Glossary of Forest Terms

The objective of the Forest Sector Terminology Work project is to facilitate content interoperability in the forest sector by producing an extensively approved glossary of forest terms for the joint use of forest professionals.

The project launched an update and harmonization of forest terminology. The methods and tools of terminological concept analysis are utilized in the project.

The starting point for the project is the Finnish-Russian Forest Dictionary published in 2008 by the University of Helsinki's Palmenia Center for Continuing Education and Metsäkustannus. The Finnish-Russian Forest Dictionary terminological database contains about 5,000 forest terms with definitions, notes, and concept charts.

As a result of the terminology work carried out in the project, the content of the database will be updated and expanded. In addition to Russian terms, the new forest terminology glossary will contain information in Swedish and English.

Terminology work is organized in domain-specific core expert groups consisting of experts from the Natural Resources Institute Finland and the Finnish Forest Centre. Representatives of other organizations will be invited to join the groups when needed.

The core expert group prepares a proposal for the terminological content of the glossary of a certain forestry domain. To support the work of the core expert group, a support group has been assembled from the Finnish Forest Centre's own experts, whose task is to ensure the usability of the glossary in forest owner consulting and business consulting. At this stage, consistency between the glossary and the existing legislation will be ensured.

After the material has been reviewed by the expert groups, the glossary proposals are sent to the Ministry of Justice's Lausuntopalvelu.fi service, where all organizations and citizens can comment on the glossary.

After commenting, the ready glossary will be published on the Finnish Forest Centre's website in pdf format and, at a later date, as a terminological glossary Metsäsanasto in the Sanastot.suomi.fi service maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

The terminologist of the Finnish Forest Centre is responsible for preparing the Finnish and multilingual content of the glossaries and processing it in accordance with the principles of terminology work, as well as for making approved changes to the glossary document.

Forest sector terminology work will continue in 2025. The list below includes the subject areas, participating external experts, the consultation schedule, and the preliminary publication timeline.

Sites (includes Site and Forest Site Types as well as Mire Site Types and Drained Peatland Forest Types)

Experts: Juha-Pekka Hotanen, Markku Saarinen, Tiina Tonteri (Luke)

• Drafting work: Spring 2024
• Consultation round: August–September 2024
• Publication: August 2025

Harvesting

Experts: Tapio Räsänen, Asko Poikela, Pirjo Venäläinen (Metsäteho)

• Drafting work: Autumn 2024 – Winter 2025
• Consultation round: Winter 2025–2026
• Publication: Spring 2026

• Sites (published 25.9.2025)
• Forest Soil (published 15.8.2024)
• Forest Structure and Development (published 31.8.2023)
• Forest Hydrology and Forest Drainage (published 12.4.2023)
• Fire in Forests (published 31.8.2022)