This issue represents the launch of a new forestry journal, published under the auspices of IUFRO Working Unit 3.08.00 Small-scale Forestry and sponsored by Joensuu University (Finland) and The University of Queensland (Australia). This journal has come into being from deliberations over a number of years by the members of Working Unit 3.08. The choice of journal title and fields of interest involved much debate, creating a focus for resolving issues concerning the nature and scope of the journal, intended targeted audience and intended contributors. IUFRO Working Unit 3.08.00-Small-scale Forestry-is dedicated to the dissemination of information on research problems, continuing research efforts and research results related to the management of small-scale non-industrial private forest woodlots. The group was formed in 1986 at the IUFRO XVIII World Congress held in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia. Since that time, the group has been highly active and has staged a series of well-attended and memorable annual symposia at diverse locations. This diversity is well illustrated by the groups most recent meetings being held in tropical northern Australia in summer in 2000 followed by next meeting in snow-covered Finland in late winter 2001. A strong sense of camaraderie has developed amongst members, hence there was strong sentiment in favour of the title Journal of Small-scale Forestry. It is apparent that small-scale forestry means different things in different countries, hence it was necessary to select a name which would give a clear indication on the scope of the journal for forest professionals and academia. Since choice of a journal title drives the perception of the journal to potential contributors and readers, this became a matter of serious debate amongst members of the small committee formed at the symposium in Joensuu in Finland in 2001 to provide directions for the proposed journal. This paper reports on some of the issues which were canvassed in arriving at a title and focus for the journal, summarises results of a survey of delegates at the Joensuu symposium of opinions about the desirable role and nature of the journal, and indicates the priority areas in which papers are sought.

Indicators of innovativeness and enterprise competitiveness in the wood products industry in Finland. Scand. J. For. Res. 19(Suppl. 5): 90 Á/96, 2004. This paper presents the results of two studies where the indicators characteristic for innovations in wood products industries were analysed and an index for the overall innovativeness was developed, and the competitiveness of the wood products enterprises was studied in relation to the indicators of innovativeness. The results of the Delphi survey (n 0/63) illustrate that ''soft'' indicators such as the level of education of personnel were seen as less important for innovativeness than ''hard'' indicators. The most important ''hard'' indicators were investments in research and development, new products and processes achieved and the number of new patents applied. The results of the case study of 19 wood products enterprises illustrate that the profitability of the companies was negatively correlated with the amount of enterprises' own risk funding, but positively correlated with the number of new products that have entered into the markets and the share of exports.

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The article introduces the background and summarises main research findings of the research articles in this special issue. The focus is on the key issues relevant for forest-based entrepreneurship development in small-scale forestry in relation to both wood and non-wood forest products and services (NWFP&S). The article draws special attention to changing forest ownership, changing owners' motives and values, and the evolving role of forest owners' associations in Europe. The paper draws attention to the finding that many small-scale forest owners do not treat their forest as an income-generating asset. The ownership of the forests may be more important as symbolic capital than as a source of income. This is quite opposite to the traditional wood production model that for instance most of the Forest Owners Association's still follow. In relation to NWFP&S, the taxonomy and indicators for NWFP&S are discussed and some conclusions from studies on forest recreation innovation and NWFP&S marketing are presented. The NWFP&S sector is traditionally product-oriented, which is strategically peculiar because the long distances from rural production areas to the customers would suggest highest orientation on marketing. Also surprising is the low level of segmentation in the sector.