The National Forest Inventory, 2003-2007

For the second year in a row the increment decreased slightly, but the annual increment seems to have stabilized at about 25 million cubic metres. In 1933, the annual increment was 10 million cubic metres.

More broad-leaved

Spruce is the most common species of tree with 45 per cent of growing stock, followed by pine with 33 per cent and broad-leaved with 22 per cent. During the last decades the share of broad-leaved has increased and spruce decreased. In 1967, spruce amounted to 52 per cent and broad-leaved 17 per cent. The share of pine has been stable in the period. Spruce amounted to 54 per cent of the annual increment, while the corresponding figures for pine and broad-leaved was 24 and 22 per cent respectively.

More spruce in Western Norway

Spruce was most common in the counties of Sør-Trøndelag and Nord-Trøndelag and represented 63 per cent of the volume of growing stock in these counties. In the well forested counties in the eastern part of Norway spruce also amounted to more than half of the volume. In the northern part of Norway, broad-leaved was most common with 62 per cent of the volume of growing stock. In the western parts of the country, the growing stock of spruce, pine and broad-leaved each amounted to approximately one third of the total volume. 15 years ago spruce only corresponded to one fourth of the volume.

Habitats for vulnerable an endangered species in forest

For the first time figures on habitats for vulnerable and endangered species in forest are included in the survey. For the country as a whole, dead wood lying is the most common of these kind of habitats and was found on 12 per cent of the productive forest area. The region with the counties of Hedmark, Østfold, Oslo and Akershus had the lowest occurrence of dead wood lying with 6 per cent. The same regional tendency was found for several other habitats.

The productive forest area below the coniferous forest line, except of Finnmark county, is estimated to 74 148 square kilometres. In addition, 17 100 square kilometres is considered as unproductive forest area. The total area of wooded land is approximately 120 000 square kilometres.

Tables:

• Table 1 Growing stock inside bark and annual increment inside bark. The whole country. 1933-2007. 1 000 m³
• Table 2 Total area, by type of vegetation and surveyed regions. km²
• Table 3 Productive forest area, by development class. The National Forest Inventory. 1 000 hectares and per cent
• Table 4 Growing stock under bark, by type of land, tree species and surveyed regions. 1 000 m³
• Table 5 Annual increment under bark, by type of land, tree species and surveyed regions. 1 000 m³
• Table 6 Registered incidence of different habitats in productive forest, by region. 2003-2007. Hectares and per cent