Storm Hans hit hard in Västerbotten and southern Norrbotten on Tuesday, August 8. A thunderstorm was followed by strong so-called gale force winds that sometimes reached storm force.
The worst of the storm was in Sorsele, Malå and Norsjö municipalities in Västerbotten.
According to the Norwegian Forestry Agency, the affected area is 75,000 hectares and the blown-down forest covers between 500,000 and 1 million cubic meters.
— The forest has tipped. It lies flat. With fall winds, all forests fall, regardless of age and management, unlike other storms when it is usually newly thinned stands that are affected, says forest consultant Ellinor Lindmark at the Swedish Forest Agency.
Net loss unclear
The consequences are extensive. Sveaskog, the largest forest owner in the area, shares the Forestry Agency’s picture of the extent, and estimates that the storm affected 6,500 hectares of its land. In timber, it is at least 400,000 cubic meters – but what the net loss will be remains to be seen.
— The value of the timber is hundreds of millions, but then you have to assess what proportion we can take care of. This overturns the long-term plans, so it is a matter of minimizing the losses in several stages. Our ambition is, of course, to make use of all the wood, and not to disturb the long-term plans too much, says Tobias Thomson, communications manager for Sveaskog in Västerbotten and Norrbotten.
Fragmented reindeer herds
In order to take care of as much forest as possible before the snow settles too deep, Sveaskog is moving 20 of its logging teams to the storm-hit area.
— We as a forest company can handle this, but we must be incredibly humble for the private forest owners who may have had their life’s work blown away, says Tobias Thomson.
Reindeer farming is also affected.
— We have received reports of lone calves and split herds. It means when they will move this autumn, says Ellinor Lindmark.
Another consequence of the storm is an increased risk of pests next summer.
“Since it’s mostly pine that has fallen, it’s primarily about larger and smaller medlar borers,” says Ellinor Lindmark.