Silvicultural activities
Statistics of Silvicultural Activities is a part of Swedish Official Statistics. The statistics is conducted and published by Swedish Forest Agency, responsible authority for official statistics on forestry production.
Silvicultural activities in 2024
Forest fertilization increased during 2024 to about 40,000 hectares, a statistically confirmed increase from the bottom level in 2022. Forest fertilization is thereby back at the levels before the war in Ukraine. At the same time both soil preparation and planting decreased, and the total forest cultivation area dropped from 199,000 to 192,000 hectares. The supplementary planting rose to 43 million seedlings after several years of decline. The area of continuous-cover forestry comprised 733,000 hectares in 2024. The statistical margin of error means that there is no significant difference between the years 2023 and 2024 for continuous-cover area and other measures, with the exception of the fertilization, and the results should therefore be interpreted with caution. Ash recycling was carried out in 2024 on 16,400 hectares and 50,300 tonnes of ash (dry weight) were spread, mainly in Götaland. Area of silvicultural measures decreased.
The statistics from the Swedish Forest Agency regarding silvicultural activities are based on two surveys: one random sample survey of small-scale forestry (owners of less than 5 000 hectares of forest land) and total population survey of large-scale forestry (owning more than 5 000 hectares). The survey of the large-scale forestry consists of more questions which is why for example the Pinus contorta regeneration is only known for this group. Taken together, the two separate surveys provide the most comprehensive picture of forestry operations in Sweden.
Since 2024, ash recycling has been included as part of the statistics on silvicultural activities and Sweden's official statistics. There is a separate survey on ash recycling. The variation in the spread of ash over the years can be due to several factors. One example is that reduced load-bearing capacity in the forest for the machines after high amounts of precipitation can affect the possibility of the spread of ash. In addition, contractors may have stopped due to poor profitability or larger producers of ash have changed fuel, which generates more or less amount of spreadable ash. A general uncertainty about ash recycling among forest owners can also play a role.
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Decreased area of forest regeneration measures
Results from the Swedish Forest Agency’s survey show that forest fertilization was carried out on about 40,000 hectares during 2024. This is an increase from the sharp decline in 2022, and it is at the same level before the war in Ukraine. The area that has been fertilized has varied over the past 30 years, at the lowest at 10,000 hectares during 2022 and highest 80,000 hectares in 2010. The decline between 2021 and 2022 was caused by the sharp price increase on fertilizers during 2022, a consequence of the war in Ukraine.
The estimated area of mechanical soil scarification continues to decrease, from 167,800 hectares 2023 to 160,800 hectares in 2024. The planted area has decreased from 188,700 hectares to 180,400 hectares.
Estimates for year 2018 are missing due to the underlying surveys were not conducted that year.
Small changes in area of forest cultivation
The Swedish Forest Agency has been surveying forest cultivation since 1955. Forest cultivation is a collective term for both planting and sowing. During 2024, 192,000 hectares were cultivated, while the figure from 2023 was 198,700 hectares. Figure 2 show that the cultivation decreased among Other owners while the area that was cultivated by individual owners was at the same level as the previous year.
Increase in supplementary planting
During the period 2005–2018 the number of supplementary seedlings was annually between 21 and 36 million. After the dry summer of 2018, 58 million supplementary plants were planted in 2019. After the peak in 2019 the supplementary planting decreased gradually and in the year 2023, 31 million seedlings were planted. In the year 2024 the number increased again, from 31 to 43 million seedlings. In the figure below, the years before 2019 are three-year averages where the middle year is stated. For example, 2016 refers to an average for the years 2015 to 2017.
Margin of error is published together with the results in the statistical database of Swedish Forest Agency.
Continuous-cover forestry
In 2024, the extent of Continuous-cover forestry was surveyed for the fifth time.
The survey does not focus on individual continuous-cover practices but rather on the extent to which landowners intend to manage their land so that it remains continuously forested without creating large clear-cut areas. In this survey, example of methods of Continuous-cover forestry were given. Continuous-cover forestry does not refer to land within voluntary set-asides, unproductive forest land or with the target classification of nature conservation or nature conservation with management.
The statistics are intended to estimate area of productive forest land where continuous-cover forestry is used in Sweden, as a form of management. It is not an estimate of the amount of activities carried out a specific year. This estimate is therefore slightly different compared to many of the statistics on silvicultural activities, which refer to silvicultural activities carried out during a specific year.
During 2024 the continuous-cover forestry comprised 733,000 hectares in Sweden. The largest area, about 535,000 hectares, was managed with continuous-cover by individual owners and about 198,000 hectares was managed with continuous-cover by other owners. The estimate has a margin of error that gives a confidence interval from 618,000 hectares to 847,000 hectares. This means that it is not possible to confirm any real increase or decrease from the previous year, despite small changes in the point estimate between years.
Margin of error is published together with the results in the statistical database of Swedish Forest Agency.
Area with forest management plan
As of 2019, the area with forest management plan has also been surveyed. In this case, a forest management plan refer to a plan no older than 10 years old. In 2024 an estimated 17.7 million hectares have a forest management plan. About 1.6 million hectares completely lack a forest management plan. For 266,000 hectares there is a plan for only a part of the holding, and for 2.0 million hectares there is a plan that is older than ten years.
There are marginal changes between years of the estimated area with forest management plan. The statistical margin of error means that there is no guaranteed difference between the years.
Margin of error is published together with the results in the statistical database of Swedish Forest Agency.
Pinus contorta
Figure 6 is based on estimates between 1980 and 2024. The area of planted or sowed pinus contorta has increased in 2024 compared to previous years. However, it is still at a low level compared to the beginning of the time series. During 2024 3,300 hectares were planted or sowed with pinus contorta. The latest estimate from 2023 was almost 2,900 hectares. Since 1980, the accumulated area planted or sowed with pinus contorta is almost 497,000 hectares. Additional area for 2018 is missing because the survey was not carried out at the time. Area, planted or sowed with pinus contorta, is only surveyed form large scale forestry.
Area regenerated with Pinus contorta in Norrbottens, Västerbottens, Jämtlands, Västernorrlands, Gävleborgs, Dalarnas, Värmlands and Örebro county.
Ash recycling
Ash recycling is included as part of the statistics on silvicultural activities and Sweden's official statistics for the second time. The results refer to the area and total amount of ash in tonnes of (dry weight) spread annually from 2009 to 2024. The results show that in 2024, ash recycling was carried out on nearly 16,400 hectares, with 50,300 tonnes of ash (dry weight) being spread.
It is the second highest area since the measurements started in 2009. Compared with 2023 there was an increase in Götaland and at the same time a decrease in Svealand. On average, ash recycling has been carried out on approximately 12,000 hectares and 41,000 tonnes of ash (dry weight) has been spread annually during the time series. From 2009 to 2024, an average of 79 percent of all ash recycling activities were carried out in Götaland, 19 percent in Svealand, and 2 percent in Norrland.
The variation in the spread of ash over the years can be due to several factors. One example is that reduced load-bearing capacity in the forest for the machines after high amounts of precipitation can affect the possibility of the spread of ash. In addition, contractors may have stopped due to poor profitability or larger producers of ash (for example heating plants) have changed fuel, which generates more or less amount of spreadable ash. A general uncertainty about ash recycling among forest owners can also play a role.