Christian Democrats propose selling state forest land to support family forestry

The Christian Democrats (KD) have introduced a new forestry program aimed at strengthening family forestry and property rights in Sweden. A central proposal involves instructing the state-owned company Sveaskog to sell 30,000 hectares of productive forest land annually. The party intends for this land to be primarily acquired by family forest owners, active farmers, and young forest owners to promote active forestry.

To support these goals, the party also proposes the establishment of a state forest owner bank to provide long-term financing for forest acquisitions. Rural Minister Peter Kullgren stated that the program seeks to address uncertainties among forest owners and develop the Swedish forestry and forest industry.

In a related effort to influence the upcoming election, the forestry company Mellanskog has launched the 'Welcome to my forest' initiative. The program invites politicians and the public to visit forest owners in central Sweden to observe family forestry in practice. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between decision-makers and those directly affected by forestry regulations, focusing on topics such as ownership rights, sustainable management, and climate benefits.