PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Western taiga is a complex forest habitat type, ranging from dry pine forest (Pinus sylvestris) to damp spruce forest (Picea abies). Much of its composition is dependent upon its history. Some stands may be quite young, having regenerated after a forest fire that would have occurred over a hundred years ago, whilst others will be significantly more mature. In all cases, natural undisturbed western taiga - i.e. not subjected to commercial forestry - is extremely rich, providing habitats for many threatened species of lichens, bryophytes, insects and birds. The dead wood, in particular, plays a central role in maintaining this high conservation value and its scarcity is one of the most serious threats to biodiversity in Swedish forests. With 60% of the European Union's western taiga, Sweden has a particular responsibility for protecting this priority habitat type. What remains of the virgin western taiga forests in Sweden (less than 3% of the total forest area) is under constant risk of being turned into commercial plantations. This makes their conservation also particularly expensive, as the owner needs to be compensated for the potential economic loss.
OBJECTIVES
The main objective was to acquire and legally protect twelve natural forest sites in central and northern Sweden, 8,796 ha in total, that had been identified as holding a particularly high level of biodiversity and conservation value. Most are dominated by western taiga, but some included other habitats worthy of conservation, such as bogs. In order to protect the sites as proposed SCIs, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency intended to purchase them, or pay economic compensation to the owners in exchange for a prohibition on forestry. This would be carried out in conjunction with the County Administrative Boards who would be responsible for the site demarcation, valuation and negotiations. Once declared a nature reserve, each site would be managed according to the prescriptions laid down in its management plan.
RESULTS
During 1995-99, a series of 12 LIFE-Nature projects with the primary objective to protect natural forest and mire habitats were launched in Sweden, with land purchase and legal protection as the main project actions. This particular project targeted the acquisition of twelve sites dominated by western taiga, 8,796 ha in total, in central and northern Sweden. Twelve sites were indeed acquired but the final total area was reduced by 16 % to 5,609 ha. After the project, the sites were left to passive management. At the time the project was selected, protection of western taiga was prioritised with reference to the rapid loss of natural forest habitats. Although 65 % of the land surface of Sweden is covered by forests, and predominantly coniferous forests, most of this land is today characterised by commercial forestry. Land qualifying as "natural forests" with reference to key characteristics such as the proportion of old trees, dead and decaying wood etc., was judged to occur only over a small percentage (about 5 %) of its previous range. Thanks to the project, twelve nature reserves, important for the protection of western taiga and with sufficient restriction on commercial forestry, were established. During 1995-99, a series of 12 LIFE-Nature projects with the primary objective to protect natural forest and mire habitats were launched in Sweden, with land purchase and legal protection as the main project actions. This particular project targeted the acquisition of twelve sites dominated by western taiga, 8,796 ha in total, in central and northern Sweden. Twelve sites were indeed acquired but the final total area was reduced by 16 % to 5,609 ha. After the project, the sites were left to passive management. At the time the project was selected, protection of western taiga was prioritised with reference to the rapid loss of natural forest habitats. Although 65 % of the land surface of Sweden is covered by forests, and predominantly coniferous forests, most of this land is today characterised by commercial forestry. Land qualifying as "natural forests" with reference to key characteristics such as the proportion of old trees, dead and decaying wood etc., was judged to occur only over a small percentage (about 5 %) of its previous range. Thanks to the project, twelve nature reserves, important for the protection of western taiga and with sufficient restriction on commercial forestry, were established.