Bulgaria continues to lose forests from natural disasters and aging plantations, and the wood processing sector in our country is in total collapse. What is the example of a country like Sweden, chairman of Forest Europe, in which the forest is accepted as a strategic resource for sustainability, is part of a strategy for improving climate impacts, and the development of wood processing and the creation of jobs and stable growth of the local economy have also not been neglected. The forest sector in the country accounts for approximately 10% of Sweden's total exports of goods. There they are implementing the national program "Forest - green gold - contributes to jobs and sustainable growth throughout the country, as well as to the development of the bioeconomy" , which is a key pillar for implementing the forest policy.
Policy
Sweden is one of the most forested countries in Europe, with almost 70% of the territory covered by forests. The country has adopted a policy whereby forest owners take personal responsibility and manage their forests in a way that ensures high-quality timber production while preserving biodiversity. The basis of this strategy is that it sets the environment and production as equally important goals. The Swedish Forest Agency, which operates independently under the umbrella of the relevant ministry, plays a central role in facilitating dialogue between stakeholders, while ensuring that forest policy and management reflect a wide range of interests and expertise.
Active management
Forests in Sweden are managed primarily through good logging practices, with about 1% harvested annually, and reforestation mandatory by law. The forest biomass stock there, as in many other European countries, has been increasing steadily in recent decades with an average annual growth of 121 million forest cubic meters between 2015 and 2023. Forest growth continues to exceed logging rates, and the harvested wood is used for wood products, energy and biomaterials.
Swedish forestry has a key role in mitigating climate change because it provides renewable wood products and bioenergy that replace fossil alternatives, in addition to forests, soils and wood products absorbing carbon. The circular use of wood materials is also a plus.
Carbon storage
In 2023 alone, Sweden's forests and wood products sequestered 36.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. To ensure benefits for the future, Sweden is investing in the development of healthy forests and a sustainable circular bioeconomy. Greater use of forest-based materials such as insulation and fiberboard, for example, supports carbon storage and the widespread use of renewable construction.
Wood as a primary material
Wood-based construction reduces dependence on fossil fuel-intensive materials and enables low-carbon industrial processes, while also providing carbon storage over time.
Sweden is among the leaders in wood-based construction: around 90% of single-family homes are built of wood, and the share of new multi-family buildings with wood frames doubled between 2015 and 2021, now reaching 14-18% of new housing construction.
Bulgaria
For the Swedish government, a sustainable bioeconomy, a long-term increase in The availability of sustainable biomass, the circular economy and climate adaptation are key elements for effective climate action, which should be promoted nationally, within the EU and internationally. Is it possible for this to happen in Bulgaria and for our country to create an active policy for forests and recognize them as a strategic resource? We have enough natural resources to actively manage, improving our climate and economy. Let's not forget that nearly 39% of the country's territory is covered with forests. Over the past 100 years, the area of forests in our country has increased nearly twice, and the total stock of wood has increased 3 times for the period 1960-2020. And the lack of care leads to health problems in the forest - fires, windbreaks, attacks by woodpeckers. Managed forests are healthy forests, providing jobs and livelihoods!