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The Efforts of the Swedish Forestry Organisation to equate the Environmental Goal with the Production Goal

The Efforts of the Swedish Forestry Organisation to equate the Environmental Goal with the Production Goal. (1999). Background. Biodiversity in the forests is threatened In the revised Forestry Act in 1994 the environmental goal was equated with the production goal. The Aim of the Audit.

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The Efforts of the Swedish Forestry Organisation to equate the Environmental Goal with the Production Goal

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  1. The Efforts of the Swedish Forestry Organisation to equate the Environmental Goal with the Production Goal (1999)

  2. Background • Biodiversity in the forests is threatened • In the revised Forestry Act in 1994 the environmental goal was equated with the production goal

  3. The Aim of the Audit • Examine how the SFO in practice has managed to equate the environmental goal with the production goal • An audit of the environmental work of the SFO in order to reach the environmental goal

  4. The Environmental Goal in the Forestry: • To maintain the biodiversity in the forests • The variety within and between the species and within the ecological systems • Every species which today live in viable populations should be preserved

  5. The Swedish Forest • 23 million hectares (55 % of the Swedish ground area) • The forestry and forest industry employs 120 000 people • In four of five nature regions very small shares of the forests are preserved in nature reserves

  6. Mountainous region Northern Taiga region Southern Taiga region Deciduous and coniferous region Deciduous region 43 % n.e. 1.6 % 9 % 0.4 % 8 % 0.7 % 12 % 0.6 % 16 % Nature reserves (compared to estimated needs)

  7. Stakeholders in forestry • Forest Owners • The Forest Industry • Forest Contractors • Machine operators • State Agencies • NGO’s • Indigenous People (the Laplanders) • The Public (for berries, mushrooms, hunting, recreation etc.)

  8. The Forestry trade • Large Forest Companies • Medium-sized Forest Owners • Private (Individual Owners) • Organized within forest owners organizations which act as forest companies • Not organized owners • Wood Purchasing companies

  9. State Agencies • The Swedish Forest Organization • 11 Regions • 97 Districts • The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

  10. Some of the Threats to the Biodiversity of the Forests • Old forests and trees have become rare • The share of deciduous forests (and esp. old ones) is decreasing • Dead wood has become rare • Different-aged forests have become rare • Mixtures of different trees are more seldom Species depending on old forests, old deciduous forests and dead wood have become threatened

  11. Environmental measures in forestry • General considerations at clear-felling • General considerations at ditching, thinning etc. • Voluntary saving of forests (without registration/documentation at the authorities) • Voluntary saving (registered) • Environmental protection agreement (50 years) • Habitat protection agreement (no time limit) • Nature reserve

  12. Possible Target groups for the SFO • Forest Companies • Forest Owners Organisations • (forestry advisors within Companies and Forest Owners Organisations) • Private Forest Owners • Contractors • Machine operators

  13. Focus of the audit • The advisory efforts of the SFO districts • The inspecting efforts of the SFO districts • The examinations of the nature values performed by the SFO

  14. Our methods • Interviews with in total 6 administrators (heads and specialists) within the central organisation • Examination of regulations, instructions, written advices and literature from the central authority • Case studies of 4 (out of 11) Regional Forestry Boards within the SFO • Case studies of 14 (out of 97) districts within the SFO • Survey of the educational level of the local administrators • Knowledge test of one represent from each district responsible for handling clear felling notifications (telephone enquiry) • Attendance to scientific seminars and conferences esp. an international conference on Biodiversity in Managed Forests • Literature studies (Government bills, legislation, other evaluations, advisory material from SFO and other stakeholders, handbooks, scientific papers etc.)

  15. Criteria for selection of regions for case studies • Different nature regions • Different dominating ownership • Differences of expected practice in environmental considerations (both fore-runners and latecomers) • Possibility of comparison two and two (both between regions and districts within regions)

  16. The Case study of 4 regions • Interviews with the heads of the four regions and totally 11 other administrators at the regional offices • Examinations of statistics concerning owners, the age distribution of the personal, the results of the key habitat survey, decisions on habitat reserves and nature protection agreements • Examination of the sales statistics from the central authority concerning environmental advisory literature to the regions

  17. The Case Studies of the 14 districts • Interviews with in total 38 administrators and heads in 14 districts • Examination of notifications to the SFO about clear-felling and the handling of the notifications • Interviews with 4 machine operators (entrepreneurs) • Interviews with forestry advisors (from two large companies and three owner organisations and two timber purchasing companies) • Field studies of some registered key habitats and clear felled areas mentioned in the interviews • Interviews with a few persons from NGO’s

  18. The examination of educational background • Collection of central statistics concerning education in nature biology • Collection of and comparison with regional data

  19. The Knowledge Enquiry • Telephone enquiry with false and right statements concerning the biodiversity and the correlation with forestry measures • The enquiry was elaborated in cooperation with a biologist within the forestry sector • The knowledge required to give the right answer should represent the level of half a year of studies of nature biology

  20. Main Results (1) • The forestry act is a paradox • SFO has to encourage voluntary set-aside and considerations • The machine operators is a neglected target group for the advice • Individual follow-up is necessary • SFO is only one of many stakeholders aiming at a more environmental forestry (SFO also has business operations)

  21. Main Results (2) • SFO must be a good example in environmental considerations (it isn’t always today) • Very great cultural differences within the SFO (depending both on geographical location, educational level and personal interest) • The SFO’s key habitat survey has great deficiencies • Field inspection and advice from SFO is necessary

  22. Recommendations • SFO must establish preservation goals for each nature region • SFO must require information about nature values • SFO must perform an individual follow-up of forestry • SFO should continue and extend the key habitat survey • Greater focus on environmental protection agreements with forest owners and on advice to the machine operators • Greater emphasis on further education of all advising personal in nature biology • More emphasis on field advising and inspections • At least one professional biologist within each region • Resource improvement to the SFO

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