Marcus Westberg Interview
Sweden has a strong reputation of being a sustainable and environmentally friendly country, yet today only 12% of the forests outside national parks and reserves are over 120 years old.
Deforestation Sweden is an initiative which uses visual documentation to raise awareness of the destruction of Sweden’s natural heritage.
Find out how you can do more to protect our precious forests and ecosystems from destruction.
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February 27, 2021
Exposing the Hypocrisy of ‘Sustainable’ Sweden
#136 Great.com Talks With... Marcus Westberg
Healthy ecosystems, rich with wildlife, need a variety of mature trees and species to thrive. In Sweden, 80-90% of old-growth forests have been cut down in the last 100 years. Whilst new trees are being planted, habitats are being destroyed and monocultures have replaced resilient, varied ecosystems. In this episode, we talked with Marcus Westberg from the Deforestation Sweden initiative about how we can expose the hypocrisy of the brutal forestry practices in Sweden, in a bid to protect forests and natural wildlife.
You Can’t Teach New Trees Old Tricks
The hypocrisy around Sweden’s supposedly sustainable forestry industry is staggering. Eco-parks may sound environmentally friendly, but large parts of these so-called protected areas, owned and managed by Swedish forestry companies (including state-owned Sveaskog), can be and are clear-cut. The forestry industry defines the rules and the terms around clear-cutting, and thus alleviate themselves by leaving a few trees in the area intact. Westberg explains that although more trees are being planted, the average age of the forests has decreased rapidly in recent years; and you cannot replace an old-growth forest simply by planting new trees.
Listen to the whole interview to find out how you can make your voice heard and become more aware of your role as a responsible consumer. You can also subscribe to Deforestation Sweden’s newsletter and view Marcus Westberg’s ongoing photography project, documenting the devastating effects of large-scale forestry in Sweden.
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