Swedish Forest Harvesting Heading Toward 15-Year Low, Agency Says
Sweden’s timber harvesting levels are heading toward their lowest point in nearly 15 years, reaching an estimated 84,6 miljoner skogskubikmeter for 2026, according to the Swedish Forest Agency. The tre procent decline from the previous year reflects shifting timber supply chains, lower industrial demand, and major operational disruptions caused by severe storms.
Swedish Industry Sources Wood from Alternative Channels
The downward trajectory in traditional logging comes as the Swedish forest industry sources its wood from alternative channels. According to the Swedish Forest Agency’s annual logging forecast, industrial demand has contracted while timber is increasingly drawn from existing inventories, imports, and storm-felled forests. Sawn wood product manufacturing within the domestic industry is projected to drop by 4,5 procent this year.
Storms Johannes and Dave fundamentally altered regional timber flows and forced resource reallocations. Storm Johannes alone felled roughly 11 miljoner skogskubikmeter of timber. Kolbjörn Kindströmer, chairman of the industry association Skogsentreprenörerna, noted that machinery and workers had to be diverted immediately to handle damaged trees in the hardest-hit zones, adding that the overall market environment remains volatile.
| Metric / Factor | Projected Level / Impact |
|---|---|
| Total Estimated Harvest (2026) | 84,6 miljoner skogskubikmeter |
| Sawn Wood Production Change | -4,5 procent decrease |
| Primary Disruption Factors | Storms Johannes and Dave, inventory drawdowns, import shifts |
Contractor Shortages Stabilize Forestry Employment
Despite declining cutting volumes, employment among logging contractors has remained relatively stable. Kindströmer explained that a preexisting shortage of forestry contractors across the harvesting sector helped absorb the immediate shock of the reduced cutting volumes as workers pivoted to clearing storm timber.
Just nu så ser vi inte att våra medlemmar påverkas. Vi har ju haft ett underskott på skogsentreprenörer på hela avverkningssidan och med stormarna har man nog vägt upp den här minskande avverkningen litegrann. Så man kanske inte ska vara så väldigt orolig än.
Kolbjörn Kindströmer
However, industry representatives warn that prolonged downturns will inevitably create structural consequences. Madelene Engman, chair of the GS trade union, highlighted that union members are increasingly required to harvest thinner, younger timber. In certain regions, cutting rates have periodically outpaced biological growth, requiring younger trees to be extracted to maintain supply.
Engman emphasized that long-term stabilization requires broader industrial investments and modernized forestry policies to handle future demands for saw timber, following years of declining research and development funding in the sector.