Parts of the wetland area before the restoration measures. In the lower part of the image, an area of vegetation-free peat is visible, among other features.
Rewetting wetlands
Wetlands act as nature’s own purification filters and have an important function in the landscape. Our ambition is to increase our initiatives to rewet wetlands in order to benefit biodiversity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the ability of wetlands to retain water.
By restoring wetlands and refilling ditches, we can help to recreate the mire’s natural hydrology. This means the mire becomes wetter and the water remains and is purified in the wetland over a longer period. A wetland captures and binds nutrients and heavy metals from surrounding soil. In this way, the waterways get better quality and smoother flows.
In 2025, SCA restored 355 hectares of wetlands. Since 2021, we have rewetted a total of 1,165 hectares of wetlands. We have managed 883 hectares ourselves, while other actors have been involved in 282 hectares. If you also count the two large peat mines of 325 hectares that we also restored during this period, the total is even larger.
Big climate benefit
A ditched mire emits CO₂ when organic material begins to decompose in contact with oxygen, but this diminishes as the groundwater rises. In parallel, the release of methane increases, though the total climate benefit is positive from rehydrated wetlands. Rehydrating nutrient-rich wetlands offers particularly large climate benefits.
Restored wetlands also attract many bird, other animals and also plants that thrives in or close to water.
During the 20th century, many wetlands and peatlands were dug up to increase forest production and create more agriculture land. It has dried up wetlands and peatlands and degraded the habitat of many species that depend on wetlands for their long-term survival. In addition, it has led to an increased release of carbon dioxide emissions when oxygen breaks down the peat, which is negative for the climate. It has also meant that the wetlands' ability to retain water in the landscape has decreased. Wetlands buffer both against drought and floods.
Increase our efforts
We have several projects in progress on SCA’s land to restore wetlands to the mires and rich fens they once were. Since 2021 our goal is to complete some chosen wetland restorations on our land, either independently or in collaboration with others. In addition to our efforts, there is significant interest, especially from authorities, in undertaking measures on our land.
All wetland restorations are considered positive for the environmental quality goals Thronging Wetlands, Living Lakes and Watercourses and Limited Climate Impact.
We shall:
- Initiate and plan to execute at least three of our own wetland restoration projects per year.
- Act as land host for various wetland restoration projects where other parties finance, plan and carry out actions.
LONA grants
Most of our wetland restoration projects have received LONA grants. The local nature conservation initiative (Swedish acronym: LONA) is a government grant to stimulate long-term nature conservation engagement. Projects can be initiated by local participants, such as SCA, but it is the municipalities that apply for LONA funding.
150 hectares of rewetted wetland in Västerbotten
During 2025-2026, SCA has blocked ditches across a 150-hectare wetland area near Toskbäcken in Lycksele Municipality. In total, around 15 km of century-old ditches have been restored with funding through LONA.
The area was manually drained with shovels between 1915 and 1928, with the aim of creating more arable land for agriculture. But the result here was probably only a marginal increase in arable land. Instead, the peat in the more drained parts of the wetland began to break down after drainage, creating more uniform habitats.
Using an excavator, the ditches were filled in, partly completely and partly with peat dams to prevent a water channel from re-forming in the old ditch.
“By using peat from the mire, it is possible to create effective plugs that limit drainage and help keep water in the area. One year after our measures, it is clearly visible that the water level in the area has risen, which is great to see. It means we get a greater variety of habitats, which benefits birds, insects and certain plants”, says Ulf Hallin, Nature Conservation Specialist at SCA and the person responsible for the restoration.
The wetland - before and after SCA's measures
Same area as in the photo on the left, in August 2026 approximately one year after the intervention. It is clearly visible that the previously vegetation-free peat has now been rehydrated, which means there are conditions for vegetation to re-establish there. The small tarn in the northwest has been only marginally affected, as the ditch next to it could not be backfilled by the excavator.
Another part of the wetland before restoration. At the top of the image, a tarn can be seen, partially drained through the wetland, along with a main ditch and several side ditches cutting across the wetland.
August 2026, approximately one year after the restoration measures were carried out. The image shows the same area as the photo in the left. The ditch in the middle of the photo has now been filled in, and the ditch plugs have created recurring pools of water.
More examples of SCA's wetland restorations
Here are some of all the wetlands we have rewetted during the last years.
Storflon
The Storflon wetland is located at the inlet of Rävsjön in Sollefteå municipality and covers 25 hectares. In 2022 we built three dams and dug back 1.5 km of ditches here. The goal was to recreate the wetland's ecological and water management function in the landscape as much as possible. The restoration also help reduce the transport of sediment from the marsh to Hamptjärnsbäcken
Småmyrorna
At the wetland Småmyrorna, Sollefteå municipality, which is part of SCA's Sörgraninge Conservationy park, we filled in 6 km of ditches and built a dam in 2023. Thanks to the measures, the bog is now regaining its natural ability to purify water and in the long term, white mosses and other plants will return, as well as various birds and amphibians.
Stentjärnsmyren
The wetland Stentjärnsmyren is approximately 150 hectares and located in Timrå municipality. During fall of 2021, we dug 18 km of ditches and built five dams downstream, at the outlet of Stentjärnen. The work was done in collaboration with BirdLife Medelpad, which regularly inventories the bird life on the bog. In this way, we create habitats that primarily benefit wading birds and ducks.
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Over 1,100 hectares of wetland restoration on SCA land
Since 2021, SCA has been dedicated to restoring selected wetlands on its land. This includes both restoration projects managed directly by SCA and those conducted in partnership with others, where SCA acts as the landowner. Thanks to these efforts, we have now surpassed over 1,100 hectares of wetland restoration.
Positive changes after wetland restoration
New wetland species along with a wetter mire. These are some of the changes observed following SCA’s restoration of Stentjärnsmyren in Medelpad, according to an inventory conducted by BirdLife Medelpad. "It’s cautiously positive signs, even though we can’t say that it’s entirely a result of the restoration," says Bengt Allberg, BirdLife Medelpad.
Beautiful restorations of watercourses on SCA land
SCA is participating in several water projects in northern Sweden aimed at restoring watercourses and wetlands that run through SCA’s forest holdings. It is an important part of our nature conservation work to help preserve and develop habitats and benefit various species. This summer, the restoration of Per-Olamyren in the Graninge area was completed, and earlier this year, Björkån, a valuable watercourse near Sollefteå, was fully restored.