 Sweden will reach its target for formal protection of forests with high natural value. The state owned company Sveaskog will reserve an area of 80,000 hectares against compensation for long term protection of valuable nature in the possession of private owners and companies.
Mr Anders Carlgren, Minister for the Environment, says in a comment that we will now take the most important step ever for the protection of nature and for preserving our fine Swedish forests. On the basis of the budget appropriations and tools that I inherited when I became Minister for the Environment both the "Miljövårdsrådet" (Environment Protection Board) and the forest industry companies estimated that it would be impossible to reach the targets for the protection of valuable forests until at the earliest in 2020. Now we will be there already in 2010.
Biodiversity is one cornerstone of the Swedish government policy and the Government gives priority to the protection of natural values. The target of achieving long term protection of valuable forests under the auspices of the project Living Forests is a particular priority matter. This means that 900,000 hectares of productive forest, which also has high natural value, will be exempted from forest exploitation until 2010. Voluntary reservations by forest owners will make up 500,000 hectares. The remaining 400,000 hectares, will be subject to long term protection by the State by means of for example nature reserves, protection of biodiversity and nature protection contracts.
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