Did you know we can measure whether forest wood production is sustainable? For forests to grow healthily, the amount of wood harvested or removed in a given year should be lower than the forest’s natural growth rate (net annual increment). The difference between these 2 variables can serve as a proxy for sustainably harvested wood.  

In 2023, 23 of the EU countries with available data recorded a net annual increment higher than wood removals. Forest growth after harvest was the highest in Romania (39.9 million cubic meters), followed by Sweden (26.4 million) and Poland (26.3 million). Only in Estonia did removals exceed the increments (11.6 million vs 9.1 million cubic meters), resulting in a decrease of available timber of 2.5 million cubic meters.  

Sustainable harvesting is crucial in forestry management, as it focuses on intentionally harvested wood while excluding unforeseen catastrophic losses. This approach provides a clearer picture of the forestry industry’s ecological footprint.

Forest growth after harvest, 2023 (million cubic meters). Bar chart. Link to full dataset below.

Source dataset: for_vol_efa

This news article marks the International Day of Forests, celebrated on 20 March.Â