The areas of certified forest land and voluntary set-asides increased in 2025

Nyhet | Statistik - 19 May 2026

According to statistics from the Swedish Forest Agency, the area of certified forest land amounted to 14.9 million hectares in 2025, while the area of voluntary set-asides amounted to 1.4 million hectares. Compared with 2024, the certified area increased by 225,000 hectares and voluntary set-asides increased by 14,000 hectares.

The increase in voluntary set-asides occurred only among other landowners. Among individual forest owners, the area of voluntary set-asides decreased compared with the previous year.

Voluntary set-asides were evenly distributed across the four regions Northern Norrland, Southern Norrland, Svealand and Götaland, with each region accounting for between 300,000 and 400,000 hectares.

Individual forest owners accounted for 581,000 hectares of voluntary set-asides in 2025. Other landowners, which includes private companies, public landowners and religious communities, accounted for 825,000 hectares (Figure 1).

Sixty-seven percent certified

The area of productive forest land certified under PEFC and/or FSC amounted to 14.9 million hectares in 2025, an increase of approximately 225,000 hectares compared with 2024. In total, 67 percent of all productive forest land outside formally protected areas in Sweden is certified.

Individual forest owners accounted for approximately 4.4 million hectares of certified forest land, while other landowners accounted for the largest share, 10.5 million hectares.

Of the certified forest land area, 77 percent was double-certified under both PEFC and FSC. Of the remaining area, 18 percent was certified only under PEFC and 5 percent only under FSC (Figure 2).

Explanation

Voluntary set-aside: An area of productive forest land for which the landowner has voluntarily decided not to conduct measures that could damage environmental values, cultural environments or social values. The area must be documented in a management plan or other document. To constitute a voluntary set-aside, the landowner must not have received encroachment compensation from the state for the area in question.

Productive forest land: forest land that, according to accepted assessment criteria, can produce an average of at least one cubic meter of wood (m3sk) per hectare per year.

Other landowners: The state, state-owned limited companies, other public owners and privately owned limited companies.

Individual landowners: Single owners, estates and small companies (sole traders).

FSC: Forest Stewardship Council.

PEFC: Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification.