We are strong believers that Scotland will benefit very significantly in the next 50 years from creating a wood-based economy. Not so much because the price of wood has soared in the last six months by 22%, although that helps, nor even that the UK is (ridiculously) a major importer of wood despite having seriously underutilised land in Scotland. Much more because in the long run wood will become a key part of a future, sustainable material for civilizations that are environmentally savvy.
We have already proposed our ambition for the combination of planting 5 billion trees in Scotland, allocating land for natural rewilding, changing building regulations radically to encourage Passive houses and so-called plyscrapers and increasing research for other innovative uses of wood. Turning a large underperforming landmass into a productive, job creating use and tripling its contribution to GDP to at least 3% of the economy, from under 1%.
Having said that, we are still struggling to find ways to excite the population of Scotland to the whole concept of wood being a major winner. We can hear you say- ‘What? You’re telling me that wood is a new frontier for Scotland, as appealing as space and deep ocean pioneering!’
Well maybe we have found another way to market the idea of wood in the economy by taking a leaf out of Finland’s book. After all, one of the themes of our recovery for Scotland is to look North to the Arctic countries of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.
Arctic Astronautics, an innovative Finnish entity, is launching a wooden satellite produced by UPM Plywood in Savonlinna, Finland, in conjunction with the design house, Huld, and the European Space Agency. It will be launched to orbit earth in 2021 and used to study the durability of wood in space. Get used to the idea that wood is a much more environmental material that carbon emitting concrete, steel, plastic and cement. In surprising ways. ‘The WISA Woodsat carries the important message that fossil materials can be replaced with renewable, wood-based materials even in demanding applications,’ says Ari Voutilainen, the space project manager for UPM Plywood.
Sumitomo Forestry and Kyoto University are also exploring the idea of building satellites out of a high-performance composite of cellulose and lignin. Translated from chemistry-speak, satellites out of wood.
Perhaps if Scotland is serious about becoming a wood-based economy, it will be the first in the future to announce innovative uses for wood. Even as a wood follower, it may simply reinforce Scotland’s already strong reputation, via Clydespace, as Europe’s largest manufacturers of satellites.
Yet again looking North can be more inspiring than looking South all the time.