The Swedish Forest Agency has filed a report to the police regarding felling of forest in Hälsingland 2019 that was conducted by former Siljan Skog. The report came to Bergkvist Siljans knowledge recently and an internal investigation was started immediately.

All felling of forest shall be notified to the Swedish Forest Agency according to the Swedish Forestry Act. If the forest owner or the buyer of the felling right has not received feedback within 6 weeks the felling can begin. The felling in question was conducted without any such notification had been sent. The contract was signed in 2018 and the felling was done in 2019. A half year later Siljan Skog was reorganized as part of the creation of the Bergkvist Siljan Group.

• To report a felling is a standard procedure and very important part in a raw material company within the forest-industry. It’s part of a process that contributes to a sustainable forestry – one of the pillars in Bergkvist Siljans operation. We take this very seriously, says Katarina Mowitz, CEO for raw material company Bergkvist Siljan Skog

An internal investigation was started immediately when the police report became known. The former management team of Bergkvist Siljan may have to be involved in the investigation, since the felling, from contract to execution, was done before the reorganization.

• We need to know where in our routines we have failed, and secure that it has not happened on other occasions in the previous operations. Flaws in previous routines may contribute to improvements in our operations going forward, says Katarina Mowitz