The Photographer Who Gives the Ancient Forest a Voice

The Photographer Who Gives the Ancient Forest a Voice

Perhaps you’ve noticed some incredibly beautiful nature photos of different species and old-growth forest in Naturarvet’s social media feed? Photographer Rolf Segerstedt, among others, is the one behind them. He supports Naturarvet’s work, not only by purchasing forest plots, but also by allowing Naturarvet to use his fantastic photos.

For nature photographer and journalist Rolf Segerstedt, the forest has always been an integral part of his life. As a child, he went hiking and fishing with his father. As a teenager, he began taking photos with an SLR camera, and birds in particular became a major interest of his. Since then, his camera has accompanied him throughout his life as a journalist, author, and nature photographer.

A Ravaged Landscape

Rolf was born in Skellefteå and has worked as a journalist for several local newspapers in northern Sweden. A move to Stockholm gave him the opportunity to work for Dagens Nyheter and later also for the magazine Land, where he became editor of the magazine’s forestry section. When the family eventually returned north to Umeå, he began visiting the local forests more and more often. His encounter with the Swedish forest landscape left him troubled.

“It was a ravaged landscape. The areas that were supposed to be set aside for conservation turned out to have been logged anyway,” Rolf says.

Rolf began writing about Sweden’s forests. Features on the forest landscape, eco-parks, knowledge parks, and Swedish forestry were published in *Land*. But Rolf was concerned about the state of affairs and wanted to write more. This resulted in the book *A Cry of Warning Over the Clear-Cut Lands*, which was a mix of reporting and debate. The book was considered controversial and met with resistance, but Rolf decided to stand by his position.

– I started to get annoyed. But then I thought maybe I should turn it around and focus on the positive. What do I like about the forest?

The result was yet another book— *Skogslycka*—which in many ways was the opposite of the first. It contains diary entries, numerous nature photographs, and a story about experiences in nature, wildlife, and letting the forest be a forest. Rolf also helps the reader reconnect with the wild.

“The book includes, among other things, ten tips on how to increase your chances of seeing wildlife,” he reveals.

For a birdwatcher and nature photographer, it’s not just about being in the right place. It’s about understanding the animals, reading the landscape, and adjusting our own behavior when we’re out in nature.

Photos that have become part of the Natural Heritage story

Rolf is a member of Naturfotograferna/N, an organization founded in the 1960s with about 130 members who share a passion for photography and a commitment to nature and the environment. An important part of the association’s history is to preserve authentic nature photography and use photography to inspire a commitment to nature. The association’s exhibition, “Simplicity and Diversity,” was recently on display in Stockholm and will go on tour next year. For Rolf, photography is more than just a way to document what he sees. A photograph can also spark debate and make a difference—just as the exhibition is intended to do.

The first time Rolf heard about Naturarvet was through his friend Peter on Gräsö, in Uppsala County, who had been a “ forest patron ” (monthly donor to Naturarvet) for many years. When Rolf visited Naturarvet’s Söderboda old-growth forest on Gräsö together with his friend, he became aware of Naturarvet’s work. So Rolf decided to earmark some forest plots for Naturarvet’s Ullersjöbäcken project old-growth forest using part of the proceeds from his books. His goal was to help preserve old-growth forest through Naturarvet. A few posts from Söderboda’s old-growth forest on Instagram caught the attention of Naturarvet, and he was asked if he’d like to contribute some of his photos.

“If the photos spark interest in others, I want to use every channel available. It feels good to share the photos with Naturarvet for them to use,” he says.

In this way, Rolf’s photos have become part of Naturarvet’s stories about the old-growth forests that are being protected for the future. And Rolf himself has discovered just how amazing Naturarvet’s forests are. A visit with his wife Ann-Mari to the Ullersjöbäcken old-growth forest in Jämtland this Midsummer reminds Rolf of a sky that was completely dark with all the gnats that had come to life. But the visit still provided an unexpected and fantastic reward.

“The first thing we saw when we entered the forest was a three-toed woodpecker. That money we donated to the forest conservation program felt like a total win for us. For a nature photographer and birdwatcher, it’s hard to get a better confirmation that you’ve ended up in the right place,” says Rolf.

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Others who support us with photos include Pia Edfors, an expert on the Naturarvet Advisory Board, and the artist Mikael Sunnerstrand. If you’d like to contribute photos, help us with our forest inventory, or otherwise serve as our eyes and ears across the country, please feel free to contact us at info@naturarvet.se.