Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The degree project at hand investigates how large areas of older forest (80 plus years) suitable for clear cutting there is on the Swedish island of Gotland. Large areas of older forest on Gotland are situated on land with shallow soil depths which are economically uninteresting and often unsuitable for clear cutting forestry. Other forests hold big nature conservation values and should not, or cannot, be used for forestry purposes.
The survey is made as a GIS analysis based on the old but carefully made “Brief forest inventory” (ÖSI) made in the 1980s and early 1990s. A sample from the inventory is combined with studies of orthophotos, satellite photos and other GIS layers that display estimated soil depth and nature conservation values.
Partly contrary to common belief, the survey shows that there are still large areas of older forest suitable for clear cutting forestry on the island. However, the numbers presented are significantly lower than those presented by the Swedish National Forest Inventory.