Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This report is partly written on behalf of and together with the County Board of Västernorrland and the Swedish Forest Agency of District Västernorrland, who wanted help to clarify two questions.

The first question was about whether there have been any changes in how forest owners act when clear cutting riparian forests close to streams. After changes in the Swedish forestry 1994 the riparian zones between the clear cutted area and the stream had increased its width from 1,3 to 6,6 meters and now the authorities wanted updated information about actual status concerning considerations that forestry takes in managing riparian forests.

The report also examines the division of responsibility between the Swedish Forest Agency and the Swedish County Boards in the event of damage to watercourses in connection with forestry activities. The Swedish Forest Agency is the licensing authority for forestry and The Swedish County Board is responsible for issues relating to activities in water. The study tried to figure out exactly where the boundary were between them.

The conclusion of the measurements of riparian buffer zones is that the forestry companies has become better in considerations to riparian zones close to streams and the average width of buffer zones reaches 12 meters, with a large spread. That is a big step forward but not enough to achieve full ecological function, which requires up to 30 meters wide buffer zones depending on local conditions and distribution in the spatial scale within a catchment.

A form has been sent to all Swedish County Boards and local Swedish Forest Agency districts in which they have been asked to answer four questions about their responsibilities regarding forestry close to water. The responses received spread, but overall, a picture is given that it is quite clear how the responsibility is distributed and that it is The Swedish Forest Agency who is the responsible authority in most situations.

Both authorities state that issues relating to water in connection with forestry measures are prioritized today, and it is likely that issues will be even greater in the future. Greater opportunities to impose sanctions on those who do wrong and cause damage to water systems are desired from both authorities as it is believed that it would significantly facilitate the work.