The growth in our forest
Our forest will grow and yield improved access to renewable raw materials through active and long-term management. Today the standing volume is estimated at around 260 million m³fo. We have never had so much forest as today, which is good both for our business and the climate. For every tree we harvest we plant at least 2 new seedlings.
SCA has for a long time managed its forest with a long-term and conscientious approach, and we have vital forest that keeps growing.
Swedish pine is the most common tree species on our lands and accounts for 39 percent. This is followed by spruce on 37 percent, deciduous at 14 percent and Pinus contorta at 10 percent.
Improved seedlings
An important measure in our forestry is that we plant at least two seedlings for every tree that is harvested. The plants are refined and come from our own tree nurseries. As for fact, every fourth seedling that is being planted in Sweden comes from SCA's tree nurseries!
For several decades, we have "breeded" on the trees that grow the best and produced better and better plants. Today's improved plants produce forests that grow about 25-30 percent better than unprocessed forests.
Other important measures are commercial thinning and thinning in the right time. We also fertilize and plant fast-growing Logpole pine (Pinus Contorta) on land where it is suitable on some plots.
Net forest growth is increasing
Since SCA began to systematically measure its forest at the end of the 1940s, standing volume – the volume of living, growing trees – has increased by more than 60% and growth has more than doubled. In the same time we have been able to increase the harvesting potential of renewable raw material. Correctly managed, the forest is a perpetual resource.
Currently, the annual growth in SCA's forests is 10.5 million m3fo. 1.4 million m3fo are lost each year through the natural death of trees, for example through storm felling. We harvest around 5 million m3fo every year. Left in the forest, there will be a net growth of the next 4 million m3fo.
Forest and climate
SCA's forests benefit the climate in several ways. First by the trees growing and sequestering carbon dioxide. Then by the same trees becoming products that can replace those with a larger carbon footprint, for example paper can replace plastic and biofuels can replace fossil fuels. Then oil and coal can permanently stay in the ground and society's total climate burden is reduced.
Growing forests and products from renewable forest raw materials have a crucial role to play in combating climate change.
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Our tree nurseries
Within NorrPlant, SCA's plant seedling operations, we lay the foundation for the next generation forest. Every year, over 100 million seedlings see the light of day on our own "tree nursery". Plants that grow into trees, bind carbon dioxide and form the forests of the future.
From seed to plant
We create the forests for the future. Follow the path of the seed, from cone to seedling through plantation, nursery and finally planting.
Discovering the gems in our forests
This map shows SCA’s land holdings in Sweden, including our voluntarily set aside forest and Conservation Parks.