Forest properties, 2007

According to the 2007 Farm Register, there were 117 700 forest properties with a productive forest area of 25 decares or more in Norway, of which almost 16 400 cut timber for sale. This is 1 300 more than in 2006. Forest owners in the counties of Buskerud and Hedmark were most active, with more than one in four properties carrying out commercial roundwood removals.

The activity level varied considerably between the counties. In the western part of Norway, one in four forest properties had commercial removals and in the northern part of the country the figure was even lower. In the country as a whole, a total of 50 600 forest properties sold timber in the last 10-years period.

In 2007, average commercial round wood removals per property was 504 cubic meters, 24 cubic meters more than in 2006 and 175 cubic meters more than ten years ago.

Average property size 575 decares

In 2007, the average property size was 575 decares. 2 500 of the properties were owned by the government or other impersonal owners. 24 per cent of the properties owned by a private person were owned by a woman. In 1989, the corresponding share was 17 per cent.

39 200 of the forest properties were owned by a person who also runs an agricultural holding, 700 fewer than in 2006.

The Forest Trust Fund grows

In the beginning of 2007, the forest owners had an aggregated value of NOK 834 million in the Forest Trust Fund. In total, forest owners in Hedmark had NOK 168 million at their disposal. During 2007 a total of NOK 81 million was disbursed from the Forest Trust Fund to the owners.

Tables:

• Table 1 Forest properties, by county and size class. 2007
• Table 2 Productive forest area, by county and size class in decares. 2007. Decares
• Table 3 Forest properties with commercial roundwood removals, by county and size of property. 2007
• Table 4 Commercial roundwood removals, by county and property size in decares. Solid cubic metres. 2007
• Table 5 Forest properties in combination with agricultural holding, by county and size of productive forest area. 2007
• Table 6 Forest owners, by type of owner, county and property size. 2007
• Table 7 Forest Trust Fund. Balance payment and disbursement of fund, by county and productive forest area. 2007. NOK 1 000