Seattle, WA -- (SBWire) -- 05/14/2012 --The Finnish forestry industry is on the up once more, according to Forestry Research Associates (FRA), whose outlook is backed by a new study.

FRA is a research and analysis consultancy, specialising in forestry and timberland investments. It claims that, after a period of downturn, the forestry industry in Finland is ripe for investment once more.

FRA’s view on the state of the industry in the Scandinavian country reflects the general outlook within Finland itself, according to a research report commissioned the Finnish Forest Association. The report found that the general confidence in the industry is returning after a tough few years.

Some 76 per cent of those questioned said they felt confident in Finland’s forestry industry’s international competitiveness. This was up from just 61 per cent who said the same back in 2007.

There was also a discovery that three quarters of the people questioned agreed that forestry by-products should be increasingly used in biomass power stations to generate energy.

FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins, said, “We very much welcome the news that the outlook among Finland’s forestry industry is more positive than it has been in recent years.

“We hope that this signifies the start of a new period of prosperity for the industry and that investors will be drawn to the asset class as an alternative to stocks and shares.”

FRA supports investment in forestry as an asset class and claims that it has regularly outperformed equities over the past ten years or so. Collins added, “With the increasingly volatile nature of traditional investments, it’s no wonder that wise investors are looking for new places to invest their cash."

FRA supports timber investments through sustainable plantations that provide the chance for investors to buy up areas of forest and support the forestry industry and the communities that rely on it.

About Forestry Research Associates
Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

Media Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com