Closing the policy-practice gap: What shapes forest owners' intentions to apply alternative harvesting methods?

Efforts to enhance forest biodiversity, climate resilience, and multifunctionality have renewed interest in harvesting methods that complement or replace clear-felling. In countries such as Sweden, where clear-felling remains dominant, understanding the behavioural mechanisms shaping forest owners' harvesting intentions is essential for guiding policy change. This study applies the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to examine the relative importance of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control in explaining Swedish private forest owners' intentions to apply clear-felling and alternative harvesting methods. Using survey data from 3095 respondents and structural equation modelling (SEM), we find that attitudes and perceived behavioural control are the strongest predictors of harvesting intentions, while subjective norms were not significant predictors in the models. Together, these factors explain a large share of the variance in harvesting intentions (R² = 0.51–0.62). Complementary multiple linear regression analyses show that past experiences, professional advice, and economic considerations substantially influence attitudes and perceived behavioural control, acting as both barriers and enablers of change. Although clear-felling remains economically and structurally favoured, forest owners report similar levels of intention to apply alternative harvesting methods, indicating an openness to diversifying harvesting practices in Sweden. Targeted policy interventions that combine financial incentives with advisory and peer-learning support are likely needed to translate these intentions into practice. The results highlight that the foundations for a more diversified and sustainable forestry are already emerging among private forest owners, if policy and advisory systems can effectively nurture and sustain this momentum.