Forests with an average age of more than 140 years in northern Sweden and 120 years in southern Sweden are defined by the Swedish National Forest Inventory as old forest.
Is it permitted to fell old forest?
There is no ban on felling old forest in Sweden as long as it is not protected or has other restrictions against its use. Instead, it is prohibited to fell trees that are too young, and the Swedish Forest Act therefore specifies a minimum final felling age. Many owners of older forests prefer not to use such stands so as to benefit biodiversity. However, old forests do not necessarily have high nature values.
Is the amount of old forest in Sweden increasing?
Yes, according to the Swedish National Forest Inventory, which estimates how much forest there is in Sweden and how forests are characterized, the amount of old forest in Sweden is increasing. Its estimates are based on objective inventories of frequently recurring sample areas, and these surveys have been conducted annually since 1923 – i.e., for more than 100 years.
In the 20th century, the area of forest with an average age of more than 140 years in northern Sweden and 120 years in southern Sweden decreased. But changes in Swedish forest policy that were introduced in 1994 have begun to have an effect and now the proportion of forests that are older than 140 and 120 years respectively has increased by 80 per cent since the beginning of the 1990s.
