This study was conducted to find out if there are forest structural differences along a gradient of human impact: tree plantation, semi-natural forest, and natural forest. Two, forest areas in the north of Sweden were selected; Kulbäcksliden, which is dominated by mesic to moist spruce forest with gap dynamics, and a forest in the  Eco park Skatan, which due to dry soils historically have been dominated by pine forest and fire dynamics. An assessment was made from the sampled areas to test if they, according to the Swedish Forest Agency checklist, could be counted as woodland key habitats. The study areas are located in the Vindeln municipality, Sweden. Boreal forests in the region historically had structures controlled by either forest fires or gap dynamics. However, due to today’s forestry oriented for maximize productivity, the former large variation in forest structures have largely decreased, and with them a large part of the diversity of flora and fauna. Policy wise, Sweden have both a production goal and an environmental goal concerning the forests. However, today, one can argue that in practice the production goal weighs heavier, and with that follows an intense conversion of forests to plantations. This leads to diminishing populations of species of various forest organisms, mostly due to habitat loss. This study showed that in Kulbäcksliden there was a significant difference in structure among plantations, semi-natural forests, and natural forests, concerning occurrence of high biodiversity value trees of spruce, and fallen dead wood. In Eco park Skatan, this study showed a significant difference in the number of high biodiversity value trees of spruce and standing dead wood between a natural forest and a semi-natural forest. Furthermore, of the five areas that were investigated, only the two natural forests in each area could be counted as a woodland key habitat. This indicates that our modern-day forestry destroys structures that are essential for many species, which can lead to declining populations. If we want to conserve our flora and fauna, we need to change our policies regarding our forestry and make the environmental goal equally important to the production goal, not only in theory, but also in practice. To do this we need to spread awareness to the public about the situation in our forests.

The aim of this study was to investigate how two nearby areas, both located close to the village Tärnaby, Västerbottens län, differ in terms of natural values and occurance of wood-inhabiting fungi. The two areas have similar geology, hydrology and vegetation, but one area, area A, is affected by modern forestry and the other, area B, is not affected. The degree of human impact has so far been small in the coniferous forest compared to areas further south in Sweden, which has resulted in old growth forests with high biodiversity still remaining. It is important to locate and protect these remaining forests. A template for natural value assessment in combination with species indicators can be used as a tool for assessing natural values. This study was based on a thorough inventory of five replicates in each area. An assessment of natural values was made on site and the occurrence of both total amount of wood-inhabiting fungi as well as the occurrence of red listed wood-inhabiting fungi was inventoried in both areas. The results show that there is a significant difference between area A and B, where area B has higher natural values and a greater amount of wood-inhabiting fungi aswell as a greater amount of red listed fungi than area A. Many of the discovered wood-inhabiting fungi in area B is placed in the upper part of the value pyramid for wood-inhabiting fungi in natural spruce forests, which confirms the presumed high natural values based on the natural value assessment.

The purpose of this work was to find out what differences exist between a production forest and a natural forest, in terms of biodiversity. The three most significant differences were the amount of dead wood, continuity and heterogeneity. Dead wood in a forest proved to be of great importance for biodiversity, as hundreds of insects and species live inside and outside of the dead wood. Continuity in a forest is important, but it is mainly what characterizes an old forest that is more important than the continuity itself, high volume of dead wood, a natural variation in the landscape and trees in different stages. This provides opportunities for species that have difficulty establishing themselves in a short time to form strong populations. The heterogeneity in a forest refers to the variation in the landscape and the number of different niches that occur in a forest with high heterogeneity. All these differences need and should be demonstrated in schools according to the Department of Education. How this shows up in the textbooks has also been addressed in this study. The results show a lack of facts about production forests and forestry and why it threatens biodiversity. Although some textbooks are better than others, there is a gap that teachers themselves must fill in. Through outdoor pedagogy and a connection to ecosystem services, it has been shown that students gain a greater understanding of the forest and its important role for both us humans but also for the earth as an ecosystem. / Syftet med det här arbetet var att reda ut vilka skillnader som finns mellan en produktionsskog och en naturskog, med avseende på biologisk mångfald. De tre mest betydande skillnaderna var mängden död ved, kontinuitet och heterogenitet. Död ved i en skog visade sig har stor betydelse för den biologiska mångfalden, då hundratals insekter och andra arter lever i och av den döda veden. Kontinuiteten i en skog är viktig men det är främst det som kännetecknar en gammal skog som är viktigare än själva kontinuiteten, hög volym död ved, en naturlig variation i landskapet och träd i olika stadier. Detta ger möjligheter för arter som har svårt att etablera sig på kort tid att bilda starka populationer. Heterogeniteten i en skog syftar till den variation i landskapet och den mängden olika nischer som förekommer i en skog. Alla dessa skillnader behöver och ska enligt skolverket påvisas i skolorna, och hur detta visar sig i läroböckerna har även tagits upp i denna studie. Resultaten visar på en brist på1fakta kring produktionsskogar och skogsbruk och varför det hotar den biologiska mångfalden. Trots att vissa läroböcker är bättre än andra finns ett glapp som lärarna själva måste fylla i. Genom utepedagogik och en koppling till ekosystemtjänster har det visat sig att eleverna får en större förståelse kring skogen och dess viktiga roll för både oss människor men också för jorden som ekosystem.

Pollinering är en viktig ekosystemtjänst, där insekter är några av de viktigaste pollinatörerna. Under de senaste åren har mängden av pollinatörer minskat på grund av olika faktorer somklimatförändring och minskning av både antal habitat och mängd arealyta i habitat. Några avde habitat som är viktiga för pollinatörer finns i skogslandskapet, exempel glesare skogar,betesmarker i skogen, hyggen samt häll- och alvarmarker. Denna studie tittar närmare på två olika skogsområden belägna på Gotland. Ett område utgören produktionsskog (finns i Träkumla socken) och ett en naturskog (Ojnareskogen i Bunge socken). Naturskogen har en större totalyta av lämpliga habitat än produktionsskogen i Träkumla. Det fanns typer av habitat som var både lika och olika i och inom i respektiveområde där olika arter av pollinatörer kan gynnas. I naturskogen var den i areal största habitattypen glesare tallskog medan den minsta var sandmark. För produktionsskogen var den i areal största habitattypen hyggen och den minsta var vägkanter. En viktig faktor sompåverkar möjligheter för hur olika arter av pollinatörer gynnas eller inte är skötseln av skogsområdena. Olika skötselmetoder påverkar också på olika sätt. Studien visar vikten av att redan i planering och vidare skötsel av skogsområden ta hänsyn till och gynna pollinatörer. Förutsättningarna i en produktionsskog respektive naturskog är olika när det gäller såväl påverkan av pollinatörer som möjligheterna för habitatplanläggning.

The aim of the study was to investigate the forest in the national park on the Blue Maiden Island and compare with mainland forest data. The study was made in a quantitative way. The results from the field measurement were related to data from the Swedish National Forest Inventory. Oak, Scots pine and Lime were the most common tree species and constituted 47, 18 and 16 % of basal area, respectively, on the island. The mean heigt was 7 m and the volume of living trees was on average 72 m³/ha and dead wood 30 m³/ha. The average age at breast height was 137 years and the oldest tree was an oak with the age of 335 years at breast height. The amount of dead wood constituted 40 % of the total volume. Disturbances have had influence on the forest on the Island. To what extent cannot be determined without further investigations.