Jun 21, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. Chile and Finland have agreed to strengthen the cooperation between the forestry research institutions of the two countries. The agreement has been reached within the framework of the official visit of a delegation of the Chilean ministry of agriculture to Finland. The delegation is led by Chilean deputy agriculture minister, Arturo Barrera. The mission's objective is to get familiar with the Finnish innovation and technology development system. Chile and Finland will elaborate a specific work programme, which will include cooperation over the next years mainly in environmental monitoring of forests, biomass generation as a source of energy, carbon sequestration and environmental services. Chilean forestry sector needs to enhance competitiveness by the implementation of innovative elements, especially in relation to environmental protection, Barrera said. Barrera pointed out the considerable development of the Finnish innovative system, Finland's good environmental performance and well-developed forestry cluster. The cooperation between the two countries will also include exchange of researchers, the director of Chilean forestry institute Infor, Roberto Ipinza, who also took part in the delegation to Finland, said.