Forest Owner Attitudes Toward Climate-Proof Forest Management in Sweden and the Netherlands-Between Forest Strategies and Practical Measures

Our research targets the role of forests under the international Paris Climate Agreement, the EU Green Deal and Forest Strategy. In line with the latter objectives, Member States are expected to encourage forest owners to contribute to international climate goals via national strategic plans and new management measures. How forest owners will respond, however, to a range of climate smart forestry (CSF) measures in the near future, is not well known. After postal and email distribution in 2020, 98 Swedish (response rate 21%) and 241 Dutch forest owners (24%) filled out a forest-climate survey. Based upon specific CSF measures, several hypothetical climate-related scenarios were incorporated into the survey. Dutch forest owners are planning to introduce new tree species, more mixed species stands (a gradual shift to broadleaved species) and additional water reservoirs in anticipation of increased drought periods, all part of a hypothetical climate adaptation package for 2030. Swedish forest owners prefer earlier thinning and salvaging activities. Zooming in on Dutch scale differences, small forest owners rely less on current public subsidy packages and show significantly less interest in committing to the adaptation package than large forest owners. In Sweden, preferences for the high forest management intensity scenario is significantly affected by size class: more intensive activities are the least popular with the smallest forest owners. The greatest difference between both countries is the way in which CSF measures should be financially supported. In general, Dutch forest owners would prefer to maintain subsidy schemes but adapt them to new circumstances, while Swedish forest owners benefit from timber and bioenergy markets.