Forests in Denmark

Danish forests cover 486.000 ha (statistics of 2000), or about 11 % of the land area.

Denmark is the northernmost part of the central European temperate forest zone, just south of the boreal coniferous forest zone.

The most common tree species are Norway spruce (27 %, all planted), beech (17%) and oak (9 %). Species for Christmas trees and greenery production adds up to 8 % of the total forest cover.

The total volume of the growing stock in Danish forests amounts to 74 million m³.

The growing stock and the forest area have been constantly increasing from a level of about 3 % forest cover in 1800. Today the annual increment is calculated to be 4.6 million m³, whereas annual felling amounts to 1.8 million m³.


Forest Ownership in Denmark
Private persons - ordinary Danish citizens - own 46 % of all forest land. The number of private forest holdings is about 25,000. This is the Danish family forestry.

Companies and foundations own 26 % of the forests.

The rest – 28 % - are publicly owned, mostly by the State.

Profitability of Danish forestry
Danish forestry, and in particular the family forestry, is in a severe crisis. In 2003, after years of similar losses, private forest owners lost almost 100 Euro/hectare.

The economy of Danish forestry is thus not sustainable.


Forest Certification
About 10,000 hectares or 2 %, of the Danish forests are certified under the Danish PEFC-Scheme.


Forest Legislation and NFP
The Danish Forest Act was passed by the Parliament in 2004. The main objective is to obtain sustainablility in the Danish Forests.

Denmark's national forest program dates from 2002.

Organisations
The general organisation for Danish forest owners is:

Danish Forest Association
Amalievej 20
1875 Frederiksberg C
Denmark

Phone: +45 3324 4266
Fax: +45 3324 0242
Mail: info@skovforeningen.dk
www.skovforeningen.dk