Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Many participants in the Swedish timber market procure raw material from private forest owners. They often also offer forest services to ensure reforestation after final felling. Selling silviculture services can be a part of creating a long term relationship with the landowner for future timber purchases. The Swedish Forest Agency monitors forest rejuvenation results in the entire country. In the latest survey (2006 - 2008) the proportion of approved regeneration area was 78%. Pass rate was slightly lower for individual owners than for others. In Svealand, where the study was held, the results have increased steadily over time. The most common regeneration methods are planting and natural regeneration. Previous studies (Jansson, 2004) shows that it is primarily forest owner's commitment and ambition that will determine how successful the rejuvenation will be. There is plenty of forest land in immediate need of precommercial thinning in the country. Precommercial thinning activities in the Swedish forests have declined substantially since the early - 1990s, the abolition of duty precommercial thinning and forest owner's lack of knowledge about the importance of precommercial thinning cited as some reasons. The purpose of this work is to investigate the private forest owners work with silviculture. Are there any measures taken to secure regrowth after final felling? Identify the regeneration methods used and to inquire who does what and also to get a picture of the current need for precommercial thinning. The work is a quantitative study conducted at Sveaskog in the region Svealand and is based on telephone interviews with 50 private forest owners. From what has emerged in the study it seems that the vast majority of the respondents have good control of their regeneration. Almost all respondents stated that they conducted or plan to do some re-growth measures. Scarification followed by planting is the most common method but it is not unusual that several methods are combined. There is some need of precommercial thinning but not so great. Forest owners are to a large extent self-involved with silviculture, especially with planting and precommercial thinning. Most people seek high economic returns in their forestry. The results were somewhat surprising since the vast majority seem to perform the necessary measures. Many were self-operating and reporting in detail how they worked, suggesting a separate engagement. Although fewer and fewer see the forest as part of their main source of income, it seems they still let the economy, to a large extent, direct their forestry. A great deal of commitment and
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ambition also means that the vast majority of the regenerations should meet the legal requirement for passing the regeneration.