Går det åt skogen? En kvalitativ studie om skogsägande, kalhyggen och Sveriges självbild som friluftsland

Sammanfattning: The Swedish forestry sector has been dominated by clear-cutting methods for many decades and wood production has been of great importance for the economic development. Forests and its social values have also formed an important basis for the country’s identity with its recreation opportunities. Societal demands on forests are however many and increasing with an escalating climate crisis and the need to replace fossil fuels with options, such as biomass. In this transition, the debate on the forest’s role is conflicted and opinions regarding forest resources, and how they should be utilized, vary greatly. At the same time, half of all productive forests in Sweden are owned by private forest owners who can independently choose the direction and methods used for their forestry, which in turn impacts the forests ability to deliver environmental, economic and social values. The aim of this study is Olofström’s municipality, which was elected ‘Sweden’s recreation municipality’ in 2021. In this study, ten private forest owners are interviewed about their forestry and cutting methods and what motivates these methods, as well as to what extent they perform climate adaptation measures in order to continue with their forestry. The study also examines the municipality's forestry and what impacts it may pose on the local landscape and recreational opportunities. The results show a multifaceted group of forest owners where every owner has different goals and preconditions with their forestry. However, clear-cutting seems to be the norm for both the private owners as well as for the municipality, with economic factors seeming as the most important driving force. This leads to a loss of biodiversity as well as fragmented forest landscapes. Measures and incentives to increase environmental and social values, as well as the use of natural forestry methods, need to be developed in order to make the forest industry truly sustainable.