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Fab a C espo, M.; Rojas B iales, E. (2015). Compa a i e analysis on he communica ion
s a egies o he o es owne s associa ions in Eu ope. Fo es Policy and Economics. 50:20-
30. doi:10.1016/j. o pol.2014.06.004.
1
Compa a i e analysis on he communica ion s a egies o he o es
owne s’ associa ions in Eu ope
M. Fab a-C espo
1
and E. Rojas-B iales
2
1 Miguel Fab a-C espo (Co esponding au ho )
Uni e si y o Eas e n Finland
School o Fo es Sciences
Joensuu FI-80100
Phone: +358 50 599 7101
m ab ac [email protected]
2 Edua do Rojas -B iales *
Food and Ag icul u e O ganiza ion o he Uni ed Na ions
Viale delle e me di Ca acalla
00153 Rome, I aly
Phone: +39 06 57051
edua do. o[email p o ec ed]
* The p esen publica ion co esponds o p e ious esea ch conduc ed as p o esso o he
Uni e si a Poli ècnica de València and no unde FAO. The e o , he conclusions
included in his pape should no be unde s ood as any o icial posi ion o FAO.
2
ABSTRACT
This esea ch epo s a compa a i e analysis o he communica ion s a egy ha o es owne s’ associa ions
ac oss Eu ope use o in luence socie y on one side and he decision-make s on he o he , in o de o ul ill
o es owne s’ in e es s. 60% o Eu ope’s o es s a e p i a ely owned by an es ima ed numbe o 16 million
o es owne s, who a e ep esen ed by o es owne s associa ions. One o i s main unc ions is o in luence
he public pe cep ions on o es s and o es y. In his a icle i is analyzed how a speci ic o es y s akeholde
ixes i s s a egies o communica e wi h and lobby socie y in o de o ge accep abili y o hei
p oposals/demands. Open-end su eys ha e been used as a sou ce o in o ma ion in 2006 and epea ed in
2012. Besides o he compa ison among coun ies, a compa ison along he ime has been also pe o med. The
whole communica ion ame is analyzed, conside ing he objec i es, he s uc u e, he messages, he
channels, and he e alua ion. The main conclusions ha a ise a e: i s , he empo a y compa ison (2006-
2012) esul s in o an imp o emen in se e al issues; second, he e is oom o imp o emen o
p o essionaliza ion o communica ion in o es owne s’ associa ions in Eu ope; hi d, social esea ch in o
public pe cep ion o o es y migh help o de ine communica ion s a egies.
Keywo ds: ad ocacy; social in luence; g ass oo s; ee ops; en i onmen al communica ion, o es owne s
HIGHLIGHTS
 Fo es owne s’ communica ion and lobbying s a egies a e compa ed in Eu ope.
 15 o es owne s associa ions con ibu ed o he analysis in 2006 and 2012.
 Bo h, ee ops and g ass oo s app oaches, a e exe cised by he associa ions.
 New messages on biomass, clima e change, g een economy, e c a e ising.
3
1.- In oduc ion
Fo es sec o is no p o i able di ec ly in mos a eas o he Wo ld. When o es s p oduce mo e
en i onmen al se ices han di ec p oduc s, he co esponding go e nance mechanisms a e key,
especially in non-s a e owne ship. In u ban socie ies o es s a e key o ec ea ion and hei
managemen is o e lapping wi h ha use. Con lic ing iews on o es managemen a ise as o es s
become he backya d o he people. The e o e in o de o o e pass ma ke ailu es, social suppo is
needed o inance he expenses which keep he sus ainable o es managemen ongoing; e y
especially in cases o high isks (e.g. o es i es in Medi e anean egion, and in moun ainous
egions) and on econs uc ion needs.
Communica ion is a pa icula ly impo an ask, because o es y is a mino i y issue in mos
coun ies, mainly due o i s weak economic ele ance o socie y in he con ex o a s ongly
u banized socie y. This means ha in he ma ke -o ien ed poli ical sys ems, he a icula ion o
o es y in he media becomes a challenge, which consequen ly has o be pu a lo o e o in o
communica ion o be hea d by he socie y and i s poli icians (Mosco ici, 1994).
Eu opean s udies o public pe cep ion (Eu opean Commission, 2009) e eal ha o es y issues a e
no well unde s ood ou side he small o es y communi y and sugges ha he e is a signi ican gap
be ween public unde s anding and eali y. Public pa icipa ion conce ning o es y issues hasn’
been as success ul as expec ed (Aase e, J. 2006; Saa ikoski, H. e al. 2010). The ecen p oposal o
an EU Fo es Communica ion S a egy (Eu opean Commission, 2011) ein o ces he idea on he
need o u he knowledge on his subjec , as i has been ma e ialized unde he concep o he
In e na ional Yea o Fo es s 2011, and he in e na ional day o he o es s (Ma ch 21) om 2013
onwa ds.
Fo es s a e widely in p i a e owne ship in mos Eu opean coun ies (mo e han 70% in Wes e n
Eu ope and less han 50% in Eas e n Eu ope, bu inc easing), consequen ly hei managemen is
dependen on i s owne s’ decisions (FAO, 2011). The e o e p i a e o es owne s a e in mos
coun ies an impo an link wi hin he o es sec o chain, and hey ge a oice, wi h hei claims
conside ed, as a as hey a e o ganized a ound an associa ion. Those claims di e , as p i a e o es
owne s p esen di e en managemen mo i es a ound Eu ope (Pollumae e al. 2014; No ais, A and
Canadas MJ. 2010). E en some basic da a on o es owne s, a e no well known in Eu ope (FAO,
2010), as o example could be: o al numbe o o es owne s, p o ile o o es owne s, sizes o
owne ships, pe sonal in es men in o es s, e enues o in es men s, e c
Wi hin his ame o communica ion in he o es sec o , his pape analyzes he s a egies
conce ning how FOAs (Fo es Owne s Associa ions) communica e o decision-make s and o
socie y in gene al. This a icle is no aiming a heo e ical discussion on he subjec , bu analyses
ac s and discusses on how FOA’s a egies on communica ion and lobbying could be imp o ed in a
p ac ical way. The e o e he o e all goal o he pape is o help o be e unde s and he lobbying
4
and communica ion s a egies o o es owne s associa ions, and i s e olu ion du ing las yea s,
because hey can be e y success ul in in luencing o he imp o emen o o es y and o es sec o .
Timbe p ices o example, can be nego ia ed mo e e icien ly o ganized a ound FOAs (S o dal,
2004) as well as supply lows can be channeled mo e e icien ly. In addi ion, one o he main
challenges is ha he s uc u e o amily o es owne ship is changing due o he age s uc u e o he
u al popula ion, u baniza ion and inhe i ance.
Con en analysis has been pe o med based on da a collec ed by wo su eys on na ional o es
owne s associa ions a ound Eu ope (11 coun ies in 2006 and 13 coun ies in 2012).
The a icle s a s ocusing on he di e en s a egies o communica ion and he elemen s ha
compose i . Then i poin s on o es sec o and o es owne s. The esul s o he su ey a e p esen ed
acco ding o he di e en elemen s ha compose a communica ion ame p ocess, o inally discuss
on how o imp o e FOAs pe o mance.
2.- Objec i es
The objec i e o his a icle is o analyze h ough a case s udy he s a egies used by o es owne s
associa ions in Eu ope o communica e and lobbying wi h socie y as well as wi h he decision-
make s. I combines wo compa a i e analyses, be ween coun ies and be ween yea s. This analysis
would con ibu e o he o es owne s associa ions in o de o b ing u he knowledge and he e o e
imp o e he FOAs ac ions o lobbying owa ds a mo e success ul esul .
3 S a egies o communica ion and lobbying
Lobbying is a communica ion ac i i y (Tusinski, 2009), and as such ollows a ypical
communica ion model wi h i s ou main componen s as sou ce-message-channel- ecei e (Be lo,
1960). O he wise om a heo e ical amewo k, in ou iew o lobbying as a social in e ac ion, ou
in e p e a ion is close o he mo e de eloped social cons uc ionis (C aig, 1999) who conside s
communica ion o be he p oduc o he in e ac an s sha ing and c ea ing meaning.
The concep o lobbying appea s in heo ies o social in luence as he p ocess whe eby people
( h ough in e es g oups) di ec ly o indi ec ly in luence he hough s, eelings and ac ions o o he s.
I is linked o he exp ession and opinion igh s o he o ganiza ions in hose ma e s o public deba e
which could a ec hem di ec ly (Bach and Un uh, 2005). Ano he de ini ion is o analyze and
unde s and a p oblem, in o de o explain i s ele ance and consequences o hose who hold he
powe o decide.

5
Howe e econciling he demands o sel -in e es ed p i a e in e es s wi h he in e es o wide ci il
socie y ep esen s he cen al p oblem o democ a ic li e (G eenwood and Thomas, 1998). I
lobbying is hen seen as mu ual bene icial exchange o in o ma ion, he e o e in e es g oups a e
ep esen a i es o o ganized ci il socie y wi h capaci y o con ibu e o democ a ic legi imacy.
The in e es g oups (o s akeholde s) a e indi idual g oupings a ound pa icula common in e es s,
which ha e as hei subs an ial a ge he de ense o hese in e es s. Acco ding o he na u e o hese
g oups, hey can be classi ied in o he g oups ha de end ma e ial in e es s and hose g oups ha
de end he in e es s o mo als and ideas (Ok, 2005). In he case p esen ed a his a icle, o es owne s
ha e a mixed p o ile, because pa ly hey de end economic in e es s as p o i abili y, asse p o ec ion
and eedom o manage hei o es s, bu hey also de end philosophical ideas conce ning Na u e
i sel , he i age o cul u al landscape. Fu he mo e hei pe sonal a achmen o hei es a es o en has
much mo e weigh o adi ional easons (a o es ha belongs o he same amily o many
gene a ions) o alues (en i onmen al awa eness).
S akeholde s show hei in e es s o bo h decision-make s and o he socie y, as hey need public
suppo o add ess hei in e es s o decision make s. S akeholde s use di e en communica ion ools
o add ess o hese wo a ge g oups o communica ion ecei e s (Janse, 2007). Public’ pe cep ions
as well as s akeholde s’ in e es s should be analyzed (Fab a-C espo, M e al. 2012), o ma ching
hem and make hem compa ible, in o de o p oduce p ope communica ion s a egies, which will
each he decision-make s whils ha ing he adequa e social suppo (Cox, 2006). Full unde s anding
on how communica ion lows in bo h senses, decision-make s o socie y and o he way a ound, is a
key ac o in any policy analysis. Communica ion om s akeholde s can be aimed s aigh a he
poli icians and decision-make s o indi ec ly h ough socie y as a whole o a g oup o ep esen a i es
such as a g oup o en i onmen al ac i is s (Fazio and Gilbe , 2000).
An example o in luence on o es policy a he Eu opean le el was du ing he c ea ion o he Na u a
2000, we e bo h ENGOs and o es owne s associa ions pu sued lobbying s a egies o in luence he
new legisla ion (Webe and Ch is ophe sen, 2002).
Acco ding o he new model o e ec i e lobbying s a egies (Jaa inen, 1998) he e a e h ee main
ac o s ha cons i u e he con ingency ac o s ha a e he ollowing in o de o impo ance: he
opinion o he a ge o lobbying on ce ain issue, he di ec ion and in ensi y o compe i ion, and he
suppo o mass media and ci izens. The combina ion o s a es o hese con ingency ac o s leads o
a di e en s a egies o ollow (Jaa inen, 1999).
In o de o achie e a s a egy, wo main ac ics can be adop ed, ee ops and g ass oo s ac ics.
T ee ops ac ics (di ec lobbying) in ol e ac i a ing smalle ( han in g ass oo s) numbe s o mo e
in luen ial ci izens o con ac hei local go e nmen ep esen a i es (Xi a, 1998). These a e people
wi h con ac s and poli ical sa y who can iden i y many business people o espec ed ci izens able
6
o clea ly p esen he clien ’s iewpoin on an issue. This is di ec lobbying, which means nego ia ion
ia a gumen a ion. This nego ia ion can be o icial o o icious, public o sec e .
Nowadays in he shi om ep esen a i e o pa icipa o y democ acy, decision-making shall be
sha ed among hose who ha e he esponsibili y o implemen he measu es (Bu oud and Samyn,
1999; P imme and Kyllönen, 2006). In ac , many o es laws ha e been e o med in ecen yea s
a ound Eu ope and globally, and in some way o o he hey include he compulso y equi emen o
include he main o es s akeholde s in policy decision-making p ocesses. This o en includes he
cons i u ion o o icial ad iso y bodies as well (Zimme mann and Schmi hüsen, 2002).
Consequen ly new pa icipa o y decision-making bodies ha e been cons i u ed in many coun ies
o many sec o s (Cos e19, 2004), which is ound an app op ia e a ena o ee ops lobbying.
A di e en app oach is he g ass oo s ac ics (indi ec lobbying) means aking ac ion on public
opinion, in o de o indi ec ly in luence decision-make s’ iewpoin s (Co le and Howa d, 2012).
The main goal is o change hei awa eness abou o es y, h ough g ass oo s ac ions i s i is
c ea ed he public in e es s o an issue (Ghai and Vi ian, 1992). G ass oo s campaigns including
mass media play wi h he eelings, mobilizing amily, iends and neighbo s. The a ionale o his
(in luence o he mass media) is ha poli icians ha e o wo y abou being eelec ed, so hey ca e
wha o e s hink.
Figu e 1.- G ass oo s e sus ee ops ac ics and mass media ole. Sou ce: Own
In gene al some o he main ac o s o a iables cha ac e izing he analy ical ame o ee ops e sus
g ass oo s lobbying s a egies o any o ganiza ion could be summa ized as ollows:
- In ee ops ocusing in o s a able o mobilize public opinion and i s suppo (such mass
media p o essionals); whils in g ass oo s ocusing s a able o easily each op decision-
make s (such mo e poli ical o ien ed s a ).
- In ee ops alloca ing p io i y in hei s a egy o ac i i ies wi h he goal o each decision
make s and e lec ing ha in o hei budge ; whils in g ass oo s alloca ing clea p io i y o
ac i i ies o shape opinion and suppo o he gene al public.
Decision-make s
Mass media
T ee ops ac ics
G ass oo s ac ics
Socie y
7
- In ee ops decla ing as communica ion a ge s he high-posi ion ci il se an s, poli icians…;
whils in g ass oo s he a ge would become gene al public as child en o amilies, o he
mass media p o essionals as he jou nalis s.
- In ee ops using channels ha each he wide public as websi es o newsle e s; whils in
g ass oo s will use such as ace o ace mee ings, o ums…
4 Eu opean o es owne ship and he p o ile o o es owne s
The Eu opean con inen , excluding he Russia, has nea ly 210 million ha o o es and o he wooded
land. In he Eu opean Union (27) he a ea is 157 million ha, which ep esen s 42% o i s land (Fo es
Eu ope, 2011). O e all, o es land owne ship is app oxima ely equally dis ibu ed be ween public
and p i a e owne s. In he EU, some 60% o o es a eas p i a ely owned (Eu opean Commission,
2007). Howe e , in Wes e n Eu ope wo- hi ds o o es land is p i a ely owned, whe eas in Eas e n
Eu ope o es s a e mainly in he public domain, hough his is changing wi h es i u ion and
p i a iza ion aking place in o me socialis coun ies (CEPF, 2009).
The signi icance o o es esou ces o owne s, as well as o he public, a ies emendously wi hin
he Eu opean coun ies (Hy inen, 2001). One indica o o ela i e impo ance o o es s is he o es
a ea pe capi a, which anges om 0.2 ha in he Ne he lands o 4.0 ha in Finland. I is clea ha he
owne ’s expec a ions as well as public alues ela ed o o es s canno be he same in hese wo
coun ies.
In he membe coun ies o he Eu opean Union, he e a e app oxima ely 16 million p i a e
indi iduals ha can be classi ied as o es owne s. They cons i u e an impo an pa o socie y,
accoun ing o up o 10% o he o al Eu opean amilies. This means ha i is almos ce ain ha
e e y pe son has a ela i e o a iend who owns o es despi e an impo an sha e o hem migh no
be conscious abou i (sca e ed owne ship). P i a e o es holdings ha e an a e age size o 6 ha bu
he e is a huge ange, wi h conside able a ia ion among he coun ies in he a e age size o holdings
(CEPF, 2009).
The e a e no many comp ehensi e s udies on he p o ile o o es owne s in Eu ope. Mo i a ion,
alues and pe cep ions o o es owne s classi ied in o di e en ca ego ies, would en ich he
knowledge abou his social g oup and i s in luence on o es managemen . One empi ical s udy ha
was based on six mo i a ions and supplemen ed wi h nine a i udes esul ed in ou well-de ined
owne g oups: ma e ialis ic, sa is ied ec ea ional, dissa is ied ec ea ional and p o i -seeking
owne s (Se b uyns and Luyssae , 2006), as well as o he s udies classi y hem acco ding o
p oduc ion and consump ion objec i es (Ní Dhubháin, 2007). Hence u baniza ion is b eaking he
links be ween humans and o es s (Dominguez, 2008; Ziegenspeck e al., 2004)). O he p o ile o
non- inancial-o ien ed owne s (U quha and Cou ney, 2011).
8
Fo es owne s ha e he esponsibili y o a double ask in communica ion: o p omo e he use o
p oduc s and se ices coming om he o es s, bu also a he same ime he mos di icul : o
p omo e o he bene i s ha he o es s a e gene a ing o he whole socie y, ha a e p o ided by
o es s wi hou signi ican make e enue, and all ha managed by p i a e o es owne s in a big
sha e o he e i o y.
In gene al, o es owne s a e well o ganized in Eu ope, in e ms o g oup membe ship. O he wise,
his is no always e iden , as he ac ha he e is an associa ion does no p ejudge i s
ep esen a i eness o capaci y. In mos coun ies o es owne s’ associa ions (FOA) ha e been
es ablished o p omo e sus ainable o es managemen bu s ill some o he don’ ha e FOAs, and
his migh be because he o es sec o economy ep esen s a small sha e, o because he p i a e
owne ship is jus in i s beginning as in CIS coun ies (Glück, 2010).
The associa ions se e as a link be ween o es owne s, ep esen hem in o es policy making, and
also p o ide suppo in imbe sales and sil icul u al ope a ions in some o he coun ies. Fo ms o
coope a ion and esul ing ac i i ies a y, anging om low le els o commi men o pu poses o
in o ma ion/educa ion, o mo e s uc u ed pa icipa ion o inancial and imbe ma ke ing pu poses.
Likewise, he o igins o coope a ion di e om coun y o coun y, hough common elemen s
eme ge (e.g. he ole o go e nmen , eac ion o a s imulus o h ea ) (Ki edge, 2005) wi h
simila i y o coope a i es and a me s unions.
Among all possible o es s akeholde s o his esea ch ha could ha e been chosen, o es owne s
ha e been ound o be he mos in e es ing ones. Fo es owne s a e ep esen ed by FOAs, which
come aiming a some e iciency gains and pu posi e de ense o common in e es s (Mendes, 2006),
among o he s: gaining p i a e o es y’s pa icipa ion in he o es policy p ocesses. As o es
owne s a e sca e ed a ound a huge e i o y and hey ep esen a small sha e o he whole
popula ion, hei weaknesses ha e o be o e come by c ea ing e ical s uc u e in associa ions, o
gain powe o lobby owa ds hei common in e es s. Thus i is impo an link be ween o es y and
socie y hanks o FOAs.
The Con ede a ion o Eu opean Fo es Owne s (CEPF) is he mos ep esen a i e umb ella
o ganiza ion o na ional o es owne o ganiza ions in Eu ope. A in e na ional le el, he IFFA -
In e na ional Family Fo es Alliance was es ablished in 2005 as a o mal o ganiza ion in o de o
become a mo e powe ul oice o amily o es y in ela ion o in e na ional o ganiza ions, such as
he UN o ganiza ions and he Wo ld Bank. Bu s ill mos o he coun ies ou side Eu ope ha e weak
FOAs s uc u es. A a global scale, Eu ope (and USA, Japan, Sou h Ko ea) a e he excep ion as
80% o he o al o es a ea is s a ed owned.
15
To suppo he poli ical wo k by in o ming ele an decision-make s
2012
To c ea e new wo k places in he o es
To in o m/in luence/ aise awa eness o media, pa ne s, minis y, poli icians abou ou
ac i i ies and p oblems so, ha o es policy will enable sus ainable and p o i able o es y
To sp ead in o ma ion abou imbe ma ke o o es owne s o help hei decision making
To be conside ed ep esen ing in e es o amily o es owne s in he coun y
To de end (a be e ) o es ax sys em
To p omo e a posi i e and app op ia e image o Family Fo es y sus ainable managemen
To communica e owa ds membe o ganiza ions abou a ious policy de elopmen s and e en s
To gi e he poli icians enough in o ma ion, so hey can ake good decisions o o es y
To in o m he public, and secu e a b oad suppo o an ac i e o es y sec o
To push o an op imal added alue o he na u al esou ce wood
I is con enien no o mix up bo h, goals and messages, because goals emain a he s a egic le el,
as he inal goal o wha is he pe cep ion ha i is wished people o bea in mind o he long e m.
6.3 Ta ge
Conce ning he a ge g oups o he lobbying ac ions, he di ec public ela ions ac i i ies ake place
mainly owa ds he Minis ies whe e o es esponsibili ies a e loca ed (Ag icul u e o he
En i onmen (o bo h) depending on he coun y). They also ake ac ion owa ds poli icians (bo h
pa liamen a ians and decision-make s). Only one coun y had no p io i ies wi h espec o poli icians
in 2006, and only couple o coun ies had child en/you h among hei op a ge s ( o become
g ass oo s app oach). Howe e in 2012 all coun ies poin he impo ance o add ess poli icians. And
al eady many o hem gi e impo ance o o he a ge s as child en/you h, wood and pape indus y,
e c. As no el y, se e al coun ies ocus on he ele ance o add ess jou nalis s and mass media,
because o hei powe in communica ion. This is he basic ool o a shi and/o ein o cemen o
he g ass oo s s a egy, by eaching he gene al public h ough mass media.
When asked ‘wi h which o he would you like o imp o e you communica ion’, o some FOA he
answe in 2006 was sha ed be ween ENGOs, he wood indus y and schools, use s o o es s, and
companies. In 2012 all same g oups ha e emained he mos quo ed, o he wise ENGOs ha e
diminished, and o example o he g oups ha e appea ed, as hun e s, mass media, o Eu opean
ins i u ions.
When asked abou hei alliances wi h o he g oups, in gene al he answe is posi i e, FOA ha e
di e en alliances depending on he subjec hey a e lobbying (jobs wi h ade unions, sus ainable
iews wi h ENGOs, e c).
Due o hei ele ance, i was asked also abou speci ic alliances wi h scien is s, and he main
pa ne s we e ound o be o es esea ch ins i u es and uni e si ies. Only Finland unded i s own
esea ch in 2006. In 2012 mo e coun ies es ablished now s ong ies wi h esea ch (Fi, F , Uk, Se,
Ee, De, No) as he es seems ha hey ha e weake pa ne ship.

16
6.4 Messages
Abou he messages om he o es owne s associa ions owa ds he socie y s ill mos coun ies
ocus on explaining how wood use is en i onmen ally iendly, and hus o es s need o be ha es ed
and managed ac i ely. The e is a wide ange o messages di ec ed by he o ganiza ions in he
di e en coun ies (Table 3) which shows ha he cu en needs in di e en coun ies a e no he
same. Besides o communica e ha mos o o es s in Eu ope a e p i a e owned and also ha hose
p o ide ex e nali ies and bene i s o he whole socie y. Bu also in mos coun ies he message is
no on p oduc in e es s bu on de ending he in e es s o mo als and ideas. These bases ha e
emained he same in 2006 and 2012, howe e new messages ha e popped up in 2012 conce ning
clima e change, biomass o g een economy.
Table 3. Messages om he o es owne s associa ions o socie y in 2006 and in 2012 (Q17)
2006
&
2012
The o es is no only na u e, i is main ained by o es owne s.
P i a e o es owne ship can be as e icien and well managed as o es y in he public sec o .
Being sus ainable, amily o es y mus be p o i able. Thus, he social and en i onmen al ole o o es e s
and o es y needs o be compensa ed o each he necessa y balance be ween cos s and p o i s.
P i a e owne ship is he bigges g oup o o es owne s (62%), held by people like you and me.
Family o es owne s a e he key ac o s and he bes pa ne s o de elop o es y and en i onmen al policies.
The o es s don’ belong o he isi o s (hun e s, mush oom-picke s, bike s, NGOs, e c ), each o es has an
owne , who is obliged o ca e abou i .
The long- e m p i a e owne ship o o es s is a gua an ee o sus ainable o es managemen .
A o es owne wo ks o him bu also o he u u e gene a ions and he socie y. The e o e, gene al public
and decision-make s should suppo ac i e managemen o p i a e o es s.
I he e a e es ic ions on o es managemen o he bene i o gene al public and en i onmen , hen i
should be p ope ly compensa ed o o es owne .
Fo es owne ship is o en linked o amily adi ions and i is a way o li ing. Fo es owne s a e one o he
impo an ac o s in sus aining ou u al a eas.
Fo es owne ship is abou social, economic and en i onmen al alues ha he o es owne s hold.
Sus ainable o es managemen in p i a e o es s in an in e -gene a ional con ac based on long e m
planning and esponsible esou ce managemen .
Wood is g owing each yea mo e han i is ha es ed. Wood p oduc s a e e y di e se and enewable, and
o es owne s a e able o p oduce hem.
Mul i unc ional o es y p o ides a wide ange o goods and se ices o socie y.
New
in
2012
The o es managemen by p omo ing he use o wood p oduc s, con ibu es o mi iga e clima e change.
Use wood wisely – don’ bu n i in la ge-scale gene a o s.
An ac i e o es owne secu es heal hy o es s, biodi e si y and c ea es a lo o biomass, which can be used
o he good o he socie y.
Timbe /biomass can be “ he new oil”. E e y hing you make o oil, you can also make o biomass. Biomass
is a e y en i onmen al iendly ma e ial, and should be used o a la ge ex en .
C ea ing a a o able en i onmen - h ough poli ics- o achie e an op imal alue in o es y.
The o es sec o is a cen al componen o u u e G een Economy.
6.5 Channel
17
On he subjec o channel, s ill ace o ace is he mos p e e ed way o communica e, same in 2006
han in 2012 (Table 4), bu i can be no iced a ele an place, o channels which eaches lo o
people a he same ime (e.g. websi es, newsle e s) a e seen as he mos powe ul and cos -e ec i e
ools. E en so, he channels which in ol e educa ion and high a commi men wi h in e es ed people
a e becoming s a egically e y impo an , because hey can be he seed which sp eads he new ideas
o change (e.g. publica ions, exhibi ions).
Table 4. Mos p e e ed channel by FOA o communica e and lobby
2006
2012
In i s place
In second place
In i s place
In second place
Ad e ising
F
Face o ace
De, Lu, Es, Fi, F
Fi, Si, F , Uk,
Ee, No, De, Es
L ,
Websi e
Lu, Fi
L , Sw, Hu
No, De
Newsle e s
Si, Se
Es, Fi
Cz,
Hu, Es
Publica ions
De, Se
L
Exhibi ions
Uk
Cz, Uk
P esen a ions/Fo ums
Uk
Se
Fi, F , Sw, L , Ee,
Educa ional ac i i ies
L
Fi
Si, Se
In 2012 almos all coun ies keep pe manen ies wi h mass media, whe eas in 2006 s ill ew
coun ies a i med ha hey con ac he mass media only in he case o a c isis, lacking pe manen
communica ion channels mos o hem. This again e lec s he need and he wish o a s onge
g ass oo s suppo in o de o jus i y hei ee ops ac ions.
6.6 Coali ions wi h o he s akeholde s
When asked o he FOAs wi h which g oups do you keep in ouch egula ly, all o hem answe ed
ha wi h ag icul u al o ganiza ions as well as wi h he wood and pape associa ions. Howe e he
disc epancy is on ENGOs whe e no all coun ies keep in ouch egula ly, e lec ing he deg ee o
con lic i i y wi h such associa ions, and p obably he lack o sha ed alues in some coun ies.
6.7 Campaign echniques
Campaign echniques (g ass oo s) , such as he massi e sending o pos ca ds o emails, which a e
widely applied by ENGOs (Co be e, 2006), we e no common in FOA in 2006, and only hal o
hem used such echniques, bu in 2012 hanks o he acili ies o he email, inc easing numbe o
coun ies use massi e emailing o newsle e s on speci ic campaigns. In some excep ional occasions
some coun ies ha e used also mo e simila o “campaign echniques” as he case o demons a ions
(De in 2006), p omo ion o he wood ce i ica ion sys ems (Lu in 2006) deli e ing ees o poli icians
wi h a message (F in 2012), e c.
6.8 E alua ion
18
In 2006 as s ill in 2012, mos o he FOAs don’ ha e a p ope in e nal sys em o e alua ing he
esul s o hei communica ion esul s; jus ollow up o mass media co e age, bu no in sys ema ic
way. E en some coun ies which had some kind o e alua ion sys em in 2006, don’ implemen i
anymo e a 2012 (such as Si, Uk, F ). Th ee coun ies which nowadays e alua e hei
communica ion ac i i ies p oceed in qui e di e en ways: media-co e moni o ing daily, image-
su eys e e y second yea , case analysis in c isis si ua ions (Finland); checking public a i udes by
ques ionnai es (Sweden); quan i a i e me hods o e alua ing communica ion ac i i ies as well as
quali a i e e alua ion as o ho opics on he poli ical agenda and he ele an decisions aken
(La ia).
7.- Discussion and conclusions
S a egy. A w i en communica ion s a egy should appea as he i s p io i y o be se o e e y
coun y, in o de o design a ailo -made ame o goals-messages-channels o e e y di e en
ecei e o he communica ion. I is no scien i ic e idence ha a w i en s a egy wo ks be e , bu
a leas a w i en documen migh ha e passed a consensus phase among hei c ea o s. I may be
help ul o ollow a s able di ec ion, o de elop all aspec s and wi h all he needed alliances wi h
o he s akeholde s. In 2006 ew coun ies had a communica ion s a egy whe eas in 2012 mos
coun ies (excep h ee) say o ha e one which ep esen s a g ea p og ess; howe e ew coun ies
ha e i w i en. Among he h ee coun ies ha don’ ha e a s a egy, i seems speci ically se ious
o Ge many, because hey spend a la ge budge on communica ion. O e all, o ha e a s a egy
seems o be e icien as i has shi ed in his pe iod owa ds mo e ac i e communica ion and owa ds
mo e balanced sho - e m and long- e m goals in hei s a egies. Somewha s ange howe e is ha
he endency goes owa ds sho e m s a egies. CEPF pe o ms an impo an ole in on coo dina ion
and join e o o s eng h communica ions s a egies in e e y coun y; howe e i seems ha he e
is s ill much oom o imp o emen .
One o he mos comp ehensi e communica ions s a egy guidelines in Eu ope, is he one d a ed
by he Fo es Communica ions Ne wo k (UNECE, 2013), which should become he amewo k o
he FOA communica ions s a egies. I encou ages w i ing a s a egy o o es o ganiza ions.
O ganiza ion. Rega ding he p o ile o he pe son in cha ge o communica ion/lobbying, i can be
s a ed ha he deg ee o p o essionalism migh be enough, bu i would be ad isable o ha e he
suppo o a jou nalis , which in ac has been he case in 2012 in 5 coun ies al eady. An economic
cons ain may be he case o no ha ing mo e, as he sha e o he o al budge assigned o
communica ion looks in gene al o be qui e modes (lowe han 10 %), in an a e age o abou 10 000
€/yea . These da a on he o al budge , has o be conside ed in acco dance o ela i e a ea o p i a e
o es s and/o i s impo ance (i can ha e been a ec ed o he in e na ional economic c isis).
19
In he hi ing o a mass media p o essional can be no iced a ela ionship on he iches /mos
de eloped coun ies. On high expendi u e o budge , he wo big Eu opean coun ies (Ge many and
F ance) ha e he lead. Howe e in o he issues as he h ee coun ies which ha e no communica ion
s a egy (Ge many, Spain and Es onia) no g ouping ac o is iden i ied. The e o e o he hypo hesis
on po en ial ac o s in he g ouping o coun ies like he size o he coun y, owne ship dis ibu ion,
o es co e sha e, de elopmen s adium, cul u al backg ound, e c ha e no been iden i ied o be
in luencing in any g ouping o esponses. I hasn’ been no iced any geog aphical g ouping in
coun ies conce ning any o he answe s, as e e y coun y has i s own way.
The e is a wide a ie y o FOAs in Eu ope, which in spi e o ha ing mo e o less capaci y due o he
di e en impo ance o he o es sec o in each coun y, a e able o pe o m communica ion ac ions
wi h di e en deg ee o success. O he wise in gene al, om 2006 o 2012 i has been ound posi i e
imp o emen in mos o he esea ched issues.
O ganiza ion e ol es along he ime o e e y FOA, and whene e he s a has good skills o
communica ion and a clea s a egy on how o do i , migh be mo e impo an he pe sonal links o
each and in luence a ge people, han he echniques hemsel es, when alking on ee ops.
In a p elimina y websi e e iew i has been no iced ha many o es -based indus y o ganiza ions
on a na ional o Eu opean le el ha e expe s ully dedica ed o communica ion ma e s. All he big
o es companies in Eu ope (S o aEnso, UPM, SCA…) ha e Depa men s o co po a e
communica ions. This is no he case among he es o he o es y s akeholde s. O he wise you
ha e o conside he di e en size. I we compa e wi h he main ENGOs in Eu ope, hose ha e
be ween 2 (G eenpeace, 2013) and 5 (WWF, 2013) who a e specialized p o essionals dedica ed o
he communica ions, besides o he nume ous olun ee s. In G eenpeace’ inancial s a emen s o
2012, communica ion accoun ed 14 % o hei budge (G eenpeace, 2012).
Despi e ha each coun y and e en egion inside a coun y will keep hei own objec i es, as o es s
and o es y is e y di e se o he di e en coun ies; he EU o es y communica ion s a egy
(Eu opean Commission, 2011) ixes ou gene al common goals sha ed among all o es sec o ha
migh be common baseline o all s akeholde s. These goals e e o he need o sus ainable
managemen , how o es s p o ide p oduc s and se ices, he h ea s and challenges o o es s, and
o inc ease he use o wood as clima e iendly ma e ials and enewable ene gy sou ces.
Ta ge s. Poli icians almos always ind suppo o hei decisions om he high le el ci il se an s
o make hei decisions based on echnical e idence. High le el ci il se an s wo k a he hea o
he “co e execu i e”, which de elop and make go e nmen policy; his is whe e powe lies
(Heywood, A. 2011). The e o e i could be assu ed ha i is much mo e e ec i e o lobby he
bu eauc a s han he poli icians. In o es y his would mean lobbying he highly ep esen a i e
o ice s (which some imes hey a e e y ideological and long las ing wi h decades in se ice) in he
Minis ies. E en hough, p essu e is mo e e icien wi h poli icians.
20
Ne e heless, hose poli icians and decision-make s use o weigh he lobbing s eng h by he
numbe o people ( ega ded as o e s) ha hey ep esen . Consequen ly, a main a ge o a FOA
has o be pe manen ly o ga he mo e and mo e o es owne s as membe s, un il each ideally he
100 %. And a he same ime, ac i a e as much as possible he 16 million Eu opean o es owne s
as ac i e ones in he public deba e. As compa ison, G eenpeace has a ound 3 million inancial
suppo e s (membe s) Wo ldwide om whe e a ound 2 million a e loca ed in Eu ope.
On he o he hand, in o de o change he long e m pe cep ions o he socie y owa ds o es s and
o es y, i migh be needed o a ge socie y in gene al and child en/young in pa icula , which is
no being he p io i y among FOAs’ g ass oo s s a egies.
Messages. Fo es s mean di e en hings o di e en people and his can c ea e con lic s o in e es
esul ing in mixed and con using messages (K o , M. 2000). Messages e ol e wi h he de elopmen
o he o es sec o and he new eali ies (e.g. biomass, clima e change). In gene al he messages o
he FOAs a e in line wi h he ou gene al messages sugges ed by he Fo es Communica ions
Ne wo k (UNECE, 2013). Besides, none o hese messages a e opposed by any campaign om he
main ENGOs in Eu ope.
O e he las yea s, communica ion channels a e changing as , and in e ne abo e o all is ha ing a
g ea in luence on c ea ing and mobilizing public opinion. Social ne wo ks, as well as online sho
ideos, a e nowadays an easy ool o sp eading messages. Howe e whils main ENGOs a e p esen
in he social ne wo ks, o es owne s a e no ye he e. In ol ing he decision-make s in o ums o
discussion has been p o en o be a e y e ec i e way o in luence hem. Unde he bes
ci cums ances, he b oades ange o communica ion channels mus be used, as each channel migh
be i s bes o eaching each di e en a ge g oup.
Campaign echniques ha e plen y o oom o imp o emen , and such echniques employed by
ENGOs ha e been p o ed o be e icien ways o ge mass media a en ion and he e o e public
opinion in he ocus.
Bo h app oaches, ee ops and g ass oo s a e exe cised by he FOAs, as a combined s a egy,
poin ing di ec ac ions owa ds decision-make s a he same ime ha hey a ge he public
awa eness on o es y bene i s o a long e m suppo om he socie y. Howe e he po en ial powe
o he millions o o es owne s o pe o m g ass oo s ac ions migh s ill be unde u ilized.
Common o ums and speci ic ini ia i es as o example he UNECE-FAO Fo es Communica o s
Ne wo k (UNECE, 2013), which aims exchange expe ience in o de o iden i y he bes p ac ices,
migh help in gi ing homogenei y on s a egies and messages, as well as imp o ing he
p o essionaliza ion o o es s akeholde s wishing o communica e and lobbying. These p o essional
o ums cons i u e he poli ical lea ning which d i es o he policy ad ance and change.

21
E alua ion on social change is always a di icul long- e m p ocesses, and he only way is by
pe iodical public opinion polls. O he wise in luence in na ional o Eu opean p ocesses as o
example in any e iew o he Common Ag icul u al Policy, can be easy o moni o ize when speci ic
measu es ha e been p oposed o be included. Ne e heless, some coun ies migh se e as a
benchma king o he es o he FOAs o imp o e hei sys ems.
Communica ion is a social science and he e o e i does no ha e same esul s e en unde same
condi ion, because people always di e . The e o e he p ocess o e alua ion and ollow-up should
be he mos impo an pa in a communica ions s a egy e en i o measu e i u ns o be so di icul .
Coali ions and compe i ion wi h o he s akeholde s. The Ad ocacy Coali ion F amewo k (ACF)
(So i o and Memmle , 2012) is applied o policy deba es, whe e o en con lic s appea due o
di e en s akeholde s wi h di e en and opposi e alues ha hey wan o lobby in o de o mee
hei goals.
F om he pe spec i e o he Ad ocacy Coali ion F amewo k (ACF) (So i o and Memmle , 2012)
i can be said ha he di e en FOAs migh sha e he co e belie s and he e o e he e is an ideological
link. The e o e om he pe spec i e o he new model o e ec i e lobbying s a egies in he case o
he FOAs, i hasn’ been ound as an impo an ac o he compe i ion wi h o he sec o s, which will
come in his case as a hi d ac o in impo ance ins ead han as a second ac o as de ined in he
model. Howe e i has been no iced ha he na ional in e es s owa ds mo e o less p oduc i e
o es y s a es he di e en alliances in hei coali ions, especially wi h ENGOs.
22
8.- Recommenda ions
Only o es owne s a e he main and i s esponsible o he managemen o hei lands. And
consequen ly poli icians ha dly implemen any hing in o es y wi hou hei in ol emen . They a e
a ele an o es s akeholde , who can be ace- o- ace wi h wood and pape companies, because hey
o m he bases o he o es alue chain, by ha ing he con ol o he aw ma e ial supply. The e o e,
ac ually i hey a e well o ganized and communica e adequa ely, hey migh each conside able
ba gain powe .
The e a e some o he lessons lea ned om his esea ch: communica ions s a egies a FOAs could
and should be imp o ed, and he bes way is p obably o ollow a s a egy, wi h all i s elemen s
p ope ly de eloped (objec i es, messages, a ge s, channels, e alua ion…). The join e o wi h
communica ion/mass media p o essionals would always u n in o a mo e success ul esul . Goals
ha e o be iden i ied a sho as well as long e m, wide a ie y o channels should be used, messages
ha e o be simple and clea , and collabo a ion wi h o he s o ganiza ions (ag icul u e, wood
cons uc ion, e c) has o be enhanced. Examples om mo e expe ienced o ganiza ions and sec o s
in communica ion shall be benchma ked, and knowledge and expe iences shall be ans e ed om
one coun y o ano he .
Fu he esea ch is needed in o public pe cep ion o o es s and o es y, which migh help o de ine
communica ion s a egies. Finland al eady has a long adi ion o hese s udies (SMY, 2012) and i
is expec ed ha mo e coun ies will ollow. Ano he esea ch subjec shall be o s udy he echniques
o he g ass oo s s a egies ha ENGOs apply success ully, o lea n om hei b oade expe ience
in mobilizing people and hus ake ad an age o he c i ical mass o 16 million o es owne s sp ead
a ound Eu ope.
9.- Acknowledgemen s
The au ho s a e g a e ul o all he Fo es Owne s Associa ions ha ha e pa icipa ed in his esea ch
s udy by answe ing he ques ionnai es bo h in 2006 and again in 2012.
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