stimated figures reveals that, in Sweden, approximately 500 000 tonnes per year of wood ashes are beeing produced and deposited. These figures are steadily increasing. At the same time research programmes concerning recycling of ashes to different forest ecosystems are performed. Ecological aspects has been monitored by the forestry group at Lund University , while the responsabilities for studies concerning the logistic aspects rests upon the National Board of Forestry. 

shes from burning pure biomass from forestry consists of elements taken up during the lifespan of the trees and, logically, should be recycled to counteract nutrient depletion of forest soils. All people, if ever in contact with such ashes, could verify that the task isn´t easy to fulfill. 

he ash needs to be pretreated before application to counteract drastic and rapid turning of the forest soil chemistry. Several Swedish research institues are currently working in this field as well as private companies. One of these, RENOMA, has solved the technical problems and offers mobile or stationary solutions for making ashes spreadable in the forest at a lower cost than the current alternative, deposits. 

f the ashes are fulfilling the chemical standards put up by the National Board of Forestry and all other aspects e.g. physical standards the soil chemical reactions to be expected should be: lowered acidity, increased soil-pH, improved buffering capacity (mainly due to calcium and magnesia), higher amounts of plant available potassium and phosphorous, lowered plant available amounts of several heavy metals and finally increased numbers of several species of earth worms. This might not be enough to increase the production of forest biomass (since no nitrogen is being spread), but instead healthier, more vital forest ecosystems that could withstand future pulses of acid rain, thus maintaining the longterm forest productivity.