The forest – from passive resource to active threat

Photo: Patrik Eriksson

Tell us briefly about the prototype. What questions are you exploring through your future prototype?

- I Polemocenen – Man's War with the Forest explores what it could mean if the forest is no longer a passive resource but an actor that fights back.

The project takes its starting point from the current model of forestry – characterized by expansion, increased yields and technological innovation – and the contradictions that arise between production goals and ecological and social values. The forest is often considered a controllable resource, but we underestimate its power to respond to human intervention. Everything from invasive species to geological changes and system collapse can be seen as expressions of this resistance.

Photo: Patrik Eriksson 

Who are you trying to reach?

- The project is aimed at actors across the entire forest value chain: from industry and forest owners, authorities and decision-makers to academia, civil society and the general public. The goal is to create reflection, dialogue and new opportunities for action for the future forest value chain by challenging fundamental beliefs about the forest, and who it is really for.

How is the prototype designed? And how have your target groups been able to interact with the prototype?

The prototype is a physical exhibition where the visitor steps into the role of a member of the Expert Committee on Controversial Issues (ECPA). The year is 2052 and the mission is to strengthen global decision-making in a time when the relationship between humans and forests has radically changed. The visitor steps into an observation room and takes in objects, voices and stories collected from a changed Sweden. By filling out an observation protocol with reflections and recommendations, the visitor becomes an active part of the fictional decision-making process. This interaction also gives us valuable new perspectives.

Read more about the exhibition at the Röhsska Museum here: People, materials and forests - Röhsska Museum

Photo: Patrik Eriksson 

What thoughts and feelings has the prototype aroused in the target group?

- Many visitors state that they experienced anxiety and sadness, but also feelings such as curiosity and a will to act. Many highlight the need to act preventively and to question prevailing system logics. Here are some voices from the observation protocols:

"We need to stop and see that the forest is an existence of its own, not that it is there for us to exploit."
 
“Global cooperation is required - courageous politicians. They are conspicuous by their absence.”
 
"[It requires] gathering strength and cooperation - even with actors beyond those who work with forest issues, health, well-being, security, etc."
 
"We have devastated and taken out more than we have put back. Together with climate change, the forest has changed & disappeared at an ever faster rate, which has affected the entire ecosystem and had consequences far beyond the forest."

What are your plans for the prototype going forward?

- We plan to make the Polemocene digitally accessible via documentation, images and film. Our hope is that the future prototype will continue to inspire new perspectives – in both research, management and societal debate.

Read more on the project page here: The Polemocene – Man's War with the Forest
Thank you very much Laszlo!

Read more about Vinnova's transformation journey for a sustainable forest value chain