For a changed climate

Projektet ska lägga grunden för ett hållbart och långsiktigt skogsbruk som är tillpassat för de klimatföränd-ringar jorden går igenom. Genom kompetenshöjande åtgärder vill projektet utbilda företag inom det utövade skogsbruket så att de kan anpassa sig till den problematik klimatförändringarna tar med sig.

Climate change is already affecting forestry in both Jämtland/Västernorrland and Trøndelag, mainly due to increased precipitation and warmer and more uncertain winters. With this as a background, the idea of a project was raised already in 2016 and then became more concrete in connection with a preliminary project and a workshop in Åre in March 2017. In connection with the workshop, the project was given the go-ahead and the project’s three focus areas were nailed down: Forestry on land with poor bearing capacity, forestry in steep terrain and better forest roads. The application was approved and the project started in January 2018 with the Swedish Forest Agency and (at the time) the Fylkesmannen of Trøndelag as project owners - in collaboration with a number of mostly forest actors in both Sweden and Norway. Based on the three focus areas, the project has largely been about knowledge transfer and exchange of experience. It is not a research project; it is all about taking advantage of existing knowledge and spreading good ideas and solutions between Sweden and Norway but also between actors in Sweden and Norway respectively. Networking and making contacts is the primary goal. In practical terms, the project has arranged a large number of forest excursions and seminars/conferences in both countries. Open to anyone interested, not just project partners. In parallel with the above, but with the same starting point, work has been done to compile existing knowledge for a publication in a working group consisting of representatives from NIBIO, Skogkurs and Skogforsk. This compilation of knowledge was completed in the spring of 2022 and will be distributed at the time of writing to relevant people who have participated in one or more of the project’s activities. It will also be published digitally at NIBIO and probably also at Skogforsk. All in all, now that the project is just being completed, it can be stated that it has been successful and appreciated. The measurable target figures for participating organizations/companies and individuals have been reached to 150% and 200% respectively. But perhaps the most important result of the project is the contacts that have been made and the network that has been created between Sweden and Norway. The project is ending, but there are already two planned forest meetings on the network’s own initiative in order to maintain contacts and continue the exchange of knowledge. The corona pandemic has had a major impact on the project as it hit full force in the spring of 2020, which was originally the last year of the project. This has led to the project being extended in two rounds - first until 2021, finally until March 2022. Several planned activities have been postponed, many of them several times to new dates. In practice, the project has more or less been on pause for two years, but thanks to relief in restrictions and a very hectic autumn of 2021, we still managed to carry out almost all forest excursions and seminars/conferences without any major changes in structure. However, with the consequence that the compilation of knowledge was delayed compared to the original plan to be released in connection with the final conference in November 2021. But now it is also complete and can be distributed.