Christer the forest owner – A key partner to the Industry

Christer works as a lease consultant but also devotes a lot of time to his forest properties.

"I usually say that the bank owns the properties, but I manage them. I took out loans to finance the purchase of the forest, which means I need high timber production and a secure market for the timber so I can pay the interest," he says. 

Long-term security 
Forestry is a long-term business, creating unique economic conditions. 

"What I invest in soil preparation and planting today won’t generate significant income until at the earliest in 85 years, when it's time for regeneration felling. There aren’t many other industries with such a long turnover rate of inventory," says Christer, and continues: 
"The long-term perspective means we forest owners need to feel confident that there will continue to be buyers for our timber in the future. That’s why it's important for us that the forest industry invests in their operations so they remain competitive in the international market." 

An important role in the north 
Christer also emphasizes the role of the forest sector in providing livelihoods in a region that lacks many other major industries. 

"It’s an industry that creates many jobs and large tax revenues in Norrland, in addition to generating income for us private forest owners. We also have the extensive network of forest roads, which benefits everyone." 

Christer believes that the benefits and the forest owner's perspective are not adequately reflected in the public debate, and that worries him. 

"The debate often takes an urban perspective on forestry, wanting the rural areas to live up to some childhood dream of the idyllic countryside—of course, 'for free,' like the right of public access. But you can’t make a living or generate tax revenues from ‘peace and quiet.’ If we want to maintain schools, healthcare, roads, and everything else a community needs, we need economically sustainable businesses." 

Clear-cut free forestry not an option 
He also believes that many commentators make inaccurate claims, which poses a threat to the industry. 

"Many people, for example, promote continuous cover forestry as an alternative to clear-cutting. But using non-clearcut methods on a large scale was tried a hundred years ago, and it was clear that it didn’t work. Moreover, research shows that switching entirely to continuous cover forestry would drastically reduce production. That said, it can be a viable option in specially selected, urban-adjacent areas, or to promote biodiversity, for instance." 

Wants to develop the industry 
Christer is deeply committed to the forest sector and has many ideas for how the industry could be developed. He believes, for example, that individuals running businesses should be allowed to purchase forest properties through their limited companies, which could then finance forest management measures like overdue thinning. A condition for such purchases, and subsequent sales, could be a minimum land area and possibly a requirement to live near the forest. 

"This would benefit many rural businesses, and we’d have a higher proportion of forest owners living close to their forests, which I see as a positive. There are quite a few entrepreneurs in the countryside—such as machine operators—who would likely become engaged forest owners." 

Christer also brings up issues such as that electricity network companies should pay fair land rent for power line corridors, and that it would be beneficial to have a public access fund for forests more people can become indirect forest owners. He believes this would increase interest in how rural industries and communities develop, even among city dwellers. 

Greater attention to the forest sector is something he calls for in general. 
"The forest industry is vital to Norrland, and I believe politicians should adopt more of a forest owner’s perspective and do more to develop the sector—not just come up with pointless restrictions," he concludes. 

Photo forest: Henke Olofsson.