The Swedish forest industry is under strong pressure from the EU to reduce the amount of clear-cutting. In an extensive advertising campaign in Svenska Dagbladet, the forest industry is currently trying to improve the image of Swedish forestry.
The ads are designed as journalistic articles, so-called native journalism, and behind the PR campaign called “Swedish forest” is Svensk Skogskommunikation AB, which is the forest industry’s lobby body.
With headlines such as “Hyggen – here new life sprouts”, clear-cutting is presented as favorable not only for the climate, but also for biological diversity.
One of the latest ads has the heading “Different types of forests for different purposes” and is about recreational forests, ie forests that people like to visit for experiences, exercise or relaxation.
The advertisement states that “the most relaxing type of forest is a wandering-friendly older production forest, ie a forest that has been allowed to grow for at least 70 years, has been kept behind and thinned out”. In other words: a forest that has previously been clear-cut.
But the image that illustrated the ad does not represent such a production forest.
In fact, it does not even represent a Swedish forest.
“Things that happen sometimes. Of course it should be Swedish forest when that is what we are talking about! ”
The photo shows a woman who wander through a magical forest landscape. Several of the trees are full-grown with thick trunks – probably older than 70 years – while others are narrower. In Swedish production forests, the tree trunks are usually evenly thick, as the trees have been planted at the same time on a clear-cut.
Didrik Vanhoenacker, biologist on duty at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, sounds amused when he sees the picture.
– The normal production forest is planted and therefore all trees are the same age. That this is not a typical Swedish production forest is very clear, because some trees are old and large and others are young and narrow, says Didrik Vanhoenacker.
– Didrik Vanhoenacker, biologist on duty at the Swedish Museum of Natural History.
That was also the case one of SvD’s readers reacted when he read the ad. The reader did not think that any Swedish forest he had been in resembled the one in the picture: an older large forest of classic cut with varying thickness of tree trunks.
He wanted to visit it at some point. To find out where he was going, he did a picture googling.
That’s when he discovered that the photo was taken in Canada. Specifically in the Cypress Provincial Park nature reserve outside of Vancouver. The picture is for sale at Shutterstock, an American photo agency for cheap pictures.
Svensk Skogskommunikation AB confirms to DN that an “error” has occurred. Communications Director Åsa Bihl does not want to appear for a telephone interview, but responds to emails:
“The picture was set by mistake by our subcontractor, which was then corrected. Things that happen sometimes. Of course it should be Swedish forest when that is what we are talking about! ”
– On November 2, the picture was replaced by a Swedish production forest. Here the trees have evenly trunks.
However, it was only after the SvD reader contacted Svensk Skogskommunikation that the picture was replaced. For four days, the image was used in their PR campaign “Swedish Forest” without anyone on Swedish Forest Communication having any objections.
How come you did not react from the beginning? Do you think that the Canadian forest in the picture looks like a Swedish production forest?
“It is the human factor that is behind it and we are grateful to the reader who heard from us so that we could correct the mistake”, Åsa Bihl answers in a new email.
Do you know of any Swedish production forest that looks like this, where mature old trees are mixed with younger trees?
“I think we have already answered your question”, Åsa Bihl answers in another email.
DN has previously reviewed the forest industry’s lobby investments, which amount to more than SEK 150 million. Until 2019, the forest companies had invested SEK 135 million in the publicity campaign “Swedish forest” – a campaign that is still ongoing and paid for by, among others, LRF Skogsägarna, Skogsindustrierna and Bergvik Skog.
After DN’s review, state-owned Sveaskog withdrew from the campaign to instead acquire “a greater focus on biodiversity”.
Read more:
Swedish clear-cutting is sawn by the EU – new strategy fires up the debate about the forest
The forest companies’ story about the forest – lobby for 150 million
After DN’s review: Sveaskog submits publicity campaign
DN examines the forest industry
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