Authors: Jonsson, Bengt Gunnar; Angelstam, Per;Bubnicki, Jakub W.;Mikusinski, Grzegorz;Svensson, Johan;

The European Union’s last large intact forest landscapes occur along the Scandinavian Mountain range in Sweden with 2.5 million hectares boreal to sub-alpine forests. Harboring a high proportion of well connected natural forests, it represent a region with unique opportunities for conservation of biodiversity, maintained ecological integrity and rural development based on multiple value chains. Additionally, it represent a core dispersal source for many species currently threatened in the strongly fragmented landscape east of the mountain range. With wall-to-wall land-cover data, we explored opportunities for maintaining intact forest landscape values through regional spatial planning. The area includes a high proportion of protected high conservation value forests, covering almost 2 million ha, but additionally over 500,000 ha remains unprotected. Of the unprotected area, non-industrial private landowners own more than 40% in more than 40.000 individual holdings – representing a major planning challenge. The area is also part of Sapmi, the traditional land of the indigenous Sami people, and critical for their reindeer husbandry. Our results provide input into ongoing policy implementation and green infrastructure planning in the context of securing intact forest values and integrative opportunities for rural livelihood.