Forestry is an industry that has a long perspective - investments made today will give a return in 70-80 years. With the current focus on climate change and national targets for sharp cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, forests are often seen as natural processes that bind CO2 regardless of what the landowner does. The reason why we now want to nominate a large forest owner in the municipality for the climate award is to show that long-term management of forests is important in relation to building up raw materials for the wood processing industry and for sequestering carbon dioxide in biomass, both above and below ground.
Hafsrød farm consists of 35.500 daa, of which 26.343 daa is productive forest land, and is thus one of the largest forest properties in Østfold. Over the last 20 years, standing volume in the forest has increased by 50%, which corresponds to a binding of 273.761 tonnes of CO2 equivalents, and then the build-up of biomass underground is not included (27%). In the same period, approximately 45.000 m3 have been felled, with 40-50% ending up as timber in permanent constructions. In 2018, 23.153 tonnes of CO2 equivalents will be bound annually in the forest on the property. In comparison, the total emissions in Halden are 84.212 tonnes of CO2 equivalents. This shows how great potential there is in tending the forest well over a long period of time. The owners of Hafsrød gård started the work of caring for the forest early, and if we are to be able to meet the goals of a 60% cut by 2050, we are dependent on more people managing the forest so that we can quickly build up CO2 reserves in forests in anticipation of alternative energy solutions.
We therefore want to promote a farm where, through several generations, significant resources have been invested to build up the forest and thereby bind CO2. If we manage to bring out more active forest owners and increase efforts in the forests, it will be crucial for whether we succeed in creating the zero-emission society sometime in the future.

Harald N. Østvik, head of environment and agriculture, Halden municipalty