Sveaskog tests new growth methods

Fertilising, laser scanning, drainage ditching, new land preparation methods and spruce cloning. These are some of the activities planned for in Sveaskog's growth parks during the year.

Sveakog has the ambition of increasing growth by 50 % in the growth parks by 2030.

"Growth is one or our prioritised research areas. Sveaskog aims to meet the world's increasing demand for forest raw materials without putting the environment and biological diversity at risk," says Ann-Britt Edfast, Vice President R&D at Sveaskog.

Well received acreage

New growth parks were opened at Strömsjöliden in the province of Västerbotten in the autumn of 2008 and Asa in the province of Småland in the spring of 2009. Together they cover an area of almost 5 000 hectares. 

"It's great that things are on the move! We need this kind of area in order to see how intense growth methods work in practice," says Charlotta Erefur at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Charlotta is the coordinator for Strömsjöliden growth park.

During 2011, the inventory work at Asa, which is needed to provide a picture of the situation prior to implementing the new methods, will continue. Among other things, the forest has been laser scanned from the air.

Cloned spruce planted

The inventories at Strömsjöliden are complete. The area will now be fertilised, about four times more intensely than is normal. Draining ditches will be cleared and a new method of land preparation tested. In addition, Skogforsk will plant cloned spruce to test which type grows best at that latitude.

Sveaskog will follow the developments together with the researchers, through, among other things, test areas where changes in vegetation and animal life can be observed. Another important aspect is the water. The quality of the water is measured continually, using newly built dams. The first research results are expected in one or two years.