Our reply on criticism from Sveaskog

To save the forest biodiversity in Sweden, the felling of biologically valuable forests must come to an end immediately.

The Swedish forest company Sveaskog is disappointed on how the company's forestry appears in the SSNC report "Under the Cover of the Swedish Forestry Model” that was released on March 7, 2011. The report describes the Swedish forestry model in general, with a range of examples from the reality in the forests. Sveaskog is one of several companies whose loggings are described and illustrated in the report, which is not specifically about Sveaskog but about the forestry methods operated by a large number of forest owners in Sweden.

Forestry in Sweden is extensive

Only a fraction the forests consists of high conservation value forests, and a wide range of forest species, as well as other values, are threatened by forestry. This is well known for scientists, government agencies, the forest sector as well as conservationists in Sweden. A large number of measures are required to be taken in order to improve the situation, it's all parties agree.

SSNC believes that the general nature consideration (for example, single trees and small tree groups left on a clear cut) in the cultivation of the production forest is necessary to meet our national and international targets and commitments on biological diversity, but the general nature consideration can never replace logged forests with high nature values. Sveaskog also points this out in its criticism of the SSNC report. The Swedish Forestry Act states two equal objectives; environmental and production. SSNC argues that it is unreasonable to, even with general nature consideration, continue clear cutting the few remaining natural forests in Sweden under the two equal objectives of the Act. The vast majority of the productive forest landscape in Sweden has already been converted into homogenous production forests, mostly of monoculture-like character.

The intensive loggings over the past half century have resulted in a very uneven age distribution of the forest landscape. Today, up to 70 per cent of the forests may not even have reached harvest maturity since they are younger than 80 years. General nature consideration is therefore practiced in the few remaining natural forests over 100 years of age (approximately 20 per cent). It is in these forests, which often have documented high nature values and constitute habitats for endangered species, where SSNC document clear cuts conducted by Sveaskog as well as all other major forest companies. These forests are today felled at a high rate.

The Swedish forestry model in reality

In reality, the forest sector has not lived up to the Forestry Act, where consideration to environment and production should be of equal importance. Only 20 percent of the forest landscape in Sweden is more than 100 years old, only a very small part of that consists of pristine forest. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only 5 percent of the forest area consists of high conservation value old-growth forest. We believe that a higher proportion is worthy of protection, but the figures of the EPA show the considerable lack of valuable forests in Sweden. Yet Sveaskog, and other large forest companies, harvest forests with documented high nature values. Although the clear cuts of today is smaller than the enormous clear cuts of that was created in the 70 - and 80's, clear felling of natural forests is ongoing. Also, approximately 2.4 percent of the forest land consists of plantations of exotic species. In addition to this, the government has proposed an even more intensified forestry which, in addition to increased use of exotic species, also would include the use of hybrid trees and fertilizing. Stump extraction is already ongoing, on a small scale, even by Sveaskog.

The large cleared areas on Sörberget

Sveaskog indicates that SSNC, in the case of two pictures in the report from Sörberget in Norrbotten, presents inaccurate information. A representative from the local Sami community, which used to have their winter reindeer grazing land on Sörberget, has confirmed that large parts of the Sami village´s grazing land in the area was harvested before the storm. The large clear felling, prior the storm, was probably one reason why such a large percentage of the forest was storm-felled in 1991, since the wind was channeled through the large, cleared land. For the local Sami, their former grazing land is now unfit. Sveaskog argue that the forest had not been clear felled before the storm brought down large parts of it. SSNC find this remarkable since a picture can be found, in the SSNC year book from 1987, on the great clear cut at Sörberget – four years before the arrival of the storm. 

The Swedish forestry model, FSC, plantations and pesticides

SSNC considers monocultures of trees of the same species and age is to equate with plantations. Planting plants from a nursery on the full area of a clear cut, is to create a plantation. SSNC also argues that the part of forest land covered by monocultures of exotic species is not negligible, around 2.4 percent of the forest land currently consists of monocultures of exotic species. SSNC does not support the Swedish FSC´s definition of plantations. In 2010, SSNC left FSC Sweden because SSNC believes that the FSC has not resulted in sufficient enough improvement of forestry in Sweden. SSNC are annually documenting violations, by the large forest companies, to the FSC standard regarding environmental concerns.

Tree seedlings are still treated with pesticides in Sweden. Also, FSC Sweden has given exemptions for all landowners who sought to use pesticides in 2011.

The historical description in the report

In the report, SSNC deliberately opted for a brief historical review of forestry, as the report is not a historical report, but instead covers the reality in the forests and the impact of modern forestry of today. We have not claimed that ancient forests in the country have disappeared only the last half century, which Sveaskog suggests in their comment to the report. However, we emphasize that the negative impact of modern forestry far exceeds the impact that was made before the large scale clear cutting epoch started. Of the 40-60 percent of the country that was historically covered by old growth forest remains only 5 percent old growth forest according to EPA figures. This cannot be blamed on the historical use of forests.

The Swedish forestry model and critically endangered species

Sveaskog as well as the forest company Bergvik Skog AB are, in cooperation with SSNC, conducting extensive and very important efforts for the white backed woodpecker in the country by developing future deciduous forest habitats. On that point, there is no doubt. In the report SSNC presents three critically endangered species associated with different types of forest. These species are critically endangered because of their habitats drastic decline. In the case of the white-backed woodpecker in Sweden - far more efforts are required than what are already taken. This mainly depends on the large scale landscape transformation that has taken place for a very long time in southern and central parts of Sweden. The state of the white backed woodpecker is still acute. Sveaskog highlights Finland´s positive development for the white backed woodpecker in relation to the country’s intensive forestry. However, the positive developments in Finland is based on, partly major invasions of the species from the Russian part of Karelia, which today still has a strong stock, and partly because Finland has a larger proportion of old deciduous forest than Sweden, where forestry for many years has replaced deciduous forests with conifer.

The Swedish natural forests and its biological diversity is threatened

SSNC, together with a large number of voluntary conservationists, have for several years documented the reality in the forest landscape of today. We have gathered facts from conservation scientists and conservation specialists around the country and the conclusions are clear;

• the felling of the remaining natural forests with high nature values must be stopped,
• extensive measures to restore natural forest in impoverishing forest landscapes is necessary and
• Increased general nature consideration in forestry is required,
  to halt the biodiversity loss.

Sweden has less natural forest and pristine water left than what is required to maintain biodiversity. The positive efforts made, also by Sveaskog, are valuable. But as long as the number of red listed species continues to increase and forests with high nature values continues to be clear felled, more efforts and higher ambitions are required.  The general nature consideration taken on clear fellings is making a difference in the production landscape, which we have discussed in the report, but it is not enough and the requirements of the law are often not followed. To save the forest biodiversity in Sweden, the felling of biologically valuable forests must come to an end immediately.

Karin Åström, Vice president, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation

Malin Sahlin, Forest Campaigner, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation