Today, a number of different phrases are used to describe different types of forest in Sweden. Other terms are sometimes used elsewhere in the EU. Therefore, the discussion about different types of forest in Sweden can sometimes be perceived as unnecessarily confused.
It is important to distinguish between legal concepts with clear definitions and concepts with a broader and more fluid meaning. The EU has, for example, introduced two concepts – “primary forest” and “old-growth forest” – which now have clear legal definitions in Sweden, translated as ”urskog” and ”gammal skog” respectively.
