Environmental consideration is an integral part of the forest sector responsibilities and is a central ambition within the whole industry. The extensive efforts of the forest owners go beyond the Forestry Act and is a basis for Sweden to be able to realize the ambitious environmental targets that are set.
The Swedish model for protecting forest biodiversity is a combination of general conservation considerations in all day-today forest management and the designation of more strictly protected forests areas. The major principles for conservation are to protect high conservation value forests and include sufficient levels of tree retention in all forest measures.
When harvesting, 8% to 10% is annually exempted. This is in addition to the already large areas of land that are set-aside due to legislation and certifications. There is also a specific regulation that preserves old and coarse trees and dead wood when harvesting.
When harvesting, forest owners will preserve valuable trees and tree groves, to create dead wood and avoid soil damage (especially near water) and also consider social values.
The environmental consideration we see today has been in place for more than twenty years and is strongly contributing to mitigate any negative effects of forestry and to create new biodiverse nature values. The forests that are rejuvenated today, will nourish more nature values in comparison with earlier rejuvenated forests.
