title: Is the water footprint an appropriate tool for forestry and forest products: the Fennoscandian case.
abstract: The water footprint by the Water Footprint Network (WF) is an ambitious tool for measuring human appropriation and promoting sustainable use of fresh water. Using recent case studies and examples from water-abundant Fennoscandia, we consider whether it is an appropriate tool for evaluating the water use of forestry and forest-based products. We show that aggregating catchment level water consumption over a product life cycle does not consider fresh water as a renewable resource and is inconsistent with the principles of the hydrologic cycle. Currently, the WF assumes that all evapotranspiration (ET) from forests is a human appropriation of water although ET from managed forests in Fennoscandia is indistinguishable from that of unmanaged forests. We suggest that ET should not be included in the water footprint of rain-fed forestry and forest-based products. Tools for sustainable water management should always contextualize water use and water impacts with local water availability and environmental sensitivity.
authors: Joensuu Research Unit, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 68, 80101, Joensuu, Finland, samuli.launiainen@metla.fi.
authors: Samuli
authors: S
authors: Launiainen
authors: Martyn N
authors: MN
authors: Futter
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Ellison
authors: Nicholas
authors: N
authors: Clarke
authors: Leena
authors: L
authors: Finér
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Högbom
authors: Ari
authors: A
authors: Laurén
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Ring
mesh_terms: D005387:Finland; D016468:Forestry; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; D058438:Water Cycle; D060753:Water Quality