Biodiversity

Environmental considerations in managed forests

Holmen actively manages its forest holdings to increase forest growth and climate benefit. Although wood production is the focus, natural and cultural values are taken into account for every action, based on the needs and circumstances of the site in question. A nature conservation assessment is carried out for each forest stand where thinning or harvesting is planned, in order to ascertain which values should be taken into account. Attention is also paid to protected and particularly high-value species. This is balanced with the conservation priorities from a landscape perspective, so as to achieve the greatest and most effective nature conservation benefits. An action plan can then be drawn up, based on these assessments.

Conservation actions in active forestry form the majority of Holmen’s work on biodiversity. Such actions include saving high stumps and dead wood to provide habitats for wood-living insects and fungi. Buffer zones along watercourses are preserved to protect aquatic species and improve water quality. During harvesting, buffer strips are also left with trees and bushes intact. Large trees, both living and dead, are kept as nesting sites for birds and insects.

Nature conservation management

As a natural part of forestry, Holmen also carries out actions to develop or strengthen nature conservation, for example by conservation burning or removing invasive spruce trees to benefit broadleaves. Conservation burning is carried out to create the fire-affected substrates and environments that have historically shaped our forests, on which many threatened species depend. Holmen also works to restore wetlands and create richly varied forest landscapes. Every year, Holmen carries out management conservation on approximately 400 hectares to improve biodiversity and help create healthy, resilient ecosystems.

Voluntary set-asides

Holmen works to increase biodiversity and strengthen ecosystems by performing actions in formally protected forest and voluntary set-asides. In formally protected areas, such as nature reserves, natural processes are allowed to run without interference, favouring species that require untouched forests. Management conservation is carried out in those habitats that require it to maintain their conservation value even in formally protected forests.

The voluntary set asides differ in terms of how they are managed. Some forests are left completely untouched so that natural processes are able to develop freely, while others require regular management to maintain their nature conservation value. The set-aside forests are spread across all of Holmen’s forest holdings.

Older forest

Older forests are important in several aspects. Old trees host birds, insects, mosses and lichens while being valuable indicators of unaffected soil and field layers, which benefits ground vegetation and fungi.

Older forest with special indication of nature values

Older forests with a special indication of conservation values not only show the age of the forest, but also whether they have special qualities that create better conditions for more demanding species, for example if an area has really old and coarse trees. dead wood and trees of different ages.

Dead wood

Dead wood is important for biodiversity in a forest and serves as a habitat and food source for birds, insects, fungi, mosses and lichens. It is estimated that about 20 percent of all forest species are dependent on dead wood.

Broadleaves and large broadleaves

Broadleaves and large broadleaves are important for birds and rare insect species, both for food and as nesting trees. Aspen, birch and deciduous trees such as elm, beech, oak and maple have a number of mosses and lichens that only grow on each tree species, and then usually only on old and large trees.