Skogsforvaltning

Skogsforvaltning, or forest management, is the planning, administration, and oversight of forest resources to balance resource use with the preservation of ecological functions. It aims to provide timber and non-timber benefits while maintaining biodiversity, soil and water quality, climate regulation, recreational value, and cultural heritage over long time horizons.

Objectives commonly include sustainable yield, economic viability for landowners and communities, and the maintenance of ecosystem services. Principles emphasize sustainability, precaution, adaptive management, and the participation of stakeholders in decision-making and monitoring.

Practices cover silvicultural planning and operations, including regeneration methods, thinning, and harvesting, as well as protection measures against pests, fire, and invasive species. Management also seeks to safeguard soil structure, water resources, and habitat diversity, and to retain carbon stocks.

Tools used in skogsforvaltning include forest inventories, growth and yield models, GIS, and remote sensing to assess stock, growth, and harvest schedules. Monitoring indicators track biodiversity, soil and water quality, and compliance with regulations and certification standards.

Governance and certification play important roles. Laws, tenure arrangements, and land-use planning set the framework for forest activities, while third-party certification schemes such as FSC and PEFC provide independent verification of sustainable practices.

Forest management operates within national contexts and international frameworks, and is shaped by local forest types, ownership patterns, and policy priorities. It remains an evolving field as climate change, market dynamics, and social expectations influence decisions.