Photo by Photo by Steven Kamenar on Unsplash
New MMTC Research Project Strengthens Sustainable Forest Ownership
A new MMTC research project aims to strengthen sustainable forest ownership in Sweden by supporting private forest owners in navigating complex economic, environmental, and socio-cultural choices. The project is led by MMTC Director, Professor Leona Achtenhagen.
Forests play a crucial role in addressing climate change, yet forestry is an increasingly contested field. While some stakeholders emphasise conservation and biodiversity protection, others advocate active forestry to generate economic value. These competing perspectives have contributed to a highly politicised debate on how forests should be managed sustainably.
“We want to support private forest owners in their efforts to use the forest to achieve economic, cultural, and environmental goals,” says Leona Achtenhagen.
“My hope is that our research will bring greater clarity to the debate, where very different views are often presented as the only viable path to sustainability.”
Complex decisions for private forest owners
Almost half of Sweden’s forests are privately owned, and forest owners enjoy considerable freedom to decide how their forests are managed within existing regulations. However, increased attention to sustainability has made these decisions more complex.
“Many forest owners have strong ambitions but lack the knowledge, tools, or long-term plans needed to realise them. This uncertainty can result in owners refraining from active forestry altogether,” says Leona Achtenhagen.
Mapping perspectives and developing practical tools
The project adopts a multi-method research design that reflects MMTC’s interest in governance, media, and societal transformation. The research includes:
- Literature studies on forestry, sustainability, and governance
- Analysis of how forestry is presented and debated in the media
- Interviews with private forest owners across different regions
- Case studies of successful forestry entrepreneurs
- Development of a practical tool to support entrepreneurship and decision-making in forestry
By integrating these perspectives, the project seeks to better understand how regulations, norms, and governance models interact and influence forest owners’ choices.
Our results will enable forest owners to make informed and active decisions about how they want to manage their forests. We also see strong potential for new and more sustainable business models to emerge,” says Leona Achtenhagen.
Funding and research team
The project is funded with SEK 5 million by the Wallenberg Foundation and is one of 15 recently funded research projects focusing on forests in different societal contexts.
The research team consists of:
- Leona Achtenhagen, Professor of Business Administration
- Anders Melander, Associate Professor of Business Administration
- Anna Nordén,Associate Professor of Economics
