Understanding forest-based value creation in a regional context

This chapter gives a short overview of important forest-related residues and side streams and examples of their valorisation. We apply a comparative case study approach for studying the valorisation of forest-industry residues and side-streams across three forest-industry clusters in Norway. The three cases of forest-based industry clusters have shown that it takes a lot of time to build up new industry after the crisis in the pulp and paper industry. The three cases show very different stages of maturity. The exploitation of residues and side streams from forestry industries mostly goes in traditional pathways, such as the use for production of pulp or of particle boards. However, also more advanced valorisation pathways have been explored. And here other types of industry players outside the traditional forest-based industries come in, such as producers of fuels or producers of metals, which can replace fossil resources by forestry residues and side streams.