Vad påverkar skogsägarnas naturhänsyn vid föryngringsavverkning i region Mellannorrland?

Abstract: The objective of this thesis was to investigate what influence nature conservation measures taken at regeneration felling. Factors analysed were the forest owners´ situation and their characters, and information activities from wood-suppliers and the Regional Forest Board (RFB). The inventory was performed with a posted questionnaire followed up by telephone to forest owners and a posted questionnaire to wood-buyers. The forest owners were grouped in three strata, depending on the quality results (D- polytax inventory) of the taken forest conservation measures, and for this investigation forest owners were sampled from the population in the tree groups. In total 73 % (41/56) of the sampled forest owners answered the questionnaire Group A (17 answers): Good judgement Group B (19 answers): Bad judgement Group C (5 answers): This group was formed from the forest owners that were informed, by RFB, about nature conservation measures and culture history consideration before the regeneration cutting. The wood-buyers were organised into two groups, large buyers (39 answers) and small buyers (16 answers). Almost the same number of forest owners in group A and B had got information on nature conservation before the regeneration felling. The most important informants were wood-buyers and the RFB. More forest owners in group B considered themselves not to become influenced by the information, and more forest owners in group A believed that the information resulted in a higher nature conservation level. In group A, more forest owners had taken part in courses about nature conservation, but also to a greater extent left the nature conservation measures to the wood-buyers. More owners in group B suggested nature conservation measures, but they did not know what considerations that really were made. The knowledge on nature conservation measures taken were not correlated to the distance between the estate and the place where the owner was living. As many as 34 % of the forest owners admitted that they have had information on nature conservation from the RFB, before the regeneration felling was made. This may mean that the regional forest board more often gives information than the official statistics. The majority of the forest owners is male and lived on the property, but more owners in group A lived "outside" their estate. Group B had larger estates, spent more time in working at the estate, visited the estate more often, and had a greater economic interest in their forest ownership. The most important interest in their estate was "forestry", but economy, hunting and wildlife were also important matters. Those who had attended courses in nature conservation did not show better nature conservation results. In this study, two percent were willing to leave 25 % of their property for pure nature conservation reasons, if they were compensated. But 22 % were not willing to leave even 3 % if they were compensated. The attitude to leave forest for conservation matters was not correlated to forest owners´ age. Group C, that had been informed by the RFB, about nature conservation and culture values as a result of their regeneration cutting announcement before the harvest, was too small to be significantly analysed. But, they were older, owned more frequently a large estate and all of them only owned a part of the estate. They were more personally active in managing the forest, but at the same time they more often used external people for silvicultural activities and they more often trusted on private entrepreneurs. All of them had a forest management plan but none of them were forestry certified, they were less interested in conservation efforts and none of them admitted that they were influenced from external silvicultural advises, but they were taking part in silvicultural courses in the same extent as the other groups. 69% of the wood buyers said that they often give advice on nature conservation to forest owners when buying lumber, advice giving were more frequently from the group "small buyers" than from "big buyers". Both the big buyers and the small ones considered their knowledge about nature- and culture conservation as good. 19 % of the small buyers and 3 % of the big buyers admitted that they did not know the law demand and the political intentions considering nature conservation level at regeneration cuttings. The majority gave their recommendations to the forest owners when they were together in the forest or at personal consultations. The small buyers often gave recommendations by telephone. Around 4 % of the wood buyers gave recommendations on considerations to the harvesters before the regeneration felling. The small buyers had to a smaller extent than the big buyers, a demand that the harvesters had a documented education on nature conservation measures. 13 % of the small buyers and 3 % of the big buyers did not have any written instruction on nature conservation measures. The wood buyers were interested in learning more about measures concerning protecting and recognising ancient remains. 56 % of the wood buyers admitted that the advisement that the forest board had given to the forest owners also was told to them. As many as 83 % of the buyers were positive to that RFB gave recommendations on conservation matters before regeneration felling was performed. The forest owners were more positive to forestry considerations to protect ancient monuments in the forests than for nature conservation purposes. Creating high stumps and leaving standing dead or living trees got especially low values. This was confirmed by the wood buyers.