Anne-Maarit Hekkala

My research interests fall broadly on biodiversity, conservation and restoration of boreal forests. My main research questions have been how different forest restoration and alternative forest management methods that resemble natural disturbances (forest fire, small-scale storm damage, gap-cutting, uneven-age management), can affect biodiversity in short- and long-term. To study these questions, I have used deadwood-dependent beetles and flat bugs (Heteroptera), bark beetles, pollinators, polypores, forest floor vegetation and tree stand structure as study objects. I also work on questions related to measures of biodiversity, how to best recognize forest stands that should be conserved and what are the best proxies of biodiversity

I lead several large research projects aimed at understanding and strengthening biodiversity in boreal forest landscapes. At the center is the Ecopark Project, where we investigate how large, multifunctional landscapes—Sveaskog’s Ecoparks—can serve as model areas for combining conservation, recreation, and timber production. Within the project, we study biodiversity in nine large (several thousand ha) forest landscapes across Sweden and track long-term changes in insects, birds, bats, vegetation, and forest structure. The project builds on long-term biodiversity monitoring (Effekt20, 2010–2033) and provides a unique research infrastructure for studying forest restoration and landscape management.

In a Formas-funded project, we examine ecological networks of deadwood-dependent organisms and pollinators, with a particular focus on how different restoration measures—such as prescribed burning and gap-cutting—affect species interactions. We use both classical field methods and molecular tools, for example DNA analyses of fungal communities from sawdust collected from dead wood.

Another ongoing doctoral project, funded by the Swedish Forest Damage Center, focuses on continuous-cover forestry and its effects on biodiversity, bark beetle damage, the natural enemies of bark beetles, and browsing by ungulates. We investigate the relationships among management methods, wildlife density, browsing pressure and forage availability, and forest damage, with the goal of finding a balance between timber production and biodiversity conservation.

My research is highly applied and carried out in close collaboration with stakeholders such as Sveaskog, Stora Enso, Holmen, SCA, and Boliden. Through continuous dialogue and joint field experiments, we strive to integrate research results into practical forestry.

Course leader in Ecosystem restoration and rewilding 

Teacher in several other courses

Main supervisor of PhD-students:

2025-2029 Thomas van Schaik/N.N.(open position) (Broadleafification, Birds, Bats and Beetles) Lamms Minne+ Skogssällskapet

2023-2027 Ida Rönnqvist (Can continuous cover forestry reduce the risk of damage by forest pests and browsing ungulates?) Forest damage Center+SLU

Finalized: 2019-2025 Paulina Bergmark (From dead trees to landscapes: the fole of multifunctional landscapes in supprting deadwood-dependent biodiversity).

Co-supervisor of PhD-students:

FInalized: 2019-2024 Olov Tranberg (Habitat on the move: translocation of deadwood and associated species as a novel conservation tool)

2022-2026 Joseph Anderson (Effects of ungulate browsing and grazing on forest biodiversity- evaluating the intermediate disturbance hypothesis in boreal forest ecosystems)

2022-2026 Jaime Luna (The biodiversity implications of short-rotation broadleaved trees), SLU Alnarp.

2023-2027 Lydwin Wagenaar (Rewilding and restoration in landscapes.)  University of Lund.

Postdocs:

2025-2027         Laura Juvany Canovas. 2 yrs Biodiversity and CCF (Formas)

2025-2027         Maria Faticov. 2 yrs. Networks of insects and fungi in deadwood (Formas)

2024-2026         Emelie Fredriksson 2 yrs. Fire in Ecopark Ejheden (Sveaskog). 

2023-2025         Nolan Rappa 2 yrs. Pollinators in boreal forests (Formas).

2023-2025        Alwin Hardenbol 2 yrs. Co-host. Evaluation of the effectiveness of retention forestry for conservation of biodiversity. (Stora Enso)

2022-2024         Post-doc Faith Jones 2 yrs. Co-host. Development of Key Performance Indicators for biodiversity in production forest landscapes. (Stora Enso)

2019-2021         Post-doc Antonio Rodrigues 2 yrs. Co-host. Burn for biodiversity. (Tryggers Foundation)