Swedish government wants to see an increase of forest fertilisation

Sustainable forest fertilisation will increase, both in area and intensity, if the government has its way. The Swedish Forest Agency has been tasked with drawing up proposals for 2025 to make this a reality.

The Government is concerned about the competitiveness of the forestry industry. It is of great importance to be able to increase forest growth and thus increase long-term access to biomass in line with sustainable forestry,’ says Peter Kullgren, the Swedish Minister for Rural Affairs.

In the letter of appropriation for 2025, the Swedish Forest Agency is tasked with developing proposals for increased sustainable forest fertilisation. The aim is to improve knowledge of forest fertilisation, analyse its effects on growth, carbon stocks, biodiversity and ecosystem services, and propose cost-effective economic instruments. The effects on Sweden’s LULUCF commitment will also be evaluated. The interim report must be submitted by 30 May 2025 and the final report by 30 April 2026.

– Fertilising existing forests is the fastest way to increase forest growth in the short term. While maintaining felling intensity, it means that an additional carbon sink is created, which makes it easier to achieve the climate goals,’ says Tomas Lundmark, CEO of Carbon Capture Company. Tomas further emphasises that research also shows that the most effective from a carbon balance point of view is to fertilise younger and middle-aged forests, something that is not profitable today. But if landowners can be compensated for captured carbon dioxide, the calculation changes quickly.