Forest and water governance in Sweden

Abstract: Water related problems are highlighted as a challenge to sustainable development and the topic of forests and water is gaining increased attention worldwide. Governing forest and water is a complex issue, as the interactions are affected by policies and actors from multiple levels and sectors. In Sweden, forests cover much of the land and forestry is an important land-use, inevitably impacting the water in the landscape. This study aims to understand and explain the existing governance framework around forestry and water in Sweden. Based on the Policy Arrangement Approach, the study’s research questions focused on the actors involved, the formal and informal rules, the resources and power structures and the discourses related to forestry and water in Sweden. To answer the research questions qualitative document analysis and interviews with relevant actors from different actor groups were undertaken. As a smaller part of the study discourses on the management level where examined by qualitative interviews with forestry practitioners. The main findings of the study show that the issue of forestry and water in Sweden is a multi-actor, multi-level and cross-sectoral field. There is an overall agreement across all actor groups that the EU Water Framework Directive, adopted in 2000, raised the issue of forests and water on the Swedish agenda and that forestry as a land use impacts the water in the landscape. Furthermore, actors have a common understanding of the issue, where implementing water consideration in forestry is seen as a problem. However, two conflicting narratives concerning forestry regulations were found, where the ENGOs advocate more detailed steering, whereas authorities and the private forest sector advocate freedom under responsibility. At the management level forestry and water was considered a relevant issue as well, as forestry impacts water. Issues related to the quality of the operational plan were perceived as an impediment to achieving adequate water consideration in forest management. Based on the findings, the study concludes that the involvement of multiple actors with differing interests call for participatory approaches in the policy making process, building on consensual goals, which could lead to a more solid implementation of the policy outputs. One option in the continuing policy making process could be to follow the ideal of deliberative democracy, creating regulations based on consensually agreed upon goals. Research organizations were highlighted as key actors by both ENGOs and the private forest sector, and could hold an important role as bridging organizations providing accountable expertise. Furthermore, the complex governance environment points to a need for developing the coordination and cooperation between authorities from different sectors.