Södra takes the next step in their AI strategy — strengthening their ability to meet growing demands placed on forests. “We aim to create both profitability and value for our members, while also contributing to the climate transition and safeguarding biodiversity in our forests. We’ll need to raise the bar even higher — and we look forward to doing that together,” Lotta Lyrå, CEO at Södra, stated about the partnership with Terra Labs.

Investing in advanced technology to increase precision

Precision has become critical in forestry as expectations on what forests should deliver intensifies. Södra considers AI a cornerstone for transforming how forest resources are managed. “We want to combine active forestry with high ambitions for both conservation and growth. We believe technology is key to optimizing the forest’s role,” Lotta explained. “At Södra, we’re driven by the goal of being the best choice for forest owners and creating as much value as possible from every tree. Our partnership with Terra Labs — and what they bring to the table — supports us and truly makes a difference on that journey.”

Optimizing forest planning with automated data

The first focus of the partnership with Terra Labs has been improving the planning process — making it both more efficient and strategic. “We want to move more toward the advisory side of forest planning — doing less manual measuring, and focusing more on forest structure and management actions,” Jakob Waldén, Process Developer at Södra, reasoned. “Our goal is to have continuously updated forest management plans that live forever.”

Powering their planners app with consistent, high-quality inventory data is making this paradigm shift possible. “We’re starting to gain access to tools that truly support our planners,” Jonas Svensson, Product Owner at Södra, said. “Now we can automatically provide data in ways that simply weren’t possible before.”

Taking the leap of faith to minimize manual data collection is dependent on access to data you can actually trust. “I was struck by how much better the quality was compared to the remote sensing data we’re used to. It’s simply on another level thanks to Terra Labs. Many of our planners noticed this right away and were eager to start using it,” Jakob said.

Strengthening human expertise with AI to create wide impact

Södra’s AI strategy is not just about automation — it’s about amplifying human expertise. “At Södra, we’re working on a major transformation in general — embracing advanced analytics and AI. I’m convinced it will affect everyone here. No one at Södra will work without AI support — whether in the forest or in the industry,” Lotta reasoned. 

For planning teams, AI means more time spent on strategic sustainable management – where human impact matters most. “From spending much of our time measuring in the field, we’re now focusing on identifying suitable conservation areas and places with ecological and social value,” said Rasmus Pettersson, Plan leader at Södra.

This shift is also transforming how Södra serves its members. “With more reliable data, we can spend more time on things like conservation work and dialogue with landowners — creating the special plans they want and better aligning with their goals,” Mimmi Nilsson, Planner at Södra, explained.

By merging advanced technology with human insight, Södra is positioning itself — and its members — at the forefront of data-driven forest management. The partnership with Terra Labs marks a strategic leap forward: one that balances profitability, climate responsibility, and biodiversity protection.