Röjningsbenägenheten bland privata skogsägare
en enkätundersökning bland medlemmar i SÖDRA
The intensity of cleaning declined dramatically in the early 1990?s in the Swedish forests.
Recession, an economic depressed forestry and the new law of silviculture from 1993, where
the duty of cleaning was removed have been considered as sources to the decline. This has led to a situation where huge areas of forests are untouched, which can lead to negative effects for those stands in the future.
The purpose of this thesis was to find out how the individual landowner acts and feel when it concerns cleaning activities. Has the landowner noticed Södra?s campaigns about cleaning and what sort of measure should Södra implement to increase the members? cleaning activity?
The thesis is based on a opinion poll made through a random draw among all Södra?s members. Two categories were defined, one category in which Södra had run a cleaning campaign during the current year and a second category in which there had not been a campaign. In total, 480 surveys were sent out equally among the two categories. The answer frequency was 69 percent.
It is difficult to find any specific groups of landowner in the material with similar thoughts and actions concerning cleaning. In one specific question it?s impossible to find some groups, but when we study the survey as a whole it is impossible to find similarities.
The most part of the members regard themselves to have knowledge of cleaning, above 60 percent of the cleanings are made by themselves. About 20 percent of the cleanings are done by entrepreneurs. There is a slight increase in the cleaningactivity, but between the two categories there was no significant difference. If we observe the short period of time (2 years) that the survey concerns, the survey shows that the result is not what was expected. Even though 57 percent of the members of the first category, where the campaign was held, had notice the campaign and it was noted the increased amount of information that was sent out and also different occasions of meetings. The question about whether to reinstate the duty of cleaning or not, 45 percent answered that they did not want to see a reinstatement meanwhile 34 percent were positive to reinstate the duty.
Based on the facts presented in this thesis there are some suggestions what Södra should do to maintain and increase the cleaning propensity of their members. Since it is mostly the members? own knowledge about cleaning that makes the cleaning take place in their forests, it is important that Södra enlarge the different channels of information that they are already working on. Also education and information concerning time planning of self-performing are important instruments. The civil servants? part in the giving advice is also of great importance. Except the knowledge that the landowner possess, the landowner also has support in the forest management plan and the civil servants? advices. Therefore should a certain advisor routine concerning cleaning be installed whenever the member is in contact with Södra. However, the civil servants also need more time to be able to give these advices. At each occasion of a new membership takes place the civil servants should be more active in taking contact with the new member to have the ability to find out the member?s knowledge and what level of cleaning need is needed. Lately the silviculture in southern Sweden has been discussed frequently as the hurricane Gudrun destroyed parts of the forests. The future of the cleaning will probably become more important to be able to produce more stabilized stands so the forests can manage storms and hurriances better.