Forest

What is the definition of a forest – and how much forest is there in Sweden?

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), forest is any land area spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than five metres and a canopy cover of more than 10 per cent and that is not primarily used for agricultural or urban land use.

There are also a large number of explanations and clarifications, where it is clear, for example, that this definition is based on both the presence of trees and the absence of other land use, and that it includes areas that are temporarily devoid of trees due to felling, but where new forest will be planted or will grow naturally. The FAO also writes that national parks, nature reserves and other areas with restrictions on forestry are included in the concept.

How much forest is there in Sweden?

Close to 70 per cent of Sweden’s land area consists of forest. Only three per cent of Sweden is built up. The remainder is forest, farmland, mountains and wetlands.

How do you ascribe forests different definitions?

Forests are usually defined by their dominant tree species such as pine forest, spruce forest or deciduous forest. Deciduous forests can then be divided into noble deciduous forests, such as beech, oak, linden and maple, or trivial deciduous forests, such as birch and aspen. When dividing forests into different types, it is also important to consider soil characteristics. Forests can be defined according to soil nutrient or lime content, humidity and soil type.

What is meant by a forest being productive or unproductive?

Under Sweden’s Forestry Act, forest land is divided into productive forest land and unproductive forest land. Productive forest land is land that produces an average of at least one cubic metre of stemwood per hectare per year. Forest land that is not defined as productive is defined as unproductive.