Moelven Skog AB is currently working actively to increase the number of certified forest owners in private small-scale forestry. This study was conducted in collaboration with Moelven Skog AB and seeks to learn why private small scale forest owners not yet have certified their forestry and what should be done to increase the number of certified forest owners. The study was conducted through a questionnaire study. The result of the study shows that information needs of forest certification to private small scale forest owners is great. Many non-certified forest owners have not even heard of either PEFC or FSC. The majority of respondents also have no education in forestry.

A growing number of Swedish forest owners are choosing to certify their forestry. However, there appears to be a lack of field surveys which describe differences between certified and non-certified forests concerning the degree of completed environmental considerations. In order to know to what extent certified forests contribute towards improved environmental consideration, we need studies on how large the difference is in relation to non-certified forests.Differences between certified and non-certified forest clearings were quantified through an inventory of the number of retention trees, dead trees and snags. The result showed that the retained number of the investigated parameters varied greatly between individual clearings, regardless of certification status. However, the results suggested that the certified clearings had an average higher incidence ofthe investigated parameters.

Södra is a co-operative of private forest owner organisation which is owned by 35 000 private forest owers in southern Sweden. Forest owners in Sweden can choose to certify their Forestry. Södra uses PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes) as their certification scheme for their members. Those who choose to certify their forest are obligated to follow the demands for forestry which PEFC requires. A ?Green? forestry plan is another important tool in the ambition to reach a sustainable forestry.

Många intressen har länge fått trängas innanför miljöpolitikens väggar och det är än idag svårt att avgöra vilka värden som ska få mest plats.Skogspolitiken i Sverige har sedan 1800-talets början förändrats kraftigt från hårt statligt styrd till frivilligt ansvarstagande. I samband med dessaförändringar kom det på 70-talet en kraftfull våg av intressen från naturvårdens sida som ställde allt högre krav på produktionens hänsyn tillnaturen och dess betydelse för den biologiska mångfalden samt den lokala befolkningen. Trots en förbättrad hänsyn i skogsvårdslagen krävdes merav flertalet intressenter, något som tillslut mynnat ut i ett samarbete mellan ekonomiska, miljömässiga och sociala intressen. CertifieringsorganetForest Stewardship Council skapades och år 1998 godkändes den första FSC-standarden. Idag är mer än 11 miljoner hektar skogsmark certifierad.FSC var en idé att gemensamt komma fram till en kompromiss mellan särintressen och på så sätt uppnå ett hållbart skogsbruk nationellt såväl sominternationellt.