We have for several years conducted field documentations of the situation in the Swedish forests. On March 7 this year we released a report ,”Under the Cover of the Swedish Forestry Model”, which has raised attention, in Sweden as well as Europe.
A small share of attention has recently been received in a comment from one of the large forest companies in Sweden, Sveaskog, which, not surprisingly, argues that the report gives an unfair picture of Swedish forestry.
The Swedish forestry model, based on freedom with responsibility, means that clear fellings of natural forests with high nature values are still conducted in a forest landscape where only a fraction of valuable natural forest remain. The number of red listed species in forest is increasing while, at the same time, the area of natural forest that the red listed species are dependent on is continuing to decline. The forest companies in Sweden seem to want to reduce the systematic destruction of valuable forests to occasional mistakes.
– The facts presented in the report are gathered from field studies conducted by SSNC's conservationists, but also from conservation scientists and conservation specialists around the country. The conclusions on the central issue in the report are united: the felling of the remaining forests with high nature values must be stopped, says Karin Åström, Vice President, SSNC
Sveaskog claim that plantation forestry, in principle, does not exist in Sweden and that SSNC, in error, in the report mention that pesticides are a part of the Swedish forestry model.
– Large parts of the former diverse natural forests have been replaced by monocultures of trees of the same species and age. Approximately 2.4 percent of the forest land consists of plantations with exotic tree species. This we equate with plantations. In addition, pesticides are still used on many tree seedlings before they are planted on clear cuts. Also, FSC Sweden has given exemptions for all landowners who want to use pesticides in 2011, says Malin Sahlin, Forest Campaigner, SSNC.
Sveaskog argue that the general nature consideration taken, at clear fellings, by the forestry sector is very important, an opinion that SSNC supports regarding the production forests, as highlighted in the report. The general nature consideration is a prerequisite for forest management to be conducted in accordance with Sweden's objectives for biodiversity, recreation and other values. Thus, the SSNC report does not focus on the general nature consideration taken in production forests, but the fact that natural forests with documented high natural values are destroyed. To save single trees and small tree groups on clear cuts is positive for production forests, but these small tree groups can never replace the natural forest which today is disappearing at an alarming rate.
For questions and interview contact:
Karin Åström
Vice President, SSNC
+46-73 584 00 17
karin.astrom@naturskyddsforeningen.se
Malin Sahlin
Forest Campaigner, SSNC
+46 70 311 84 51
malin.sahlin@naturskyddsforeningen.se
Louise Wileen Bjarke
Press Officer, SSNC
+46 70 884 77 28
louise.bjarke@naturskyddsforeningen.se
Read more
Our reply to the criticism from Sveaskog
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