Continued decrease in area of forest notified for final felling, compared to 2021

Nyhet | Statistik - 16 August 2022

In both June and July 2022, the area covered by notifications and applications for permits of final felling was down by 32 percent compared with June and July 2021, according to new statistics from the Swedish Forest Agency. The area covered by applications in montane forests in June and July was 82 and 29 percent lower respectively than the same months 2021.

June

The total area covered by applications and notifications in June for the whole country amounted to 21,468 hectares, which was 32 percent less than in June 2021. Of this area, applications for permits for final felling of montane forest amounted to 375 hectares, which was 82 percent less than the same month last year.

More than 35 percent decrease in 9 out of 21 counties

In 18 out of 21 counties the area covered by notifications and applications for permits of final felling was down, compared to June 2021. In nine counties the area was down by over 35 percent. The largest decrease was in the counties of Norrbotten, Blekinge, Västerbotten and Kalmar, with decreases of over 50 percent, compared to June 2021.

In total, the area notified and applied for final felling in June decreased by 56 and 35 percent in Northern Norrland and Götaland respectively, compared to June last year. In Southern Norrland and in Svealand the decrease was 19 and 15 percent respectively, compared with June last year.

Compared with the average area covered by notifications and applications for the whole country in June over the past five and and ten years, the decrease is 19 percent.

July

The total area covered by applications and notifications in July for the whole country amounted to 14,698 hectares, which was 32 percent less than in July 2021. Of this area, applications for permits for final felling of montane forest amounted to 234 hectares, which was 29 percent less than the same month last year.

More than 30 percent decrease in 11 out of 21 counties

In 17 out of 21 counties the area covered by notifications and applications for permits of final felling was down, compared to July 2021. In eleven counties the area was down by over 30 percent.

The largest decrease was in the county of Kalmar, with a 55 percent decrease, followed by the counties of Skåne, Norrbotten and Västerbotten, with decreases of 46, 44 and 43 percent respectively, compared to July 2021. In the counties of Kronoberg, Stockholm and Uppsala however the area increased by about 20 percent, compared to July 2021.

In total, the area notified and applied for final felling in July decreased by 43 and 34 percent in Northern and Southern Norrland respectively, compared to July last year. In Götaland and Svealand the decrease was 29 and 24 percent respectively, compared with July last year.

Compared with the average area covered by notifications and applications for the whole country in July over the past five and and ten years, the decrease is 25 percent.

So far this year, the area covered by notifications and applications has decreased by 20 percent

For the period January to July 2022, notifications and applications for permits for final felling have decreased by 20 percent compared with the same period last year. Applications for permits for final felling of montane forests have decreased by 58 percent.

In Götaland, the notified and applied area has decreased by 30 percent and in Northern and Southern Norrland by 27 and 18 percent respectively. In Svealand the area covered by notifications and applications has decreased by 6 percent, compared with the first seven months of the year 2021.

Compared with the average area covered by notifications and applications for the whole country the first seven months of the year over the past ten years, the decrease is 12 percent. Compared with the last five years, the decrease is 14 percent.

Statistics refer to total notifications and applications for permission on productive forest land for final felling in montane forest and valuable broad-leaved forest.

All results are published in our statistical database.