Assessment and monitoring of forest biomass are frequently done with allometric functions per species for inventory plots. The estimation per area unit is carried out with an extrapolation method. In this chapter, a review of the recent methods to estimate forest above‐ground biomass (AGB) using remote sensing data is presented. A case study is given with an innovative methodology to estimate above‐ground biomass based on crown horizontal projection obtained with high spatial resolution satellite images for two evergreen oak species. The linear functions fitted for pure, mixed and both compositions showed a good performance. Also, the functions with dummy variables to distinguish species and compositions adjusted had the best performance. An error threshold of 5% corresponds to stand areas of 8.7 and 5.5 ha for the functions of all species and compositions without and with dummy variables. This method enables the overall area evaluation, and it is easily implemented in a geographic information system environment.

The Tropics continue to provide the most biologically diverse and carbon rich forest in the world, but they are being lost at alarming rates. To meet the global climate change targets and the UN sustainable development goals, financing is urgently needed to speed up and increase tropical forest restoration. The aim of this thesis is to show that sustainable timber and non-timber forest products offer are a viable vehicle for investment in tropical forest restoration and to identify the needed incentives and tools to enable sustainable investment.   There is a lack of research on the integration between business model design and sustainability generally and an absence of business models for tropical forest restoration. Very little research if any, has been undertaken to link the two and evaluate the feasibility of applying business models on tropical forest restoration, especially with regard to its potential as an interesting investment option. This thesis gives a background about tropical forest restorations, sustainable investment, presents three tropical reforestation projects and a conceptual framework. The conceptual framework will be used to evaluate the potential for business model application to finance restoration and enable sustainable investments.   Using a business model for tropical forest restoration projects, which in most cases are not defined as businesses, is an innovative approach and an agent of needed radical change. A business model is a crucial strategic management tool to enable success of tropical forest restorations. The core logic of the business model can offer equitable customer value and the fulfillment of new types of needs. Merging economic development and forest restoration is a powerful tool for innovation. The critical variables for financing are management, monitoring, operational efficiency, political incentives and regulations, stakeholder involvement, community benefits, transparency and information communication technology.

Tropical forests are extremely important ecosystems which play a substantial role in the global carbon budget and are increasingly dominated by anthropogenic disturbance through deforestation and forest degradation, contributing to emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. There is an urgent need for forest monitoring over extensive and inaccessible tropical forest which can be best accomplished using spaceborne satellite data. Currently, two key processes are extremely challenging to monitor: forest degradation and post-disturbance re-growth. The thesis work focuses on these key processes by considering change indicators derived from radar remote sensing signal that arise from changes in forest structure. The problem is tackled by exploiting spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Interferometric SAR (InSAR) observations, which can provide forest structural information while simultaneously being able to collect data independently of cloud cover, haze and daylight conditions which is a great advantage over the tropics. The main principle of the work is that a connection can be established between the forest structure distribution in space and signal variation (spatial statistics) within backscatter and Digital Surface Models (DSMs) provided by SAR. In turn, forest structure spatial characteristics and changes are used to map forest condition (intact or degraded) or disturbance. The innovative approach focuses on looking for textural patterns (and their changes) in radar observations, then connecting these patterns to the forest state through supporting evidence from expert knowledge and auxiliary remote sensing observations (e.g. high resolution optical, aerial photography or LiDAR). These patterns are descriptors of the forest structural characteristics in a statistical sense, but are not estimates of physical properties, such as above-ground biomass or canopy height. The thesis tests and develops methods using novel remote sensing technology (e.g. single-pass spaceborne InSAR) and modern image statistical analysis methods (wavelet-based space-scale analysis). The work is developed on an experimental basis and articulated in three test cases, each addressing a particular observational setting, analytical method and thematic context. The first paper deals with textural backscatter patterns (C-band ENVISAT ASAR and L-band ALOS PALSAR) in semi-deciduous closed forest in Cameroon. Analysis concludes that intact forest and degraded forest (arising from selective logging) are significantly different based on canopy structural properties when measured by wavelet based space-scale analysis. In this case, C-band data are more effective than longer wavelength L-band data. Such a result could be explained by the lower wave penetration into the forest volume at shorter wavelength, with the mechanism driving the differences between the two forest states arising from upper canopy heterogeneity. In the second paper, wavelet based space-scale analysis is also used to provide information on upper canopy structure. A DSM derived from TanDEM-X acquired in 2014 was used to discriminate primary lowland Dipterocarp forest, secondary forest, mixed-scrub and grassland in the Sungai Wain Protection Forest (East Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo) which was affected by the 1997/1998 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The Jeffries- Matusita separability of wavelet spectral measures of InSAR DSMs between primary and secondary forest was in some cases comparable to results achieved by high resolution LiDAR data. The third test case introduces a temporal component, with change detection aimed at detecting forest structure changes provided by differencing TanDEM-X DSMs acquired at two dates separated by one year (2012-2013) in the Republic of Congo. The method enables cancelling out the component due to terrain elevation which is constant between the two dates, and therefore the signal related to the forest structure change is provided. Object-based change detection successfully mapped a gradient of forest volume loss (deforestation/forest degradation) and forest volume gain (post-disturbance re-growth). Results indicate that the combination of InSAR observations and wavelet based space-scale analysis is the most promising way to measure differences in forest structure arising from forest fires. Equally, the process of forest degradation due to shifting cultivation and post-disturbance re-growth can be best detected using multiple InSAR observations. From the experiments conducted, single-pass InSAR appears to be the most promising remote sensing technology to detect forest structure changes, as it provides three-dimensional information and with no temporal decorrelation. This type of information is not available in optical remote sensing and only partially available (through a 2D mapping) in SAR backscatter. It is advised that future research or operational endeavours aimed at mapping and monitoring forest degradation/regrowth should take advantage of the only currently available high resolution spaceborne single-pass InSAR mission (TanDEM-X). Moreover, the results contribute to increase knowledge related to the role of SAR and InSAR for monitoring degraded forest and tracking the process of forest degradation which is a priority but still highly challenging to detect. In the future the techniques developed in the thesis work could be used to some extent to support REDD+ initiatives.

Understanding the factors that underlie the production of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), as well as regularly monitoring production levels, are key to allow sustainability assessments of NTFP extractive economies. Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa, Lecythidaceae) seed harvesting from natural forests is one of the cornerstone NTFP economies in Amazonia. In the Peruvian Amazon it is organized in a concession system. Drawing on seed production estimates of >135,000 individual Brazil nut trees from >400 concessionsand ethno-ecological interviews with >80 concession holders, here we aimed to (i) assess the accuracy of seed production estimates by Brazil nut seed harvesters, and (ii) validate their traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) about the variables that influence Brazil nut production. We compared productivity estimates with actual field measurements carried out in the study area and found a positive correlation between them. Furthermore, we compared the relationships between seed production and a number of phenotypic, phytosanitary and environmental variables described in literature with those obtained for the seed production estimates and found high consistency between them, justifying the use of the dataset for validating TEK and innovative hypothesis testing. As expected, nearly all TEK on Brazil nut productivity was corroborated by our data. This is reassuring as Brazil nut concession holders, and NTFP harvesters at large, rely on their knowledge to guide the management of the trees upon which their extractive economies are based. Our findings suggest that productivity estimates of Brazil nut trees and possibly other NTFP-producing species could replace or complement actual measurements, which are very expensive and labour intensive, at least in areas where harvesters have a tradition of collecting NTFPs from the same trees over multiple years or decades. Productivity estimates might even be sourced from harvesters through registers on an annual basis, thus allowing a more cost-efficient and robust monitoring of productivity levels.

Los bosques andinos en Colombia tienen una cobertura de 9’861,097ha de 61’246,659 ha correspondientes a la cobertura de bosque natural, y debido a su posición geográfica estos han sido afectados por diferentes problemáticas como la fragmentación, cambios de uso del suelo, tala ilegal e incendios entre otros. Bajo el contexto anteriormente planteado se establecieron cuatro parcelas permanentes de monitoreo utilizando la metodología propuesta por el IDEAM (2014) sobre el inventario forestal nacional con el fin de estimar la biomasa y carbono de los bosques muestreados, teniendo en cuenta los parámetros del sistema de monitoreo de bosques y carbono(SMBYC) establecidas en cuatro municipios del departamento de Boyacá bajo la jurisdicción de CORPOCHIVOR (San Luis de Gaceno, Guayatá, Pachavita y Tibaná) a través del uso de la tecnología Field-Map como herramienta innovadora que aporta eficiencia y mayor precisión a la hora de evaluar tanto variables cuantitativas como cualitativas, además de facilitar la recopilación y formación de bases de datos para el procesamiento de datos dasométricos y ecológicos. El principal objetivo fue evaluar la vegetación para determinar la cantidad de Carbono almacenado mediante la metodología del inventario forestal nacional donde los principales resultados muestran una evaluación de 342 individuos en los cuatro conglomerados en donde el mínimo almacenaje de Carbono fue de 95.5 Tn / ha y un máximo de 229.6 Tn/ha los cuales representan valores característicos de las dinámicas de carbono en bosques alto andinos secundarios en Colombia y que configuran una base para estudios a futuro aplicados al pago de servicios ambientales o incentivos a las comunidades en Colombia para la conservación de los ecosistemas alto andinos. | Andean forests in Colombia have a coverage of 9'861,097ha of 61'246,659 ha corresponding to natural forest coverage, and due to their geographical position they have been affected by different problems such as fragmentation, land use change, Illegal logging and fire, among others. Under the above context, four permanent monitoring plots were established using the methodology proposed by IDEAM (2014) on the national forest inventory in order to estimate the biomass and carbon of the sampled forests, based on the parameters of the monitoring system Of forests and carbon (SMBYC) established in four municipalities of the department of Boyacá under the jurisdiction of CORPOCHIVOR (San Luis de Gaceno, Guayatá, Pachavita and Tibaná) through the use of Field-Map technology as an innovative tool that provides efficiency and greater Precision in the evaluation of both quantitative and qualitative variables, as well as facilitating the collection and formation of databases for the processing of dasometric and ecological data. The main objective was to evaluate the vegetation to determine the amount of carbon stored through the methodology of the national forest inventory, where the main results show an evaluation of 342 individuals in the four clusters where the minimum carbon storage was 95.5 Tn / ha and one Maximum of 229.6 Tn / ha which represent characteristic values ​​of the carbon dynamics in high Andean secondary forests in Colombia and which form a basis for future studies applied to the payment of environmental services or incentives to communities in Colombia for the conservation of High Andean ecosystems. | Corpochivor

Espinoza Sánchez, T. M. (2017). Análisis de la complejidad estructural de dos estados de restauración del bosque muy húmedo montano bajo mediante imágenes digitales, Río Macho, Costa Rica. [Tesis de Licenciatura]. Universidad Nacional, Heredia, C.R. | La estructura de un ecosistema complejo es considerada un buen indicador de la biodiversidad, sin embargo describir principios organizadores que gobiernan la dinámica ecológica mediante múltiples escalas espaciales y temporales resulta ser uno de los principales retos de la comunidad científica y de la ecología de los ecosistemas. Es por ello que ha surgido la aplicación de nuevos equipos, sencillos e innovadores, como es el uso de la fotografía digital como una herramienta prometedora para el estudio y seguimiento de comunidades de plantas a través del análisis de texturas y colores de imágenes. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar la complejidad estructural y su relación con la riqueza arborescente en un ecosistema boscoso en dos estados de restauración, mediante imágenes digitales y orientadores ecológicos como instrumentos para su manejo y conservación. En ambos estados de restauración se colocaron diez cámaras Time-lapse programadas para tomar tres fotos por día, a una altura entre los dos y tres metros; posteriormente, a partir de las fotografías se obtuvieron dos índices de complejidad estructural (MIG y A) los cuáles se analizaron para observar el comportamiento de estos a través del tiempo, donde se observa que los valores más altos corresponden al mes de marzo y los más bajos a diciembre. Además con los ANCOVAs realizados se encontró un efecto importante de la hora del día, del sitio, así como la interacción de éstos en el Índice de MIG entre los dos estados de restauración en los dos períodos (R2=0.43 y 0.49 para marzo y diciembre, respectivamente). Dicho efecto está relacionado con la variabilidad de la luz que se filtra a través del dosel del bosque, la cual juega un papel muy importante en los bosques tropicales, tanto en el espacio como en el tiempo. Por otra parte, la variación de los orientadores ecológicos analizados (MIG y A) en ambos estados de restauración está relacionada con la riqueza de especies y el área basal. El bosque secundario joven (BSJ) presenta un valor de MIG YA más altos que el bosque secundario tardío (BST), debido a que el BSJ no cuenta con un patrón totalmente ordenado como una plantación ni se encuentra en un estado de total desorden como la apertura de un claro, por lo tanto se considera más heterogéneo desde la perspectiva del análisis realizado. En conclusión, estos orientadores ecológicos son lo suficientemente variables y su seguimiento puede ser utilizado para conseguir y medir patrones anuales, estacionales, diarios y espaciales basados en un método de entropía de las texturas de una imagen digital. Asimismo, estos orientadores pueden ayudar a solucionar problemas forestales ya que permiten identificar algunos rasgos que sugieren algunas prácticas específicas para su manejo y permiten mantener el seguimiento del proceso de restauración. | The structure of a complex ecosystem is considered a good indicator of biodiversity, however describing organizing principles that govern ecological dynamics through multiple spatial and temporal scales turns out to be one of the main challenges of the scientific community and of ecosystem ecology. That is why the application of new, simple and innovative equipment has emerged, such as the use of digital photography as a promising tool for the study and monitoring of plant communities through the analysis of image textures and colors. The objective of this study is to analyze the structural complexity and its relationship with tree richness in a forest ecosystem in two states of restoration, using digital images and ecological guides as instruments for its management and conservation. In both restoration states, ten Time-lapse cameras programmed to take three photos per day were placed, at a height between two and three meters; Subsequently, from the photographs, two structural complexity indices (MIG and A) were obtained, which were analyzed to observe their behavior over time, where it is observed that the highest values ​​correspond to the month of March and the most low to December. In addition, with the ANCOVAs carried out, an important effect of the time of day, the site, as well as the interaction of these in the MIG Index between the two restoration states in the two periods was found (R2=0.43 and 0.49 for March and December , respectively). This effect is related to the variability of light that filters through the forest canopy, which plays a very important role in tropical forests, both in space and in time. On the other hand, the variation of the ecological guides analyzed (MIG and A) in both restoration states is related to species richness and basal area. The young secondary forest (BSJ) presents a higher MIG YA value than the late secondary forest (BST), because the BSJ does not have a totally ordered pattern like a plantation nor is it in a state of total disorder like the opening of a gap, therefore it is considered more heterogeneous from the perspective of the analysis carried out. In conclusion, these ecological drivers are sufficiently variable and their monitoring can be used to obtain and measure annual, seasonal, daily and spatial patterns based on a digital image texture entropy method. Likewise, these advisors can help solve forest problems since they allow the identification of some features that suggest some specific practices for their management and allow monitoring of the restoration process. | Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica | Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas

Tämän tilannekatsaus antaa kokonaisvaltaisen kuvan Luonnonvarakeskuksen (Luke) arktiseen alueeseen tai arktiseen näkökulmaan liittyvistä tutkimus- ja kehityshankkeista. Työn tuloksia voidaan käyttää Luken arktisen luonnonvaratalouden esittelyssä kansallisesti ja kansainvälisesti. Tutkimusten kohdealueina ovat erityisesti Lappi, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa ja Kainuu, siis Suomesta Barentsin alueeseen kuuluvat maakunnat. Katsaus on laadittu kiinnittäen ensisijaista huomiota vuonna 2017 päivitettyyn Suomen arktisen strategian (2013) toimenpidesuunnitelman painotuksiin (VN 2017) ja Suomen Arktisen neuvoston puheenjohtajuuskauden (2017–2019) ohjelmaan sekä kansalliseen biotalousstrategiaan, Tekesin ja Suomen Akatemia arktisen tutkimuksen toteutuksiin. Kokonaisuudesta on nostettu esille maa- ja metsätalousministeriön vastuualueet: ilmastoresilienssi eli ilmastokestävyys, jonka osana ilmastonmuutokseen sopeutuminen, suomalaisen ruuan vientitavoitteet, arktinen luontomatkailu ja näihin linkittyvä alueellinen verkottumis-ja kumppanuusnäkökulma. Pitkän aikavalin strategian lähtökohtana on monipuolinen alueellinen ja paikallinen yhteistyö sekä aluelähtöisyyden vahvistaminen arktisessa yhteistyössä. Lisäksi tavoitteena on uudenlaisien kumppanuuksien luominen muun muassa julkisen ja yksityisen välillä vahvistamalla yritysten toimintaedellytyksiä ja toimijoiden verkottumista Barentsin alueella (Lappi, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa ja Kainuu). Arktisen biotalouden kumppanuudella on tarkoitus tukea erityisesti näiden maakuntien välistä yhteistyötä. Luken tutkimus on jaettu neljään temaattiseen ohjelmaan: ”Vihreä biotalous, Innovatiivinen elintarvikeketju, Sininen biotalous ja Kestävä luonnonvaratalous yhteiskunnassa1. Vihreä biotalous ohjelma tavoitteena on turvata kasvava ja vakaa metsä- ja peltobiomassa raaka-aineeksi, luoda raaka-aineesta uusia tuotteita, energiaa sekä palveluita ja kehittää vihreän biotalouden tuotanto- ja jalos-tusprosesseja sekä taata metsä- ja peltoekosysteemien monimuotoisuus sekä lisätä biomassojen käytön joustavaa suunnittelua. Innovatiivinen elintarvikeketju -teema tukee kestävää, kannattavaa ja innovatiivista elintarvikeketjua sen kaikissa vaiheissa. Tavoitteena on jalostaa terveellisiä kestävästi tuotettuja elintarvikkeita ja tukea kiertotaloutta ruokajärjestelmässä sekä hyödyntää digitaalisuutta ja älykästä teknologiaa ketjun eri vaiheissa. Päämäärinä ovat kansainvälisestikin kilpailukykyinen ja vastuullinen elintarvikeketju ja hyvinvoivat kuluttajat. Sinisen biotalouden tutkimus tarjoaa kokonaisvaltaista tukea vesistöihin ja veteen perustuvalle liiketoiminnalle, kuten kalan ja levien viljelyyn, kalastukseen sekä uusien teknologioiden ja sivutuotteiden käyttöön. Kestävä luonnonvaratalous yh-teiskunnassa -tutkimusteema edistää biotaloutta sekä sen edellyttämiä muutoksia yhteiskunnassa. Tutkimusteema tukee uusiutuvien luonnonvarojen kestävän ja hyväksyttävän hyödyntämisen politii-kan muotoutumista, markkinoiden toimivuutta, uuden teknologian ja liiketoimintamallien leviämistä sekä pyrkii vaikuttamaan toimintatapoihin, jotka takaavat yhteiskunnan ja alueiden kestävän menes-tymisen. Teemakohtaisten ohjelmien päämääränä on tuottaa uusia biopohjaisia tuotteita ja uutta liiketoimintaa, lisätä tuottavuutta digitaalisilla ratkaisuilla, tuoda alueille elinvoimaa kiertotaloudesta ja aikaansaada aineettomiin arvoihin pohjautuvaa hyvinvointia sekä tukea terveellisen ruuantuotannon kannattavuutta. Luken tutkimustoiminta on monipuolista ja kansallisten verkostojen toimijatahot edustavat laajalti eri yhteiskunnan toimijoita. Lukessa tehdään tutkimushankkeiden myötä paljon kansainvälistä yhteistyötä. Etenkin EU- rahoitteiset hankkeet kuten Horizon muodostavat laajoja kansainvälisiä tutkimuskonsortioita. Barentsin alueella tehdään paljon yhteistyötä, erityisesti pohjois-maisten yliopistojen ja tutkimuslaitosten kanssa. Lisäksi rajat ylittävää yhteistyötä tehdään Venäjän kanssa. Konkreettisen tutkimushankeyhteistyön lisäksi Luke on mukana verkostoitumiseen tähtäävissä hankkeissa. Luken ilmastokestävyyden tutkimus täyttää hyvin kestävyyden yleisen tematiikan, ilmastovaikutusten monisuuntaisen arvioinnin ja laajan kirjon sopeutumiseen liittyvää ekologista ja erityisesti taloudellista tiedontuotantoa sekä ilmastokestävyyden yhteiskunnallista hallintaa. Ilmastokestävyyden laajoihin yhteiskunnallisiin sovellutuksiin tarvittava kumppanuuden ja jaetun suunnittelun näkökulma on jäänyt tutkimuksessa vähäisemmälle huomiolle. Kuitenkin verkottuminen ja aluelähtöisyyden rakentaminen on Horizon -projektien myötä tullut yhä vahvemmin mukaan Luke tutkimuksen orientaatioon. Luken tutkimuksen tuki suomalaisen ruuan vientitavoitteiden saavuttamiseksi on vahvaa siltä osin kun kyse on tuotannon kehittämisestä, laadunhallinnasta, uusien tuoteinnovaatioiden pohjustamisesta, ympäristövaikutusten määrittelystä sekä suomalaisten kuluttajien käyttäytymisestä ja globaalien markkinoiden seurannasta. Varsinainen markkinoinnin, asiakaskeskeisen kehittämisen, vuorovaikutteisen tuotesuunnittelun ja erityisesti ulkomaisen kulutuskulttuurin ja tuotekysynnän erityispiirteiden sekä ruokamarkkinoiden johtamisen tutkimus on huomattavasti vähäisempää. Taustaselvitys suomalaisen arktisen ruuan vientiin liittyvistä lisäarvotekijöistä on tehty, mutta vakuuttavuuden kannalta tarvittaisiin lisäarvotekijöiden jatkuvan seurannan ja sisällöllisen syventämisen kehittämistä sekä vahvuuksien konkretisointia vientimarkkinoilla. Lukella on tärkeä rooli luonto- ja hyvinvointimatkailun perusteita luovassa tutkimuksessa. Matkailun ja muiden rinnakkaisten elinkeinojen yhteensovittamiseen, luontomatkailun elämyspalvelujen syventämiseen ja laadun kehittämiseen sekä kestävyyden kokonaisvaltaiseen ja moninäkökulmaiseen hallintaan tarvitaan vahvistusta. Luken tutkimuksen heikko kohta on matkailun kehittämiseen liittyen markkinointitutkimuksen, markkinoiden - ja asiakkuusjohtamisen vähäisyys. Näin ollen Luken tutkimus ei helposti ulotu arktisen ruuan vientiponnistelujen eikä arktisen luontomatkailun loppuasiakkaan rajapinnalle ja spin-off aktiviteettien tukeminen on jäänyt vajaaksi. The purpose of this report is to provide a holistic picture of Natural Resources Institute Finland’s (Luke) arctic research and development projects. This report includes Luke’s arctic work, consisting of research carried out in Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu (Barents region). The results of the work can be used in the presentation of Luke’s arctic work, both nationally and internationally. The review is based on the priorities of the Finnish Arctic Strategy (2013, updated 2017) and the Arctic Council Chairmanship (2017-2019) plans, National bioeconomy strategy, Tekes’ and the Academy of Finland’s arctic research. The responsibilities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry have been highlighted: Climate resilience and climate change adaptation, Finnish Food Export and Arctic Nature Tourism, as well as the related regional networking partnership perspective. The long-term strategy is based on diversified regional and local cooperation and the strengthening of regional orientation in arctic cooperation, as well as new kinds of partnerships, including public and private, in particular by strengthening the business environment and networking of actors in the Barents region (Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu). The Partnership for Arctic Bioeconomy aims to particularly support cooperation between these regions. Luke’s research is divided into four thematic programs: Boreal Green Bioeconomy, Innovative Food System, Blue Bioeconomy and BioSociety2. The Boreal Green Bioeconomy program aims to secure growing and stable raw material for forest and field biomass, to create new products, energy and services from the raw material, to develop greenhouse gas production and processing processes, The Innovative Food System theme supports a sustainable, profitable and innovative food chain at all stages. The aim is to process wholesome sustainable food products and support the rotating economy in the food system, and utilize digital and intelligent technology throughout the chain. The goals are an internationally competitive and responsible food chain and well-being consumers. Blue Bioeconomics research provides comprehensive support for water and water-based businesses, such as fish and algae cultivation, fisheries and the use of new technologies and by-products. BioSociety re-search projects promote bioeconomy and the changes it requires in society. The research topic supports the policy formulation of the sustainable and acceptable exploitation of renewable resources, the functioning of the market, the spread of new technologies and business models, and aims to influence policies that guarantee the sustainable success of society and regions. The thematic programs aim to produce new bio-based products and new business, increase productivity with digital solutions, increase vitality of the regions by circular economy solutions and achieve intangible value-based prosperity and to support the profitability of healthy food production. Luke's research activities are diversified, and national networks consist of various actors of society. In the framework of research projects, a great deal of international cooperation is carried out and, in particular, EU-funded projects such as Horizon forms alarge international research consortia. A lot of project co-operation is being done in the Barents area, especially with Nordic universities and re-search institutes. Also cross-border cooperation with Russia exists. In addition to the concrete re-search project, Luke is involved in several networking projects. In terms of climate resilience, Luke's research is well in line with the general theme of sustainability, multi-directional assessment of climate impacts and the adaptation of a wide spectrum of eco-logical and, especially, economic data production and the social management of climate sustainability. However, the aspect of partnership and shared planning needed for large-scale social applications in climate sustainability has been relegated to lesser consideration in the Luke’s present research. Along with Horizon projects, strong networking and building a regional outlook has become part of Luke's research orientation. As far as the Finnish export of food is concerned, Luke's research support is strong in terms of production development, quality management, new product innovation and environmental impacts, and the behavior of Finnish consumers, as well as global market monitoring. Research on marketing, building customer focused orientation, interactive product design and, in particular, the special features of foreign consumer culture and product demand and the management of food market management is limited. In the case of exports of arctic food, a background survey of Finnish export-related added value factors has been made. Yet the development of continuous monitoring and substantive deepening of the added value factors and the concretization of the strengths in the export market are still needed. Luke plays an important role in creating ground for the nature and wellness tourism research. There is a need to strengthen the coordination of tourism and other parallel livelihoods, deepening of nature tourism services and quality development, and the comprehensive and multi-stakeholder management of sustainability. The weak point of Lukes research is related to the development of tourism, the lack of marketing research, market and customer management. Thus, Luke's research does not extend to the interface of arctic food export or final customer of arctic nature tourism and the support of spin-off activities has been insufficient.