The degree project at hand investigates how large areas of older forest (80 plus years) suitable for clear cutting there is on the Swedish island of Gotland. Large areas of older forest on Gotland are situated on land with shallow soil depths which are economically uninteresting and often unsuitable for clear cutting forestry. Other forests hold big nature conservation values and should not, or cannot, be used for forestry purposes. The survey is made as a GIS analysis based on the old but carefully made ?Brief forest inventory? (ÖSI) made in the 1980s and early 1990s. A sample from the inventory is combined with studies of orthophotos, satellite photos and other GIS layers that display estimated soil depth and nature conservation values. Partly contrary to common belief, the survey shows that there are still large areas of older forest suitable for clear cutting forestry on the island.

The third most common conifer in Sweden is Pinus contorta (lodgepole pine). It originates from the western part of North America and was brought here in the end of the 1920s. The lodgepole pine is today allowed for commercial plantations in central and northern Sweden, excluding high altitude locations. Since 1979 only plantations with scientific purpose are allowed in south-central and south Sweden. This document is focused on how lodgepole pine manage perform compared with Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) in the southernmost part of Sweden, Götaland. The idea came from the fact that the Swedish government is evaluating a notification from the National Forest Agency that suggests lodgepole pine to be allowed for commercial plantation even in southern Sweden.