FightCOtwo – Conservation of Swedish Forests
Swedish forests are home to thousands of species and serve as important carbon sinks. The FightCOtwo project protects these values by preserving natural forests with high biological quality and supporting landowners who choose not to practice clear-cutting. As the first VERRA-certified forestry project in Sweden, it combines climate benefits, biodiversity, and long-term nature conservation in a single commitment.
Background information
Swedish forests are home to thousands of species, many of which are endangered. Old-growth and mixed-age forests harbor mosses, lichens, insects, and birds that cannot survive in managed commercial forests. In addition, all forests sequester carbon in both trees and soil. The boreal forest belt—which includes Swedish forests—is one of the world’s largest terrestrial ecosystems, yet it receives relatively little protection globally.
The project
This Swedish project preserves natural forests with high biological value in Sweden and also gives landowners the opportunity to transition to clear-cutting-free forest management. The result is increased carbon storage in forests and soil, greater biodiversity, and higher social value. Thirty-year agreements have been signed with landowners who are transferring management of their land to the project.
The forest was selected based on criteria such as its readiness for final harvest and the fact that it had not previously been clear-cut. Natural values, such as biodiversity, were also assessed and factored into the selection.
One of the project’s areas is located along the Laisälven River in Norrbotten, a spruce and pine forest stand with an average age of just over 130 years. Active reindeer herding takes place in the area, and the forest enhances the wilderness atmosphere surrounding the popular fishing waters of the river.
In the interior of Lapland, in forests characterized by slow-growing conifers, lie the other 130 ha of forest protected by the project. The forest contains large amounts of dead wood in various stages of decomposition, which benefits biodiversity and endangered species that depend on older forests and dead branches.
Natural forest along the Laisälven River in Norrbotten—one of the areas protected under the FightCOtwo initiative. Here, old-growth spruce and pine forests with an average age of over 130 years are preserved; they serve as a habitat for endangered species and an important carbon sink.
Unique feature
This is the first project in Sweden to be certified under the VERRA standard—the most widely used standard for climate projects globally. The certification validates the project’s benefits for nature, the climate, and biodiversity.
The project contributes to the following objectives
