Mar 27, 2009. /Lesprom Network/. Swedish forest owners still wait and see before starting final felling. During the first two months of this year the reported area of planned felling has decreased by more than one third compared to the same period last year. This trend started already last autumn, as The Nordic Forest Owners' Associations informed Lesprom Network. Preliminary statistics indicate that the reported area of planned felling decreased by more than one third, from 37,900 to 24,180 hectares, compared to the same period last year. The Swedish Forest Agency said that felling areas have decreased in all parts of the country. Reported felling areas clearly decreased already during the second half of 2008, as compared to the autumn 2007 and the trend continues this year. In general more final felling plans are reported in the autumn than in the spring. This is due to the fact that winter is the most popular season for felling in Nordic countries, thanks to the frost. Reported felling plans give an indication of how real felling will develop. Because of the economic downturn the wood processing industry purchases less timber, which in turn results in reduced felling. In 2007 aggregate felling in Sweden was 96.7 million cubic metres. In 2008 the corresponding figure was only 85 million cubic metres.