Proposed Swedish definition of closer-to-nature forest management

Nyhet - 05 December 2025

The Swedish Forest Agency and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency presented in 2023 a proposal for a definition of closer-to-nature forest management in Sweden. Now an English version of the report is available.

The assignment was one of several government assignments about forests carried out by the authorities in 2023.

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Forest Agency propose the following definition:

Closer-to-nature forestry mimics natural disturbance processes, creates diverse forests and strengthens the environmental values of the forest landscape. Management is based on a landscape perspective and includes adapted even-aged retention forestry, continuous cover forestry and certain historical forms of forest management.

The proposed definition is based on the balanced objectives for production and environment in the Swedish Forestry act, the European Commission's guidelines for closer-to-nature forestry and current research and expertise. Our hope is that the definition will provide support for both large and small forest owners, regardless of their starting point.

The proposed definition applies to the whole of Sweden, with an emphasis on the boreal region, which occupies the largest areal extent of the biogeographic regions in Sweden. Closer-to-nature forest management is based on voluntariness and allows for flexibility in terms of management methods and approaches to management. The future certification for closer-to-nature forest management which is being developed by the European Commission will likely provide a framework for how closer-to-nature forestry is to be implemented in Sweden.