Choice of tree species in the aftermath of two major storms : a qualitative study of private forest owners in southern Sweden
The forests in Götaland, the most southern part of Sweden, are dominated by Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst). This species is very important for the Swedish forest sector, but also associated with certain risks, such as wind-throw. Götaland was hit by the storm Gudrun in 2005, causing da...
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| Formato: | H2 |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés sueco |
| Publicado: |
SLU/Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre
2016
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| Materias: |
| _version_ | 1855571403458215936 |
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| author | Lodin, Isak |
| author_browse | Lodin, Isak |
| author_facet | Lodin, Isak |
| author_sort | Lodin, Isak |
| collection | Epsilon Archive for Student Projects |
| description | The forests in Götaland, the most southern part of Sweden, are dominated by Norway spruce (Picea
abies (L.) H. Karst). This species is very important for the Swedish forest sector, but also associated
with certain risks, such as wind-throw. Götaland was hit by the storm Gudrun in 2005, causing
damages of a magnitude never experienced in the modern Swedish history. Two years later the same
region suffered severe damages in another storm, Per. Due to the ownership structure in southern
Sweden the reforestation efforts after the storms were largely made by small-scale private forest
owners. Disproportionally high losses of Norway spruce exposed the risks associated with previous
practices. In addition, reforestation grants were available through the Swedish Forest Agency that
compensated for the higher regeneration costs associated with broadleaves. Despite this, the vast
majority of the storm felled areas were regenerated with Norway spruce. Through qualitative
interviews and subsequent analysis, this study examined how small-scale private forest owners’
reasoned in their choice of species and which factors that were of decisive importance for the final
outcome. Regeneration with Norway spruce was mainly an expression of forest owners evaluating
the different alternatives based on economic rationality. Past and current economic conditions have
been and still are favorable for this species, and forest owners therefore relayed on experiencebased
knowledge in their reforestation decision. Meanwhile, there are other contextual factors that
steered forest owners towards planting spruce, such as a high browsing pressure and influence from
dominant forest management norms. Regeneration with other species reflects situations where
forest owners incorporated other aspects in their decision-making processes. Regeneration with
broadleaves was favored by consideration of aesthetical values and an awareness of potential future
risks with Norway spruce. In addition, since large areas had to be regenerated, forest owners ceased
the opportunity to vent their curiosity with new species (especially exotic conifers/broadleaves) on
smaller areas. The soft policy instruments that characterize Swedish forest policy also had a
facilitating effect. Forest owners received information about alternatives through various pathways
and the reforestation grants were of crucial importance for the owners that planted broadleaves.
This study also suggests that the higher share of naturally regenerated birch found in regenerations
surveys after Gudrun cannot simply be regarded as an effect of lower level of ambition, but also
expresses a shift towards a more positive attitude concerning this species. |
| format | H2 |
| id | RepoSLU8758 |
| institution | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences |
| language | Inglés swe |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publishDateSort | 2016 |
| publisher | SLU/Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre |
| publisherStr | SLU/Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | RepoSLU87582016-02-08T10:41:23Z Choice of tree species in the aftermath of two major storms : a qualitative study of private forest owners in southern Sweden Lodin, Isak reforestation small-scale private forest owners Gudrun Götaland Norway spruce reforestation grants The forests in Götaland, the most southern part of Sweden, are dominated by Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst). This species is very important for the Swedish forest sector, but also associated with certain risks, such as wind-throw. Götaland was hit by the storm Gudrun in 2005, causing damages of a magnitude never experienced in the modern Swedish history. Two years later the same region suffered severe damages in another storm, Per. Due to the ownership structure in southern Sweden the reforestation efforts after the storms were largely made by small-scale private forest owners. Disproportionally high losses of Norway spruce exposed the risks associated with previous practices. In addition, reforestation grants were available through the Swedish Forest Agency that compensated for the higher regeneration costs associated with broadleaves. Despite this, the vast majority of the storm felled areas were regenerated with Norway spruce. Through qualitative interviews and subsequent analysis, this study examined how small-scale private forest owners’ reasoned in their choice of species and which factors that were of decisive importance for the final outcome. Regeneration with Norway spruce was mainly an expression of forest owners evaluating the different alternatives based on economic rationality. Past and current economic conditions have been and still are favorable for this species, and forest owners therefore relayed on experiencebased knowledge in their reforestation decision. Meanwhile, there are other contextual factors that steered forest owners towards planting spruce, such as a high browsing pressure and influence from dominant forest management norms. Regeneration with other species reflects situations where forest owners incorporated other aspects in their decision-making processes. Regeneration with broadleaves was favored by consideration of aesthetical values and an awareness of potential future risks with Norway spruce. In addition, since large areas had to be regenerated, forest owners ceased the opportunity to vent their curiosity with new species (especially exotic conifers/broadleaves) on smaller areas. The soft policy instruments that characterize Swedish forest policy also had a facilitating effect. Forest owners received information about alternatives through various pathways and the reforestation grants were of crucial importance for the owners that planted broadleaves. This study also suggests that the higher share of naturally regenerated birch found in regenerations surveys after Gudrun cannot simply be regarded as an effect of lower level of ambition, but also expresses a shift towards a more positive attitude concerning this species. Skogen i Götaland, den sydligaste delen av Sverige, domineras av Gran (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst). Denna art är mycket viktig för svensk skogsindustrin, men kopplas också samman med vissa risker, såsom en högre risk för stormfällning. 2005 så drabbades Götaland av stormen Gudrun, som orsakade skador av en omfattning som aldrig tidigare upplevts i modern svensk historia. Två år senare så drabbades samma region av stormen Per. Ägandestrukturen i södra Sverige innebar att föryngringsbesluten efter stormarna i hög grad utfördes av småskaliga skogsägare. Disproportionellt stora skador på granskog visade på riskerna med tidigare skogsbruksmetoder, samtidigt som skogsstyrelsens återväxtstöd kompenserade för lövträdens högre föryngringskostnad. Trots detta föryngrades de stormfällda områdena i mycket stor utsträckning med gran. Med kvalitativa intervjuer och efterföljande analys undersöktes i denna studie hur privata skogsägare resonerade i sina föryngringsbeslut och vilka faktorer som var av avgörande betydelse för det slutgiltiga utfallet. Föryngring med gran var främst ett uttryck för skogsägare som värderade de olika alternativen utifrån ett ekonomiskt perspektiv. Förhållandena för ett graninriktat skogsbruk har varit stabilt gynnsamma under lång tid, vilket gjorde att skogsägare planterade arten grundat i en erfarenhetsbaserad kunskap. Samtidigt så är det andra kontextuella faktorer som styrt skogsägares trädslagsval mot gran, såsom ett högt betestryck och påverkan från normer i omgivningen. Föryngring med andra arter återspeglar situationer där skogsägare vägt in andra aspekter i beslutsprocessen. Föryngring med lövträd gynnades av beaktandet av estetiska värden och en medvetenhet om framtida risker förenande med gran. Eftersom stora områden skulle föryngras så tog skogsägare tillfället i akt att prova nya arter som de var nyfikna på (framförallt exotiska barrträd/lövträd). De mjuka styrinstrument som karaktäriserar svensk skogspolitik har också haft en positiv påverkan. Skogsägare fick på olika sätt information om alternativ och återväxtstödet var av avgörande betydelse för de som planterade lövträd. Enligt den här studien så kan den högre andelen av naturligt föryngrad björk i föryngringarna efter Gudrun inte endast förklaras av en lägre ambitionsnivå i föryngringsarbetet, utan ska också ses som ett uttryck för en utveckling mot en mer positiv inställning till björk. SLU/Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre 2016 H2 eng swe https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/8758/ |
| spellingShingle | reforestation small-scale private forest owners Gudrun Götaland Norway spruce reforestation grants Lodin, Isak Choice of tree species in the aftermath of two major storms : a qualitative study of private forest owners in southern Sweden |
| title | Choice of tree species in the aftermath of two major storms : a qualitative study of private forest owners in southern Sweden |
| title_full | Choice of tree species in the aftermath of two major storms : a qualitative study of private forest owners in southern Sweden |
| title_fullStr | Choice of tree species in the aftermath of two major storms : a qualitative study of private forest owners in southern Sweden |
| title_full_unstemmed | Choice of tree species in the aftermath of two major storms : a qualitative study of private forest owners in southern Sweden |
| title_short | Choice of tree species in the aftermath of two major storms : a qualitative study of private forest owners in southern Sweden |
| title_sort | choice of tree species in the aftermath of two major storms : a qualitative study of private forest owners in southern sweden |
| topic | reforestation small-scale private forest owners Gudrun Götaland Norway spruce reforestation grants |