Land use policy for forests

Södertälje municipality is expanding rapidly - and realizes that recreation and outdoor life in rich and vibrant forests play a valuable role in developing an attractive city. The municipality has therefore developed a new and updated forest policy to guide how it manages and develops its forests.

"We have focused particularly on measures for our forest that strengthen people's access to nature and recreation," says Tim Lux, Södertälje municipality's project manager for the policy. "For us, the social and biological values that the forest contributes are so much more valuable than the value of the timber that the forest can provide. 

Generated positive reactions

The municipality has received positive feedback from both politicians and other forestry experts who believe that the city is at the forefront with its policy documents and has the right focus with the policy's overall governance. Ecogain has supported the municipality in this work.

- With its forest policy, Södertälje municipality has dared to both select and reject measures, and we are pleased that we have been able to guide the experts in that process, says Åsa Abel, Business Area Manager for Process Management Species and Habitat at Ecogain.

- Policies like this need to be accessible and interesting to everyone, and we are proud to have created a policy document that is informative with its precise language and vivid with great picture stories," she continues.

Read the municipality's forest policy

Södertälje municipality's forest policy has now been out for consultation and the municipal board will decide on the policy in the fall. You can read the the consultation version of Södertälje municipality's forest policy on the municipality's website (from page 4 onwards).