Research-based knowledge to be shared via forest planning tool

Formas, a Swedish research council on sustainable development, has granted almost two million SEK for the communications project, which will be developed over four years starting in the autumn of 2025.

“Climate change is changing the conditions for future forests and forest owners who make decisions about forest management therefore need access to the latest knowledge about what adaptations can be made, for example how the tree species diversity can increase. It is particularly important that forest owners know which alternative tree species and management methods could be used on their land so that they can make well-balanced forest management decisions”, says Louise Eriksson, deputy project manager in the project as well as researcher in environmental psychology at Umeå University and within Trees For Me.

Knowledge adapted to the forest property

The research-based information will, as far as possible, be adapted to the conditions of the forest property and the forest owner's needs and goals through the project. The knowledge will be presented in a demo version of the digital planning tool Min skogsgård, which all forest-owning members of Södra currently have access to for planning and management of their forest. If the project turns out well, the information may be implemented and made available in the tool.

“We envision a tool which will be complementary to the forest owners’ contact with the advisor. What will be really interesting is whether the advice can be based on the individual forest owner's property and specific stands, which in that case will be something completely new compared to previous written sources that provide general advice”, says Magnus Petersson, head of forest development at Södra.

Access to information affects forest management

“Knowledge about forest management is one factor that influences forest owners' management decisions. A recent study conducted within Trees For Me shows that interest in choosing alternative tree species is higher if the forest owner has access to more information from the forest sector and perceives that they have more knowledge about the tree species”, Louise Eriksson points out. (See article about the study via link.)

The project is managed by Trees For Me’s communications officer Stina Johannesson. Research results on fast-growing broadleaf trees are used as examples in the pilot project. The long-term goal is that research-based knowledge about sustainable forestry from other actors can also be used in any further development of the tool and that the lessons learned from the project can also be disseminated to other forest owners' associations and actors.