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The EU Nature Restoration Regulation offers new opportunities for resilient forests and sustainable forestry

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Jan 13, 2026
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A comparison between reference areas based on the habitat areas existing in 1995 [...] (see full figure description in the publication)

An ambitious and science-based implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation could help transform forestry toward greater sustainability and fewer conflicts, according to SUPERB researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). In contrast, a minimal or restrictive approach risks prolonging uncertainty, controversy, and polarization in the forestry debate.

In a recent paper with the title “The EU Nature Restoration Regulation offers new opportunities for resilient forests and sustainable forestry“, published in the scientific journal Ambio, SLU researchers Johan Svensson and Bengt Gunnar Jonsson (both SUPERB) as well as Torbjörn Ebenhard analyze how the regulation may be implemented in Sweden’s forests. The EU Nature Restoration Regulation requires restoration measures on at least 20% of land and sea areas by 2030, and obliges Member States to base their actions on the best available and most up-to-date scientific knowledge. Sweden, like other EU countries, is currently developing its national restoration plan.

A key issue highlighted in the paper is how so-called “favorable reference areas” are defined. These areas represent the minimum extent needed to ensure the long-term viability of habitats and species protected under the EU Species and Habitats Directive. The Swedish government has decided to base forest reference areas on estimates from 1995, when Sweden joined the EU. According to the researchers, this decision departs from current scientific knowledge and risks cementing existing ambiguities and conflicts in forestry.

“Setting restoration ambitions at an absolute minimum level will not help Sweden meet environmental goals or international commitments,” says Johan Svensson. “It also risks continued conflict for forest owners and operators, damage to Sweden’s reputation as a forest nation, and criticism from the EU.”

The researchers argue that the regulation should instead be seen as an opportunity to adapt forestry to future challenges. By considering forests as multifunctional landscapes – rather than focusing narrowly on timber production or conservation – the regulation can encourage alternative forestry methods, new value chains, and more resilient ecosystems.

They also note that the regulation could help establish measurable criteria for biodiversity-friendly forestry, something that is currently lacking. Drawing on historical experience, the authors emphasize that restoration is not about recreating the past, but about shaping a sustainable and credible future for forestry.

Reference: Svensson, J., Jonsson, B. G., & Ebenhard, T. (2025). The EU Nature Restoration Regulation offers new opportunities for resilient forests and sustainable forestry. Ambio. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02309-3

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Source/Author(s)
  • Johan Svensson; Bengt Gunnar Jonsson; Torbjörn Ebenhard
Topic
  • Active Restoration
  • Implementation
  • Planning & Upscaling
Stakeholders
  • Landowners & Practitioners
  • Planners & Implementers
  • Policy Actors
Biogeographic region
  • Boreal
Countries
  • Sweden
Resource public date
  • 2025