TimberNews 4.02-engelsk - SCA Forest Products AB

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A harvestfor the environmentSince winter 1999, SCA has beenenvironmentally certified in linewith the Swedish FSC standard.This means that SCA operatesdocumented environmentallyfriendly, socially useful andeconomically viable forestry. Forexample, this means that theindividual machine operatorsshow greater consideration forold trees, rare species and wetlands.In Åkroken, south of Sollefteå,Sweden, the 100-year-old pinetrees rise like ship’s masts fromthe dry sandy ridges created by theinland glaciers. Blackened stumpsstick up from the thick undergrowthhere and there, probablyremnants from 1888 – the year ofthe great fire.The fresh fall of snow, whichcovers moose tracks and moss,makes the day seem a little brighter.This delightful forest, which islocated very close to the naturereserve in the virgin forest of Vällingsjö,is now scheduled for felling.The timber from the forest isdestined for the SCA sawmill inBollstabruk.Had this been 1982 instead of2002, Paul Källgren, the machineoperator, would almost certainlyIn line with the FSC standard, there arerules on how thinning and felling arecarried out to promote biodiversity. Forexample, high stumps are saved or newones created by capping certain treesat a height of a few metres, to becomenests for woodpeckers and owls.Photo: Bo Fernströmtimbernews | 8
have blazed through the 25-hectarefelling area with his harvester attop speed. Not a single tree wouldhave been spared.“But now there are more considerationsto be made when you arefelling,” says Paul. “On the otherhand, the area will look much lessdesolate when we have finished.”It was consumer concern aboutthe effects of forestry on the environmentthat led to the establishmentof the Forest StewardshipCouncil, FSC.“FSC was initiated on the basisof the fact that consumers werelooking for a guarantee that theproducts they bought came fromresponsibly managed forests,”explains Per Simonsson, SCA’sforest ecologist.FSC’s principles and criteria applythroughout the world, althougheach country has been allowedto adapt them to create its ownnational standard. The nationalstandard in Sweden was adoptedin 1998, and from its certificationin January 1999, SCA took up itsobligation to abide by the applicableguidelines.This means, for example, thatSCA should burn five per cent ofthe regeneration area every yearand has to leave five per cent ofthe productive forest idle to protectbiologically valuable habitats.In addition, there are rules onhow thinning and felling are carriedout to promote biodiversity.“The requirements have beendetailed and written into our instructionsfor machine operators,”explains Per Simonsson.At the felling site in Åkroken, thesawn timber is stacked betweenthe remaining seed trees and snags.The truck picks up load afterload of fresh logs and carries themto the log piles by the road. Fromthe harvester comes the continuoussound of the saw chain, then thecrash of a falling tree.According to Per Simonsson,the FSC certification has notresulted in any major changesfrom the nature protection plansimplemented by SCA earlier inthe 1990s. The biggest differencewas the increase in thoroughnesswhen specifying the list ofrequirements.The instruction book contains along and detailed list of how themachine operators are to demonstratecare for the environment.For example, no treeless area isto be bigger than three hectares,and what are known as natureconservation trees (tall and thickpines and aspens) are to be saved,as is all dead timber.In addition, special care is takenwith care demanding species, andbuffer zones are left around wetlands,lakes and streams. Moreover,felling in ravines and on steepmountain slopes is avoided.Hollow and windfallen treesare also left alone, and all highstumps are spared or new onescreated by capping some trees ata height of a few metres. The guidelineis 2–5 high stumps per hectare.“These are measures that involveSCA voluntarily reducing its fellingby 10 per cent, which is equivalentto around SEK 80 millionin ungenerated income every year,”explains Per Simonson and headsoff towards a hillock to mark offa group of trees surrounding ahigh stump.For Paul Källgren and his colleagues,the arrival of FSC-certificationhas meant more fair play in theforest.In addition to the seed trees thatremain in the Åkroken clearing,there are also tall trees, old trees,dry trees, fallen trees, fire-damagedtrees and hollow trees. All mustbe avoided in the felling process.This also applies to groups of treesaround wetlands and streams.Finally, the work must beplanned to prevent unnecessarydamage from driving.“We now have to pay more attentionto where we are driving andwhich trees we are felling,” concludesPaul. “On the other handit is much more fun to work whenyou can take more responsibilityand demonstrate more care forthe environment.”The arrival of FSC-certification has meant that machine operatorsout in the forest have to take more care. For example, fallen trees– like the one in the foreground – should be left alone.Per Simonsson notices a thick oldpine tree lying on the ground. “Itshouldn’t be there, it shouldn’thave been felled at all,” he mutters.All Paul Källgren can do is shrughis shoulders and admit the error.“What can I say … sometimeswe miss something. A combinationof darkness, difficult terrain anda fast pace sometimes results inmistakes.” However, the aim isto eradicate incorrect decisionscompletely, which is a goal thathas Per Simonsson’s full support.“There is always room forimprovement,” he says. “Environmentalcare is integrated intoeverything we do in the forest.”Mats WigardtPhoto: Bo Fernström9 | timbernews
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TimberNews 4.02-engelsk - SCA Forest Products AB

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