Siljansfors Experimental Forest

The Siljansfors experimental forest primarily focus on research, information and education, as well as environmental monitoring. 

The Mora Office

The office is located at Kyrkogatan 19, one floor up. Kyrkogatan is a pedestrian street and the main shopping street in central Mora. Short-term parking (<2 hours) is available behind both sides of the pedestrian street, near Ica Supermarket and beside Åhléns. Long-term parking (24 hours), which is also free, is available down by the waterfront area, about a 5-minute walk from the office. The office shares the same entrance as the Social Services Office.

The Field station in Siljansfors

Our field station is located in the southern part of the experimental forest, about 18 km southwest of Mora, along the road E45 towards Vansbro/Malung. The entrance to the field station is signposted "Banvaktstugan", about 500 meters south of the Forestry Museum's parking area. The field station is situated next to the disused railway, about 500 meters from the E45.

The Experimental Forest

The experimental forest is an estate of 1,610 hectares located 18 km southwest of Mora, owned by Stora Enso AB. Through long-term agreements with SLU dating back to 1921, the area can be used primarily for field research.

Facts

• Total area: 1,610 hectares
• Forest land: 1,403 hectares
• Tree species distributon: 60% Scots pine, 35% Norway spruce, 5% deciduos species
• Latitude: 60°52' – 60°55' N
• Longitude: 14°19' – 14°25' E
• Elevation above sea level: 210 – 425 meters
• Highest coastline: 210 meters above sea level

Research

Research at the Siljansfors Experimental Forest is primarily conducted as field experiments. The station supports researchers with the establishment, inventory, sampling, maintenance, management and administration of long-term forest field experiments.

The station is responsible for approximately 400 experiments in total, covering around 600 sample plots in 250 experiments within Siljansfors Experimental Forest, and an additional 150 experiments spread across private and corporate land throughout central Sweden.

The experimental activities at Siljansfors mainly focus on studying:

• various forms of pre-commercial and commercial thinning and their impact on yield and wood quality,
• different methods of harvesting and regeneration, such as selection cutting, shelterwood systems, and seed-tree regeneration,
• forest cultivation using seedlings of different geographic origins, tree species, and genetically improved stock,
• the effects of forestry practices on soil water, including runoff, water quality, and groundwater levels,
• soil productivity following whole-tree harvesting and fertilization.

Outreach

Knowledge dissemination is a core mission for the university and, by extension, the experimental forest. The focus is on three groups: forestry education programs, the forestry industry, and the general public. The experimental forest hosts about 20 forestry excursions annually. Participants include students, forest owners, forestry companies, authorities, and non-governmental associations. University students, and local high schools are frequent visitors to Siljansfors, where both scientific field trial plots and educational demonstration areas are featured during visits. Several informative and well-maintained forest trails are frequented by elementary school students as well as preschool children.

Excursions and field teaching

Forestry education programs at SLU, such as the Forestry Bachelor’s and Master's programs and the Forest Technician School, along with several external agricultural high schools, are frequent visitors to Siljansfors. Other departments covering a wide range of subjects also utilize the practical and educational opportunities available in the experimental forest. Visits may include field courses, excursions, and demonstration experiments.

Active forestry professionals, both from companies and private owners, are often the target audience for excursions. It is important that the latest findings reach those who can implement them. Courses, continuing education, and conferences are often held in the Milan conference hall, with the surrounding experimental forest serving as a training ground. Organizers include forestry companies, associations, authorities, and research programs. Siljansfors Experimental Forest acts as the main organizer, co-organizer, or sometimes simply as the host. Excursions are arranged both within and outside the experimental forest.

Forest trails

The general public is encouraged to spend time outdoors and enjoy everything the forest has to offer. The experimental forest maintains well-kept nature trails to enable this in an orderly manner. Several trails are marked with informational signs. In our Arboretum, visitors can experience around 70 tree species within a single forest area. A map and species list are available, and each species is labeled with an information board. Siljansfors Experimental Forest actively participates in the Siljansfors Forestry Museum. Several schools, preschools, non-governmental associations, and others have had positive experiences during their visits to Siljansfors Experimental Forest.

Environmental monitoring

Climate monitoring

Climate has been monitored at the experimental forest since its inception in 1921. This provides researchers with comprehensive climate data as long-term data series, which can be included as an environmental factor in any research conducted in the experimental forest. These historical series are increasingly valuable in addressing the highly relevant issues of climate change. Today, the measurements are made automatically by a digital reference station, which is part of the unit’s network spanning several experimental forests. Continuous measurements are taken of air temperature at two heights, soil temperature at two depths, precipitation, air humidity, global radiation, photosyntetically active radiation (since 2021), and wind speed and direction (since 2021).

Phenology

Experienced staff conducts weekly phenological observations and measurements. As part of a larger network, they aim to document and report the seasonal development of nature throughout the entire growing season.

Phenological cameras automatically document the seasonal changes in Siljansfors.

Water measurement

Five of the experimental forest’s thirteen permanent groundwater wells are measured twice a month throughout the year. The results are reported to the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) and represent the only site in the county contributing to their national groundwater forecasts.

The experimental forest includes a defined drainage area, Gusseltjärn, covering approximately 90 hectares. All runoff is channeled through a dam structure where the flow is continuously monitored.