Teller Report

Three-toed woodpecker found in their forest in Nässjö – missing out on millions

5/8/2023, 6:05:32 PM

Highlights: Two forest owners in Vilhelmina have planned to harvest 50 hectares of forest each. Species worthy of protection such as three-toed woodpecker and lappranuncle, are found on the land. The two forest owners have agreed to reduce the planned felling and leave 10–20 hectares untouched where the protected species have been found. Unclear how forest owners will be compensated for the loss of the forest area, says Linnea Henriksson in Nässjö.

Two forest owners in Vilhelmina have planned to harvest 50 hectares of forest each. But the plans are completely stopped when species worthy of protection such as three-toed woodpecker and lappranuncle, are found on the land. Now forest owners believe that species protection risks having a reverse effect. "Forest owners can begin to hide the fact that they have animals or plants worthy of protection in their forest," says Linnea Henriksson in Nässjö, Vilhelmina.


For the two forest owners in Nässjö, it is about millions of kronor that are now locked, as the logging has stopped.

"No forest owner who owns their own forest wants to devastate and destroy, but as the system is structured, it instead has a reverse effect," says Linnea Henriksson in Nextnsjö.

"It's like having money in the bank and someone comes and says your account is locked," says Lena Mikaelsson, who also lives in Nässjö.

Unclear how forest owners will be compensated

The two forest owners have agreed to reduce the planned felling and leave 10–20 hectares untouched where the protected species have been found.

"We think we have taken the consideration that we have been asked to do. We are bounced between different authorities and are not told, says Linnea Henriksson.

She explains that the unclear regulations mean that forest owners do not receive any information on whether the state will pay compensation for the entire forest area.

"Even the politicians responsible don't know how it's going to turn out," she says.