🌲 Sweden's forests are growing – every harvested tree is replaced with two to three new seedlings

🌲 Sweden's forests are growing – every harvested tree is replaced with two to three new seedlings

Sweden has twice as much old-growth forest compared to 30 years ago, according to the National Forest Inventory. The timber volume in Swedish forests has doubled since the 1920s.

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  • Around 400 million seedlings are planted every year in Swedish forests, and every harvested tree is replaced with at least two new ones.
  • Sweden has twice as much old-growth forest compared to 30 years ago, according to the National Forest Inventory.
  • The timber volume in Swedish forests has doubled since the 1920s.

Replanting required by law since 1903

Sweden is 70 percent covered by forest. Of that, 75 percent is managed, and approximately one percent is harvested annually. Every harvested tree is replaced with two to three new seedlings. In total, around 400 million trees are planted per year in Swedish forests. In addition, various measures are taken to promote natural seeding.

Reforestation is one of the cornerstones of Swedish forestry. It has been required by law since 1903. This means that every year, more trees are planted than are felled.

Twice as much old-growth forest

The share of old-growth forest in Sweden has increased in recent decades. According to the National Forest Inventory, there are now 3.7 million hectares of forest older than 140 years. That is twice as much as 30 years ago.

The timber volume in Swedish forests has also doubled since the 1920s. That figure is also measured by the National Forest Inventory.

Knowledge about forests is low

A Demoskop survey conducted on behalf of the Swedish Forest Industries Federation shows that many Swedes lack basic knowledge about how forests are developing. Only 19 percent know that more trees are planted than harvested. Only 18 percent know that the amount of old-growth forest has doubled. A full 43 percent incorrectly believe that old-growth forest has declined. And only 21 percent are aware that timber volume has doubled since the 1920s – 40 percent believe the trend has gone in the opposite direction.

Viveka Beckeman, CEO of the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, argues that more basic facts are needed in the public discussion about how forests are managed and developed.

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