Mats Karström

Mats Karström is both a biologist and upper-secondary school teacher. For almost 40 years, he has increased awareness and knowledge about the biological values in forests in northern
Sweden.

Mats Karström became an active member of Nature and Youth Sweden in his early teens, and in 1980, he graduated from Stockholm University with a degree in biology and earth sciences. In 1986, Mats Karström moved to Vuollerim in northern Sweden where, alongside his teaching job, he led excursions for documenting the natural values in forests. In addition, he founded the forest-focused group, Steget Före (One Step Ahead).

He pioneered using red-listed species in nature conservation work, and developed an inventory methodology based on value pyramids as well as indicator and signal species. This has since been integrated into the Swedish nature conservation inventory.
His dedication has contributed to the protection of more than 100 forests. He is an honorary member of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and he has received the SLU Swedish Species Information Centre’s conservation prize and the World Wildlife Fund’s biodiversity prize.

Mats Karström’s unique teaching skills and enthusiasm are appreciated by SLU students as well as the many Swedish and international researchers he has helped collect data from the forests around Vuollerim in Swedish Lapland. He has inspired many to pursue studies at SLU to learn more about forests and biodiversity.

Press photo

Portrait of Mats Karström
Photo: Ola Jennersten/N