Notified logging areas in Sweden saw significant declines in June and July 2024 compared to the same months last year, the Swedish Forest Agency reported. In June, the notified area dropped by 18%, while July saw a smaller decline of 2%. Applications for final felling in montane forests followed a mixed trend, plunging in June but rising by 9% in July compared to 2023.
In June, the total notified area reached 21,197 hectares, marking an 18% decline from June 2023. Applications for final felling in montane forests were particularly low, covering just 276 hectares, compared to 1,439 hectares in the same month last year. This represents a 17% decrease from the five-year average and a 20% drop compared to the ten-year average.
Regionally, June saw reductions across all major areas. In Northern Norrland, the notified area decreased by 937 hectares, which is a 15% reduction. Southern Norrland experienced a decrease of 127 hectares, or 2%. Svealand saw a reduction of 802 hectares, translating to a 12% decline, while Götaland experienced the largest decrease with 2,723 hectares, a 39% drop compared to the previous year.
In July, the total notified area fell to 15,997 hectares, reflecting a 2% decrease compared to July 2023. However, applications for montane forest felling saw a slight increase, rising to 213 hectares from 196 hectares the previous year. Compared to the five-year and ten-year averages, this reflects a decrease of 15% and 16%, respectively.
Regionally in July, Northern Norrland saw an increase of 583 hectares, an 18% rise, while Southern Norrland experienced a 33% increase, with an additional 1,183 hectares notified. In contrast, Svealand recorded a decline of 669 hectares, a 14% reduction, and Götaland saw a decrease of 1,480 hectares, a 31% drop.
By July this year, the total area of notifications and applications for final felling permits reached 125,007 hectares, representing an 11% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. Applications for final felling in montane forests dropped sharply to 2,306 hectares, down from 9,729 hectares the previous year.
Regionally, the year-to-date period saw Northern Norrland report a 23% reduction in notified areas, while Svealand saw a 17% decrease and Götaland recorded an 11% drop. Southern Norrland, however, experienced a 6% increase. Overall, the total notified area in Sweden was down by 9% compared to both the five-year and ten-year averages for the same period.
