Decrease in the area of notified fellings in April

Nyhet | Statistik - 12 May 2026

April saw a decrease in the area notified or applied for felling in April of 15 percent, compared to April 2025. The area regarding applications for permits for felling in montane forests decreased by 31 percent compared to the same month last year.

Experience has shown that statistics regarding notifications and applications can vary from month to month due to the forestry planning of various stakeholders. It is therefore important to be careful when analyzing the monthly data and to not draw conclusions about the planned felling.

The area of received notifications and applications for permits for felling was 17,904 hectares in April, which was 15 percent less compared to April 2025. Of this area, applications for permits for felling of montane forests represented 479 hectares, compared with 695 hectares in the same month last year.

Compared to the average area of notifications and applications for the country in April over the previous five years, this is an increase of 5 percent.

Notifications and applications on the regional level in April

The area of notifications and applications decreased in Northern Norrland, Svealand and in Götaland. In Southern Norrland the area increased, compared to the same month last year.

• Northern Norrland – decrease of 820 hectares (-22 percent)
• Southern Norrland – increase of 232 hectares (+4 percent)
• Svealand – decrease of 123 hectares (-2 percent)
• Götaland – decrease of 2,479 hectares (-47 percent)

A 6 percent increase in the area covered by notifications and applications so far this year

From January to April, the area of notifications and applications for permits for felling was 88,269 hectares, which is an increase of 6 percent compared to the same period last year. In Southern Norrland and in Svealand the area notified and applied for has increased by 56 and 24 percent respectively. In Northern Norrland and in Götaland the area notified and applied for has decreased by 17 and 48 percent respectively. On regional level, the area has decreased in all counties except Dalarna and Gävleborg counties.

The average area of notifications and applications for the country as a whole shows an increase of 20 percent, compared to the corresponding period in the preceding five-year period. 

So far this year, the area concerning applications for permits for felling of montane forests is 2,115 hectares, for the corresponding period last year the area was 2,033 hectares.

Notifications in counties affected by the storm “Johannes”

On December 27, 2025, Sweden was affected by the storm Johannes. Throughout the spring, the Swedish Forestry Agency will compare statistics regarding received notifications with average for the previous five years. So far, larger areas than normal have been notified for felling in Dalarna and Gävleborg counties, which explains the increase in Southern Norrland and Svealand.

Explanation

An increase or decrease in notifications and applications for permits for felling does not necessarily mean that the area of actual felling has increased or decreased to the same extent.

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

Please note that the monthly statistics are preliminary and will be final approximately two months after they are published.

The statistics are part of the Official statistics of Sweden.

We publish all results in our statistical database.