Soft systems for hardwood

As a result of global warming, there will be more hardwood and less softwood in Swiss forests in the future – especially on Switzerland’s Central Plateau. Even today, however, there is more hardwood than consumer demand would call for. Hardwoods are mainly used as fuel, while softwoods are used for other, more high-value and long-term applications – for example, in construction.

Given the potential of hardwoods like beech, maple, oak, and others, this oversupply and lack of use outside the energy sector are not sustainable: fuelwood only fetches low prices and its combustion prevents it from acting as an effective carbon sink. And, used this way, it also contributes very little to regional value creation, for example in the construction sector.

How can demand for hardwood be promoted?

A lot is known about the reasons for lack of hardwood demand among possible private and public consumers. But the following question remained unanswered: What measures and policy instruments can the federal government and cantonal authorities use to promote demand for hardwood? This project aims to find out, focusing on biorefinery and the construction sector.

Various Swiss research projects have explored these sectors and offered important insights, for example on innovative ways of using hardwood and its market potential. But they have made little reference to policy instruments.

Project goal

The objective of the project “Soft Systems for Hardwood” was to identify possible solutions in the form of federal and cantonal policy measures and instruments designed to increase demand for hardwood. These should shape the actions of stakeholders along the entire value chain, including end consumers.

Results

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Transdisciplinary approach

The project worked with the “soft systems” approach, a transdisciplinary method. It enables mutual learning processes between science and society, and serves to jointly develop possible solutions by including diverse interest groups (co-creation). The meeting point between science and diverse stakeholders – the science–policy interface – plays a key role in this process.

The project was divided into four work packages:

• In Work Package A, the causes and interrelationships of hardwood demand were examined together with a broad stakeholder group going beyond the timber and forestry sector and including, for example, architects, toy retailers, and chemists.
   
• Work Package B explored how other European countries use hardwood for innovative products, and compiled corresponding lessons learned. The emphasis was on programmes and incentives that foster hardwood demand.
   
• Work Package C comprised  workshops in which stakeholders discussed possible solutions to explore innovative approaches extending beyond current system boundaries.
   
• Finally, Work Package D produced a synthesis report with recommendations for the federal government and participating cantons in terms of policy measures and instruments suited to promote hardwood demand.

The project was associated with the Forest Bioeconomy Network of the European Forest Institute.