Epsilon Open Archive

Abstract

This report covers elaboration and demonstration of a method to quantify
and evaluate the many uses of the forest for people living in a sparsely
populated area in the north of Sweden. The uses are grouped into the forest
or forestry as a source of income, value as environment for leisure time,
value as residential environment, and finally other values. Ten households in
Skroven and Hakkas in Norrbotten are interviewed. The interviewees
describe their use and the amounts and frequencies, rank the four uses, and
put a relative value in per cent on each use. The annual mean total value is
121 000 SEK. The various mean incomes are less then half (45%) of the
value derived from all uses of the forest. Comparing the three uses that
constitute the other half, all are of approximately equal value. The incomes
concerned are from employment in forestry, from reindeer herding, from
the sale of timber from a forest holding or from the increase in value of the
holding, or from firewood.
Key words: forest use, value, interview, income, residential environment, leisure time