Old-growth forests

What is an old-growth forest and how is it defined?

EU legislation and guidelines use the term old-growth forest, which is defined as follows:

A forest stand or area consisting of native tree species that have developed, predominantly through natural processes, structures and dynamics normally associated with late-seral developmental phases in primary or undisturbed forests of the same type. Signs of former human activities may be visible, but they are gradually disappearing or too limited to significantly disturb natural processes.

Old-growth forest is translated as two different concepts in Swedish. In a legislative context, (for example the Renewable Energy Directive), the term old-growth forests translates as gammal skog. In some documents, such as in the translation of the European Commission’s guidance, old-growth forests has been translated as naturskog, a term that often refers to a forest that has been unaffected by human activities for so long that it has largely regained the characteristics of a primary forest.

It is of course problematic that a single concept has two different translations and definitions. The Swedish Forest Agency has been tasked by the government to produce a clear definition and criteria for how the term old-growth forests is to be used in Sweden. In September 2024, the agency submitted its final report to Sweden’s Ministry of Rural Development and Infrastructure for further review.