Last summer, the Swedish State Forest, Sveaskog, announced that they will cut down felling by 1 million cubic meters annually. That is approx. 20 percent of Sveaskog’s normal annual felling and 1 percent of the total felling in Sweden. Now, the plan is set into action – at least in North Sweden.
Swedish State Forest decreases felling
According to a press release (in Swedish), the background to the decision is the FSC certification that Sveaskog has according to which cooperative planning and the reindeer business are necessary. The reindeer husbandry is performed by the native Sami people in Northern Sweden who depend on forest areas for reindeer grazing. Sveaskog strives for good coexistence between reindeer husbandry and forestry.
The result of the process of cooperative planning in the reindeer areas has however not been satisfactory. Therefore, a decrease in clear-cutting, compared to the current plan, of 45 percent will be made in those areas. How much volume this is, is not mentioned in the press release. More information is promised during February.
Problems for the local industry
Sveaskog is aware of the serious effects this will have on the local industry and its contractors. A good dialog with the affected businesses and communities is sought and will take place directly with all the involved parties. The aim is to develop good long-term conditions for both reindeer husbandry and forestry in the area.
You don’t need much imagination to understand what effect such a brutal decrease in felling will have on the local forestry business – contractors and industry. An interesting question is how it will affect timber prices. As Sveaskog is the largest actor within forestry in that area a 45 percent cutdown should be noticeable.
More information
Unfortunately, the press release is only in Swedish, but you can read it here. Or you can contact the press service at Sveaskog by e-mail press@sveaskog.se .
