Managed forest

The high and stable forest growth is an essential part of our responsible forestry because it ensures the availability of renewable raw materials as a key ecosystem service, while contributing to increased climate benefits and creating conditions for jobs and welfare. It also support biodiversity and offering nature experiences. The abundance of wood on our lands is a result of the way we manage our forests.

Efficient forestry

We manage the majority of our forests using clear-felling (even aged system, known as trakthyggesbruk), a method that is both efficient and facilitates high growth of renewable raw materials. Clear-felling is the most common method in Swedish forestry as in the Nordic region and in the rest of the world.

The method involves dividing the forest into sub-areas,  that are managed according to a cycle of recurring regeneration, precommercial thinning, thinning, and final harvesting. Forests are harvested when they are mature and replaced with a new generation of trees.

With today's practices, clear-felling forestry works excellently in combination with considerations for biodiversity and the forest's other values.

Growing slowly

Forests in northern Sweden grow slowly. The significant advantage of this is that the timber quality becomes exceptional, which is appreciated by many customers. However, the downside is that it takes a long time to produce timber. The trees in our forests grow for about 65 to 120 years before they are ready for harvesting. Despite the long waiting period, the trees in the north are notably smaller when ready for harvest compared to those growing in more southerly areas.

Active forestry for more wood

The doubling of the standing timber volume is a result of actively managing our forests. One key measure in our forestry practices is that we plant at least two seedlings for every tree harvested. These seedlings come from our own nurseries and are genetically improved, meaning they grow better.

Every year we plant around 50 millions seedlings in our own forests.In the same time we also supply other private forest owners with the same amount of seedlings. In fact, every fourh seedling plnated in Sweden comes from SCA!

Today's improved seedlings yield forests that grow up to 25 percent better compared to non-refined forests. They also produce higher timber quality and have greater resistance to various diseases. In addition, the seedlings are better equipped to handle climate change.

Other important measures in forestry include timely pre-.commercial thinning and thinning of the forests. We also fertilize certain forests and plant fast-growing lodgepole pine (contorta pine) in suitable areas.

We have never had a larger standing timber volume than we do now, and through active management, it will continue to grow. When managed properly, the forest becomes an endless resource.