STIFTELSEN SKOGSBRUKETS FORSKNINGSINSTITUT - SKOGFORSK

Their core work

Skogforsk is Sweden's national forestry research institute, focused on making forest management more productive, sustainable, and resilient. Their core work spans forest genetics and breeding — developing new tree genotypes adapted to climate change — as well as precision forestry technologies that improve wood supply chain efficiency. They also contribute to bioenergy research, particularly biomass gasification and solid biofuel production, connecting forest resources to the broader bioeconomy.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2016–2018), Skogforsk concentrated on forest genetic conservation and supply chain efficiency — preserving tree species diversity and optimizing wood logistics. From 2018 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward adaptive breeding, genomic selection, and climate-resilient genotypes (B4EST), while also branching into bioenergy applications like gasification and biofuel production. This trajectory shows a move from conserving what exists to engineering what forests need to become under climate pressure, with a growing connection to the energy sector.

Skogforsk is moving toward climate-adaptive forestry and biomass valorization — expect them to pursue projects at the intersection of forest genomics and bioeconomy.

How they like to work

Skogforsk operates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator, which is typical for a specialized applied research institute contributing deep domain expertise rather than managing large projects. With 99 unique partners across 28 countries in just 7 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia and are clearly comfortable in international, multi-disciplinary teams. Their broad partner network suggests they are well-connected but not locked into a small circle — they bring forestry expertise wherever it's needed.

Skogforsk has collaborated with 99 distinct partners across 28 countries, an unusually wide network for just 7 projects. This reflects participation in large pan-European forestry and bioeconomy consortia, with reach extending into Africa through the SteamBioAfrica project.

What sets them apart

Skogforsk occupies a rare position as a national-level applied forestry research institute that bridges pure genetics research with operational forest management — few organizations can work on genomic selection AND wood supply chain optimization. Their involvement in both bioenergy projects (gasification, solid biofuel) and tree breeding means they understand forests from seed to energy output. For consortium builders, they offer a credible Swedish partner with deep forestry credentials and an established reputation across European research networks.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EFFORTE
  Largest single grant (EUR 714K) — focused on precision planning for cost-competitive and environmentally sustainable forestry.
• B4EST
  Core to their evolution — adaptive tree breeding under climate change using genomic selection, with EUR 567K funding and strong keyword density.
• SteamBioAfrica
  Unusual geographic reach for a Swedish forestry institute — applying biomass processing expertise to bush encroachment problems in Southern Africa.