The Swedish Forest Agency reports that notified felling areas decreased by 6% in September 2024, compared to the same month in 2023. However, permit applications for final felling in montane forests increased by 29% during the same period. The total area of notified felling and permit applications was 24,336 hectares, a significant decline from the previous year. Of this, montane forest permit applications accounted for 836 hectares, up from 649 hectares in September 2023.
Forestry statistics fluctuate month to month due to varied planning among stakeholders. The data for September also show a 19% decrease compared to the five- and ten-year averages.
Regionally, felling notifications and applications remained mostly stable, except in Svealand, where they dropped by 22%. Northern Norrland saw a slight increase of 1%, while Southern Norrland experienced a 1% decline. Götaland recorded a 4% rise in felling activity.
For the year-to-date period, the area of notifications and applications for final felling stands at 168,397 hectares, down by 13% compared to last year. Northern Norrland saw the sharpest decrease at 24%, with similar trends in Svealand (16%) and Götaland (14%). Conversely, Southern Norrland experienced a 4% increase.
