuremaker's toolbox by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
Forestry England
Dr Eleanor Tew showcased Forestry England's structured horizon scanning framework, which helps the organisation monitor long-term trends such as climate change impacts, new pests and diseases, shifts in public expectations, and changes in recreation or timber markets. Their process emphasises regular scanning cycles, internal workshops to interpret findings, and clear pathways for integrating insights into forest planning, risk management, and organisational strategy. She stressed that horizon scanning is essential for building resilient, future-proof forests.
Moreover, Dr Tew exemplified four top issues identified in the horizon scan and explained how the conversation about British forests changed.
The full paper with a total of 15 issues affecting UK forest management within 50 years is available here.
University of Eastern Finland
UEF PhD researcher Tuomas Mauno presented a project examining how horizon scanning can support strategic decision-making in forestry organisations. The research explores which scanning methods work best, how organisations recognise and process weak signals, and what barriers limit the use of foresight information. Early findings suggest that many organisations collect signals informally, but lack systems for prioritising, interpreting, and embedding them in decision-making. The project aims to develop a more consistent, evidence-based model for using foresight in the forest sector.
Mauno has published two articles on his ongoing work:
- Mauno, T. et al. (2023). How to identify and interpret weak signals of change in the forest bioeconomy. Forest Policy and Economics 157: 103075. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2023.103075
- Mauno, T. et al. (2025). Interactive Horizon Scanning of the Forest Bioeconomy with a Nested Business Environment Framework. Futures & Foresight Science 7(2): e70015. https://doi.org/10.1002/ffo2.70015
Want to get involved?
EFI and UEF investigate ways to advance horizon scanning methods and tools applied to forest research, forestry, and forest-forest sector issues. This webinar introduced ways of using horizon scanning methods and invited the audience from forest research and forest organisations to collaborate.
Express your interest in participating in this collaboration here – submissions close on 15 December 2025.
For further questions, please contact teppo.hujala @ uef.fi or paivi.pelli @ efi.int.
Featured image: StefaNikolic & Pgiam from Getty Images Signature / Canva
