A study of forest owners view on sustainable forestry in Sweden : An analysis of forest owners' values

This study intends to investigate how different demographic groups among individual forest owners in Sweden view issues related to sustainable forestry. The study also intends to investigate what different individual forest owners perceive as positive/negative aspects in terms of species protection and policy changes. It also investigates in what way individual forest owners' views and forestry relate to decided goals and what previous research defines as sustainable forestry. To investigate this, a survey has been conducted where the survey was distributed to individual forest owners around the country through various online communication channels such as social media and online forums. The survey resulted in a total of 226 respondents spread across most parts of the country. The results that emerged from the study shows demographic differences and similarities, where we for example can see that there is a greater proportion of women than men who believe that Swedish forestry is not sustainable today. At the same time, we can observe that the majority believe that it is sustainable within all demographic groups. Incidentally, we can see that there is a dividing line between authorities and the interests of individual forest owners. Views on sustainable forestry vary and many forest owners strive for less government intervention in their forestry and property rights are central. We see a willingness to compromise if the forest owner receive financial compensation, in terms of protected areas. We can also see goal conflicts between forest owners' views and uses and authorities' directives and goals