An increase in the area of notified felling in May

Nyhet | Statistik - 11 June 2024

The latest statistics from the Swedish Forest Agency show that the area notified for felling in May increased 4 percent, compared to May 2023. The area regarding applications for permits for final felling in montane forests decreased to a little less than a quarter of the level seen in 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 notified logging and permits applied for was 20 024 hectares in May, which was an increase of 4 percent, compared to May 2023. Of this area, applications for permits for final felling of montane forests represented 342 hectares, compared with 1,167 hectares in the same month last year.

Compared to the average area of notifications and applications for the country in May over the previous five years, this is an increase of 2 percent. Compared to the average area for the previous ten years, this is a decrease of 2 percent.

Notifications and applications on the regional level in May

In total, the area of notifications and applications increased in May for the whole country, compared with May last year.

• Northern Norrland – decrease of 891 hectares (-20 percent)
• Southern Norrland – increase of 975 hectares (+22 percent)
• Svealand – increase of 114 hectares (+2 percent)
• Götaland – increase of 641 hectares (+14 percent)

An 11 percent decrease in the area covered by notifications and applications so far this year

For January to May, the area of notifications and applications for permits for final felling was 87,814 hectares, which is a decrease of 11 percent, compared to the same period last year. So far this year, the area of applications for permits for final felling of montane forests is 1,817 hectares, for the corresponding period last year the area was 8,094 hectares.

In Northern Norrland, the area notified and applied for has decreased by 32 percent and in Svealand by 18 percent. In Southern Norrland the area has increased by 4 percent and in Götaland it is unchanged, compared to the corresponding period 2023.

Compared to the average area of notifications and applications for the country in the corresponding period for the previous five years, this is a decrease of 6 percent. Compared to the previous ten years, this is a decrease of 4 percent.

Explanation

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

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