Half a million for Naturarvet!

Naturarvet in November, as in all previous years, applied for a grant from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's annual call for funds to non-profit organizations. Imagine our surprise when we were informed that our application has been approved for the first time and half a million SEK in funding has been awarded. We are extremely happy about this, which means that another 5 ha old-growth forest can be preserved for all time.

The only fly in the ointment is that the application was for an amount of SEK 2 million. Normally, organizations are awarded 75% of the amount applied for. This year, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, due to the severe cut in funding for nature conservation in the autumn budget decided by the parliament, has only allocated 25% of the amount applied for to the organizations. So due to political decisions Naturarvet lost 1 million SEK, i.e. loss of 10 ha old-growth forest that can be protected forever.

We hope that we will continue to be the recipients of this government support in future years and that future government budgets will take seriously the need to protect Sweden's last old-growth forests as a preserver of red-listed species and a protector of the climate.