Urban Bergsten has held the position of professor in forest regeneration at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) since 1999 and lecturer in silviculture since 1993.
Functional silviculture
Today, the use of forest entails taking into account many societal interests and business opportunities. Silviculture must be sustainable for the sake of conventional forestry, other forest land users and, not least, society at large. A more functional silviculture is required when many needs have to be met. In order to achieve this, new, cost effective silviculture methods are required.
Reduce dependency on fossil raw materials
Urban will develop scientific bases for methodology and technology for the provision of cost effective, sustainable silviculture. The forest's value chain, at present and for 20 years to come, forms the basis for this work. Urban will be paying special attention to the forest's capacity to reduce dependency of fossil raw materials in different consumer products, as well as the synergy effect of the cooperation between the various land users.