Continued low proportion of women employed in forestry

Nyhet | Statistik - 09 December 2025

In 2024, 31,900 people were employed in forestry, of which 4,700 were women. The change from 2023 is not statistically significant. At the same time, more than 100 occupational injuries were reported in forestry in 2024, the same level as 2023.

Approximately 31,900 persons, of which 4,700 women and 27,100 men, were employed in forestry in 2024. The development from 2023 is too small to be statistically significant. The number of employed persons increased during 2003 to 2007 and has varied between 25,000 and 32,000 since then.

In 2024, 15 percent of employed persons in forestry were women. This is equal to 2017, which was the previous highest figure for the proportion of women in forestry. Until 2015, the proportion was generally lower than 10 percent.

Fewer with income from forestry

The most recent statistics on the number of people who have an income from forestry are from 2023, when approximately 43,500 people had an income from forestry. This is a decrease from 2022 when 46,000 people had an income from forestry. The estimations includes both income in the form of wage and income as a sole proprietor.

Traditional employment statistics are usually delimited to the ages 15 to 74 or to specific time periods during the year. Forestry as an activity is characterized by seasonal work patterns, non-annual income and forest owner with a high average age. For example, there were 6,100 persons with an income that were above the age of 74 during 2023. The number of people older than 74 with income from forestry has increased over time. In 2009, there were approximately 2,100 people.

Steady level of occupational injuries

According to statistics from the Swedish Work Environment Authority 107 occupational injuries were reported in 2024 which is a small decrease from 2023 when 114 injuries were reported. On average 109 injuries have been reported annually during the previous ten years.  

Note that these are only statistics on the number of reported accidents, there is no knowledge of the true occurrence of occupational accidents. Changes between years might only be a consequence of changed reporting habits. The two most common causes of the accidents are loss of control of machinery/equipment, followed by fall accidents. Since 2008 a total of 58 accidents have been fatal in forestry, sawmills and paper production industries.

Explanation

The term forestry is based on the Swedish Standard Industrial Classification (SNI2007) which is in term based on the classifications system used by the European Union NACE Rev 2.

Statistics Sweden’s Labour Force Survey is the source of number of employed persons in 02 Forestry. An employed person in the statistics is either an employee or is self-employed or a family worker. The survey is delimited to people between ages 15 and 74.

The number of people with income is based on gross income that has been registered in income tax statements and reports from the employer. Both income in terms of wage and income as a sole proprietor (self-employed person) are included. No negative incomes (losses in businesses) are calculated, and only Swedish residents are included. The statistics are based on several of Statistics Sweden’s registries on work, employment and income.

An occupational accident is a sudden incident, physical or psychological damage that has occurred at the workplace or other place where the injured person has been while performing work duties. Only accidents that have led to absence from work are included in the statistics. The Swedish Work Environment Authority is the responsible authority for these statistics.