Increase in notifications for final felling in 2023

Nyhet | Statistik - 12 March 2024

In 2023, the Swedish Forest Agency received notifications for final felling according to Section 14 of the Forestry Act, on 242,216 hectares of productive forest land. This is an increase of 6 percent compared to 2022. Despite the increase in 2023, the notified area was lower than the average for the last ten years.

In total forest owners notified and applied for final felling over 261,953 hectares of forest which is an increase of 9 percent in comparison to 2022.

Notification of final felling (according to Section 14 of the Forestry Act)

In 2023, the Swedish Forest Agency received 60,502 notifications of final felling on a total of 242,216 hectares of productive forest land. This was an increase of 6 percent compared to 2022. Despite the increase in 2023, notified area was lower than the average for the last ten years.

The average area in notifications of final felling in 2023 was 4.0 hectares, which is slightly less than average for the last ten years, 4.2 hectares.

Individual forest owners notified a significantly larger area than other forest owners and have done so for the past 10 years. In 2023, they accounted for pretty much the entire increased notified area.

Notified area for final felling per ownership class:

• Individual forest owners 147,417 hectare, + 10 percent
• Other forest owners 94,799 hectare, unchanged

The average area in notifications for final felling was 4.0 hectares in 2023. This is slightly less than the average of the last ten years, which is 4.2 hectares.

Applications for final felling in montane forests

In 2023, the area of the application for permits for final felling of montane forest increased by 117 percent to 12,393 hectares. This can be compared with the average area for the previous ten years, which is 5,876 hectares.

Permits for felling in valuable broad-leaved forest

In 2023, the area of the application for permits for final felling of valuable broad-leaved forest increased by 13 percent to 1,031 hectares. This can be compared with the average area for the previous ten years, which is 1,353 hectares.

Felling for purposes other than wood production

In 2023, forest owners notified and applied for felling on 6,312 hectares of productive forest land for purposes other than timber production. Of this, the majority (6,101 hectares) was notified felling according to Section 14 of the Forestry Act, 143 hectares in montane forests and 68 hectares in valuable broad-leaved forest. Compared with last year, the notified area increased by 5 percent and the area applied for in valuable broad-leaved forest by 15 percent. In montane forests the area applied for decreased by 46 percent compared to 2022.