Over the last three decades, Sweden has seen a significant increase in the cost of building and maintaining forest roads. This trend is remarkably steep compared to other aspects of forestry, such as logging, where costs have, on the contrary, decreased. Researchers have been looking for reasons for this trend, paying particular attention to log weights, forestry logistics chains and international comparisons, such as the situation in Finland.
The cost of forest roads has quadrupled between 1996 and 2023, from an initial cost of around 10 to 15 SEK per cubic metre to between 40 and 55 SEK per cubic metre. This steep increase is linked to a number of factors, including the gross weight of log trucks, which often exceeds the carrying capacity of forest roads.
The gross weights of logs have proven to be a major challenge for Sweden's forest roads. The weight of these vehicles often exceeds the carrying capacity of the roads, leading to faster wear and tear of the infrastructure and higher maintenance costs. This not only directly increases costs, but also forces the forest industry to invest in road improvements.
Logistics chains in the forest industry have also changed significantly in recent decades. The constant need for minimum stock levels and the flow of raw material deliveries has led to roads having to withstand heavy loads more often. This has placed new demands on the sustainability of forest roads and infrastructure improvements.
According to researcher Lars Eliasson, these infrastructure improvements are absolutely essential for new logistics chains to work efficiently. He stresses that without adequate support for logistical flows, the forest industry will face significant challenges in growing and becoming more efficient.
A comparison with the situation in Finland shows interesting differences. While similar logistical challenges have been identified in Finland, the rise in costs has not been as strong as in Sweden. This may be due to differences in national practices, the starting level of infrastructure or other economic and administrative factors.
It is clear that the changing dynamics and logistical needs of forestry are increasingly affecting infrastructure and thus costs. In the future, it will be critical that both Sweden and Finland find a balance between efficient logistics and sustainable infrastructure. This requires not only financial resources, but also sound planning and innovative solutions in the spirit of sustainable development.
All in all, while the decrease in logging costs has had a positive impact on forestry, the increase in the cost of forest roads poses challenges that need to be addressed in a proactive and planned manner. Addressing these issues is key if the forest industry is to continue to grow on a sustainable and profitable basis.
