Category: Article

WHY IS MONITORING TREE HEALTH AND DISTURBANCES IN URBAN FORESTS WORTHWHILE? Urban forests are multifunctional green infrastructures that provide a wide range of ecological, social, and economic benefits. They support biodiversity, offer essential recreational environments for residents, and contribute significantly to climate change mitigation as carbon sinks. However, urban forests are increasingly exposed to various...

FOREST HEALTH -ANALYSIS – DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHTS FOR BETTER DECISIONS Understanding forest health with AI and remote sensing Our Forest Health Analysis is based on remote sensing and deep learning models. The analysis provides valuable information on forest condition by mapping tree mortality. Both satellite and aerial imagery can be used as data sources, enabling large-scale...

FOREST DISTURBANCES WILL INCREASE IN THE FUTURE Climate change is accelerating the expansion of insect outbreaks, pathogens, and other forest pests worldwide. Warmer temperatures, prolonged growing seasons, and more frequent droughts create favorable conditions for many species to reproduce faster and expand into new regions. At the same time, trees under stress from heat and water shortages...

SUMMER 2025 - HEATWAVES AND INCREASING FOREST DAMAGE RISKS Summer weather conditions were exceptional in Finland The beginning of summer was cool and rainy, but July brought a drastic change in the weather. Finland experienced the most prolonged heatwave in recorded history, with temperatures exceeding 30°C. Such heat, combined with a lack of rain, has...

ADAPTING TO A NEW REALITY: A TALE OF TWO FORESTS Europe's Forests: Navigating Climate Change Through Adaptive Management Europe's forests face a critical juncture as climate change alters environmental conditions, necessitating a shift in forest management practices. A comparison of two contrasting scenarios highlights the urgency and potential of this transformation.

NATURAL ENEMIES - GOOD GUYS OR BAD GUYS? The role of natural enemies in controlling pest populations Natural enemies such as predators, parasites, and pathogens are important regulators of pest populations in forest ecosystems. They help maintain forest health by controlling the number of economically harmful insects and balancing the ecosystem.  The natural enemies of...

TAPIO, FINLAND’S LEADING PROVIDER OF FOREST MANAGEMENT ADVISORY, EXPANDS ITS SERVICES PORTFOLIO WITH KOKO FOREST’S REMOTE SENSING AND FOREST HEALTH MAPPING SOLUTION. This new service offered to Tapio's customers will help forest owners identify and prevent tree deaths caused by bark beetles and other pests and insects. KOKO Forest’s analysis identifies even individual dead trees...

FOREST HEALTH EXPERT Location: Helsinki (with remote work flexibility) Duration: Permanent position Salary: Negotiable with the candidate (depends on experience) KOKO Forest Oy is a dynamic start-up company dedicated to providing cutting-edge insights on forest disturbances and biodiversity to bolster forest resilience against the effects of climate change. We are seeking a Forest Health Expert...

AI-BASED MODEL FOR IDENTIFYING LARGE ASPENS FROM AERIAL IMAGES Based on an artificial intelligence model, the method developed by KOKO Forest Oy for identifying aspen (Populus tremula L.) from aerial images was found to be reliable, particularly for large aspens. A recently completed thesis investigated the reliability of this method, focusing on forests dominated by...

KOKO FOREST VICTORIUS AT ULTRAHACK KOKO Forest emerged victorious at the Ultrahack: Beyond Dead Wood Hackathon on March 9th, showcasing a dynamic team comprising forest health expert Samuli Junttila, ecologist Hannah O’Sullivan, remote sensing specialist Antti Polvivaara, and machine vision expert Einari Heinaro. Organized by Business Finland’s Data Economy programme, Ultrahack, and supported by partners...