2023-05-242022/23:MJU15 · p.9MJUEnvironment & agriculture
Protection of forests with high natural values
A ban on logging forests with high conservation values
What's at stake: Forests with high conservation values, including areas near the mountains, are habitats for threatened species and among the last intact natural-forest landscapes in Europe. The question is whether logging them is stopped by law, with a right to compensation for landowners, or whether protection continues to rely on voluntary measures.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the government should draft legislation to stop logging of forests with high conservation values, including forest near the mountains, or whether protection of such forest should continue to rest on voluntary participation and dialogue with landowners within the ongoing strategy review.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee stresses that formal protection of forests with high conservation values should rest on voluntary participation and good dialogue with landowners, pending a revised national strategy for formal protection expected to be completed shortly. Pending that strategy, the committee is not prepared to propose changes to how protection-worthy areas are selected or to draft new anti-logging legislation.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 18 (V)
The reservation (V) notes that forests with high conservation values, so-called value cores, are currently being logged despite a severe shortage of such habitats for threatened species, and that earlier efforts to protect them without legislation have not been enough. Forest near the mountains in particular, one of the few remaining intact natural forests in Europe, should according to the reservation be protected as a top priority. The government should therefore swiftly draft legislation to stop the logging of forests with high conservation values, a strategy for the long-term protection of forest near the mountains, and ensure funds to compensate landowners entitled to compensation.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 18 by V.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: KDKristdemokraterna, MPMiljöpartiet
Ja 275–18Ja 248–45
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/18/0/6 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| S | No | Yes 93/0/0/14 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 13/0/0/5 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | Yes | Yes 21/0/0/3 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| L | No | Yes 11/0/0/5 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 14/0/0/5 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: medium | explicit |
| M | Yes | Yes 59/0/0/9 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
| SD | Yes | Yes 63/0/0/9 | match | confidence: high | explicit |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motion 2022/23:1246 by Kajsa Fredholm et al. (V) demands 14 and 17.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2022/23:1246 av Kajsa Fredholm m.fl. (V) yrkandena 14 och 17.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected approximately 120 proposals concerning forest policy, and refers, among other things, to work underway in the field. The motions concern, among other things, sustainable management of forests, the role of forestry in the bioeconomy, protection of forests with high natural values, key biotopes (nyckelbiotoper), and measures against spruce bark beetle. The proposals were submitted during the general motion period of 2022.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to review how to increase the proportion of broadleaf trees in production forests to improve biodiversity and forest resilience. (V) — Reservation 18
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The election manifesto establishes that protection of forest areas is crucial for biological diversity and that forest's carbon sink must be preserved, therefore clear-cutting forestry shall be phased out.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that protection of forest areas is crucial for biological diversity and that forest's carbon sink must be preserved, therefore clear-cutting forestry shall be phased out. The counter-proposal's requirements for legislation that stops felling of high-value forest and protects the mountain forest implement precisely this. The party programme furthermore requires strong legislation and immediate measures for threatened species, with compensation within reasonable limits.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att skyddet av skogsområden är avgörande för den biologiska mångfalden och att skogens kolsänka måste bevaras, varför kalhyggesbruket ska fasas ut. Motförslagets krav på lagstiftning som stoppar avverkning av värdekärnor och skyddar den fjällnära skogen förverkligar just detta. Partiprogrammet kräver dessutom kraftfull lagstiftning och omedelbara åtgärder för hotade arter, med ersättning inom rimliga ramar.
- protection of forest areasdecisive»Skyddet av skogs- och strandområden är en viktig del för att värna den svenska allemansrätten och den biologiska mångfalden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protection of forest and coastal areas is an important part of valuing Swedish everyman's right and biological diversity.”
- stop harmful felling»För att uppnå klimatmålen behöver skogens funktion som kolsänka bevaras de kommande decennierna, därför behöver kalhyggesbruket fasas ut.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To meet climate goals forest's function as a carbon sink needs to be preserved in the coming decades, therefore clear-cutting forestry needs to be phased out.”
- strong environmental legislation»Därför behövs en kraftfull lagstiftning, ekonomiska styrmedel, långsiktig samhällsplanering, klimatinvesteringar« (party programme ↗)“Therefore strong legislation, economic instruments, long-term societal planning, climate investments are needed”
- immediate species protection measures»genast sättas in för att arter långsiktigt kan fortleva i bestånd med« (party programme ↗)“must be immediately implemented so that species can long-term survive in populations with”
The plan's commitment is that biological diversity shall be protected and species extinction shall be halted, because ecosystems are already used beyond sustainability's boundary.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's commitment is that biological diversity shall be protected and species extinction shall be halted, because ecosystems are already used beyond sustainability's boundary. The counter-proposal wants to protect remaining value cores and mountain-adjacent natural forest and stop logging of them, which is precisely this commitment translated into action. The plan explicitly names legislation as one of environmental policy's most important instruments, and compensation to landowners with right to it does not stand in conflict with the plan. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planens åtagande är att den biologiska mångfalden ska skyddas och att artdöden ska hejdas, eftersom ekosystemen redan nyttjas över hållbarhetens gräns. Motförslaget vill skydda kvarvarande värdekärnor och fjällnära naturskog och stoppa avverkning av dem, vilket är just detta åtagande omsatt i handling. Planen anger uttryckligen lagstiftning som ett av miljöpolitikens viktigaste instrument, och ersättning till markägare med rätt till det står inte i strid med planen. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- protect biological diversitydecisive»biologiska mångfalden måste skyddas.« (party programme ↗)“biological diversity must be protected.”
- halt species extinction»Samtidigt accelererar artdöden och den biologiska mångfalden hotas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time, species extinction accelerates and biological diversity is threatened.”
- legislation as environmental tool»Detta kräver en strategisk miljöpolitik« (party programme ↗)“This requires a strategic environmental policy”
- unsustainable use of ecosystems»naturtillgångar och ekosystem utnyttjas i dag över gränsen för det långsiktigt hållbara« (party programme ↗)“natural resources and ecosystems are used today beyond the boundary for long-term sustainability”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme states that particularly valuable forests shall be protected from felling, and the election manifesto particularly points out the connected mountain forests as worthy of protection.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that particularly valuable forests shall be protected from felling, and the election manifesto particularly points out the connected mountain forests as worthy of protection. The counter-proposal's demands for legislation that stops felling of valuable forest cores and a strategy for mountain-adjacent forests therefore aligns with the plan, which also wants protected areas exempted from production forestry.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att särskilt värdefull skog ska skyddas från avverkning, och valmanifestet pekar särskilt ut de sammanhängande fjällskogarna som skyddsvärda. Motförslagets krav på lagstiftning som stoppar avverkning av värdekärnor och en strategi för den fjällnära skogen ligger därför i linje med planen, som också vill att skyddade områden undantas från produktionsskogsbruk.
- protection of mountain forestsdecisive»skydda 30 procent av Sveriges natur, bland annat våra unika sammanhängande fjällskogar och skyddsvärda skogar i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“protect 30 percent of Sweden's nature, including our unique connected mountain forests and valuable forests throughout the country.”
- felling halt in valuable cores»Särskilt värdefull skog ska skyddas från avverkning.« (party programme ↗)“Particularly valuable forests shall be protected from felling.”
- areas exempted from forestry»områden och många mindre områden som undantas från produktionsskogsbruk.« (party programme ↗)“areas and many smaller areas that are exempted from production forestry.”
- legislation against environmental destruction»att Sverige verkar för en ekocidlagstiftning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that Sweden works for ecocide legislation.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The election manifesto makes voluntary action and property rights the foundation for nature conservation and requires that forestry receives good conditions based on strong property rights with active management.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto makes voluntary action and property rights the foundation for nature conservation and requires that forestry receives good conditions based on strong property rights with active management. The counter-proposal requires mandatory legislation that stops harvesting of forests with high nature values, which goes against the voluntary action line and restricts the owner's right of disposal. The plan cares for biological diversity, but explicitly by facilitating landowners' voluntary contributions.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet gör frivillighet och äganderätt till grunden för naturvården och kräver att skogsbruket får goda förutsättningar grundade i en stark äganderätt med aktivt brukande. Motförslaget kräver tvingande lagstiftning som stoppar avverkning av skogar med höga naturvärden, vilket går emot den frivillighetslinjen och inskränker ägarens förfoganderätt. Planen värnar biologisk mångfald, men uttryckligen genom att underlätta för markägare att bidra frivilligt.
- voluntary action in nature conservationdecisive»frivillighet och äganderätt är grunden för en bättre naturvård« (2022 manifesto ↗)“voluntary action and property rights are the foundation for better nature conservation”
- strong property rights in forestry»Skogsbruket behöver goda förutsättningar grundade i en stark äganderätt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Forestry needs good conditions based on strong property rights.”
- active management of forests»Ett hållbart skogsbruk förutsätter ett aktivt brukande av skogen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sustainable forestry requires active management of forests.”
- protection against intrusions on property rights»Brott mot äganderätten, med konfiskatoriska och godtyckliga beskattningar och ingrepp, underminerar förtroendet och långsiktigheten i samhället.« (party programme ↗)“Violations of property rights, with confiscatory and arbitrary taxation and intrusions, undermine trust and long-term thinking in society.”
The plan establishes that mountain and forest areas with high nature values shall have strong protection and that the work to protect valuable nature and biological diversity shall continue.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that mountain and forest areas with high nature values shall have strong protection and that the work to protect valuable nature and biological diversity shall continue. It bears the counter-proposal's demands on protection of value cores and especially of the mountain-near forest, with compensation to affected landowners. The plan simultaneously protects forestry, which makes the legislative route less obvious than the protection ambition in itself.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att fjäll- och skogsområden med höga naturvärden ska ha ett starkt skydd och att arbetet med att skydda värdefull natur och biologisk mångfald ska fortsätta. Det bär motförslagets krav på skydd av värdekärnor och särskilt av den fjällnära skogen, med ersättning till berörda markägare. Planen värnar samtidigt skogsbruket, vilket gör lagstiftningsvägen mindre självklar än skyddsambitionen i sig.
- strong protection for mountain-near naturedecisive»Fjäll-, skogs- och kustområden samt sjöar och vattendrag med höga naturvärden ska ha ett starkt skydd.« (party programme ↗)“Mountain, forest and coastal areas as well as lakes and watercourses with high nature values shall have strong protection.”
- protection of biological diversity»Då behöver vi fortsätta arbetet med att skydda både värdefull natur och den biologiska mångfalden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Then we need to continue the work to protect both valuable nature and biological diversity.”
- strengthened nature conservation»Naturvården måste få en renässans.« (party programme ↗)“Nature conservation must experience a renaissance.”
- protected Swedish forestry»Allemansrätten och det svenska skogsbruket ska värnas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The right to roam and Swedish forestry shall be protected”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan explicitly requires special protection rules for mountain forests and that forests be protected as reserves in sufficient scope to preserve biological diversity.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires special protection rules for mountain forests and that forests be protected as reserves in sufficient scope to preserve biological diversity. This strikes at the counter-proposal's core: that value cores and mountain natural forests shall be protected with high priority. The demand for secured compensation funds responds to the plan's requirement for full compensation for restrictions on property rights, although the election manifesto's concern about threatened property rights pulls in the opposite direction when protection occurs through logging prohibition.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver uttryckligen särskilda skyddsregler för den fjällnära skogen och att skog reservatsskyddas i tillräcklig omfattning för att bevara den biologiska mångfalden. Det träffar motförslagets kärna: att värdekärnor och den fjällnära naturskogen ska skyddas med hög prioritet. Kravet på säkrade ersättningsmedel svarar mot planens krav på fullgod ersättning vid inskränkningar i äganderätten, även om valmanifestets oro för hotad äganderätt drar i motsatt riktning när skyddet sker genom avverkningsförbud.
- protection rules for mountain forestsdecisive»strand- och biotopskydd samt särskilda skyddsregler för« (party programme ↗)“beach and habitat protection and special protection rules for”
- sufficient reserve protection»skog behöver reservatsskyddas i tillräcklig omfattning« (party programme ↗)“forests need to be protected as reserves in sufficient scope”
- compensation for restrictions»fullgod ersättning vid olika former av inskränkningar i« (party programme ↗)“full compensation for various forms of restrictions in”
- protected property rights in forests»äganderätten över skogen hotas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“property rights over forests are threatened”
flags: spanning_valmanifest_partiprogram
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The counter-proposal requires legislation that stops logging of forests with high natural values and prioritized protection of forests near mountains.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal requires legislation that stops logging of forests with high natural values and prioritized protection of forests near mountains. The election manifesto goes in the opposite direction: formal forest protection should be voluntary, the area of forest exempted from management should decrease, and more forest should be managed, not less. The plan therefore rejects a new logging ban and expanded state-controlled protection.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget kräver lagstiftning som stoppar avverkning av skogar med höga naturvärden och ett prioriterat skydd av fjällnära skog. Valmanifestet går i motsatt riktning: formellt skydd av skog ska ske genom frivillighet, arealen skog som undantas från skogsbruk ska minska och mer skog ska brukas, inte mindre. Planen avvisar därför ett nytt avverkningsförbud och utvidgat myndighetsstyrt skydd.
- voluntary forest protectiondecisive»Stärka skogsägarnas äganderätt genom att formellt skydd av skog ska ske genom frivillighet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen forest owners' property rights by making formal forest protection voluntary”
- less forest exempted»Minska ytan av skog som är undantagen från skogsbruk« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce the area of forest exempted from management”
- the forest should be managed»mer skog ska brukas, inte mindre« (2022 manifesto ↗)“more forest should be managed, not less”
- strong property protection»Stat och kommun ska endast i undantagsfall få ta över enskildas egendom« (party programme ↗)“State and municipality should only in exceptional cases be allowed to take over individuals' property”
The counter-proposal requires legislation that stops felling of forests with high natural values.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal requires legislation that stops felling of forests with high natural values. The election manifesto, in contrast, protects forest owners' right to manage their forests, requires that designation of reserves occurs on a voluntary basis and prioritizes adapted forest management before reserve designation. The plan explicitly criticizes that forest is removed from production against landowners' will, which is precisely what a felling ban would mean.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget kräver lagstiftning som stoppar avverkning av skogar med höga naturvärden. Valmanifestet värnar tvärtom skogsägarnas rätt att bruka sina skogar, kräver att avsättning till reservat sker på frivillighetens grund och prioriterar anpassad skogsskötsel före reservatsavsättning. Planen kritiserar uttryckligen att skog tas ut ur produktion mot markägarnas vilja, vilket är just vad ett avverkningsförbud skulle innebära.
- usage rights for forest ownersdecisive»Värna skogsägarnas rätt att bruka sina skogar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect forest owners' right to manage their forests”
- voluntariness, not coercion»Avsättning av skog till reservat ska ske på frivillighetens grund och med god ersättning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Designation of forest to reserves shall occur on a voluntary basis and with fair compensation.”
- criticism of forced designation»skog tas ut ur produktion mot markägarnas vilja« (2022 manifesto ↗)“forest is removed from production against landowners' will”
- strengthened property rights»Stärka äganderätten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen property rights”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:MJU15)
- Committee report full text (HA01MJU15)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:1222 — Gammelskog för kvalitetsvirke av Aron Emilsson (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1246 — Hållbart skogsbruk för biologisk mångfald och klimatet av Kajsa Fredholm m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2022/23:1672 — En levande landsbygd för Sveriges bästa av Annie Lööf m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1867 — Möjlighet till ökad kemisk bekämpning av granbarkborren av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1902 — Skogsnäringen i Skåne av Ann-Charlotte Hammar Johnsson m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2022/23:1948 — Bättre bekämpning av granbarkborren i reservaten av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2022/23:2000 — Ökad produktion i skogen av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2022/23:2072 — Utgiftsområde 23 Areella näringar, landsbygd och livsmedel av Anna-Caren Sätherberg m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:2095 — Friluftspolitisk motion av Amanda Lind m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:211 — Avverkningsanmälan och dess offentlighet av Mikael Larsson (C)
- Motion 2022/23:2110 — En kraftfull naturpolitik för starka ekosystem, biologisk mångfald och ökad klimatnytta av Per Bolund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:2175 — En klimatpolitik som står upp för Parisavtalet av Per Bolund m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:2190 — Ledarskap för klimat och grön omställning av Annie Lööf m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:444 — Östergötlands skogsägare av John Widegren m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2022/23:467 — Säkerställande av den svenska skogsproduktionen av Isak From och Monica Haider (båda S)
- Motion 2022/23:649 — Statligt utredningsansvar gällande förekomster av arter i skogen av Helena Lindahl m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:854 — Skog och bioekonomi av Daniel Bäckström m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:907 — Cirkulär ekonomi och kemikalier av Stina Larsson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:937 — Levande landsbygd av Eric Palmqvist m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:972 — Skogspolitik med helhetssyn av Martin Kinnunen m.fl. (SD)
Source: The Swedish Parliament