Petition to Save Swedish Old Growth forest

To the Swedish Parliament and Government:

Appeal: Protect Sweden's Old-Growth Forests

The loss of natural habitats is the single main cause for the global loss of biodiversity, a living nature. In order to preserve a living forest landscape in Sweden, all remaining natural and old-growth forests with high conservation values need to be protected. More than 1,800 forest-living plant and animal species are listed on the Swedish red-list as near-threatened and endangered species, and a large proportion of these species are linked to these forests.

According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency only a few percent of high conservation value forests remain below the mountain region (sub-alpine forests) in Sweden. It is time to stop all old-growth forest logging plans. Moreover, suitable forest habitats need to be restored to reach sufficient area and quality in accordance with the recommendations of current nature conservation science.

The depletion of the forest ecosystem does not only force away a variety of forest species – it also has a negative impact on human beings. A living forest ecosystem is fundamental to essential processes such as regulation of air quality, climate regulation, water regulation, water purification, pollination, and mitigation of natural disasters.

A sustainable Swedish forestry, which takes the safeguarding of biodiversity seriously, cannot be achieved in a situation where 95 percent of the productive forests are exploited, and where only a few percent of the forest land are set aside for nature conservation. The Swedish Government and the Swedish Forest Industries Federation advocate further forestry intensification, with methods such as stump extraction, increased use of non-native tree species, restoration of ditches, and fertilization, which threaten the biodiversity even more. Sweden is committed, internationally and nationally, to stop the loss of biodiversity and it is our duty, to future generations, to abide by these obligations. The current negative trend must be reversed immediately and the Swedish Parliament and Government must take their responsibility.

Click here view the Appeal site and sign the petition