The Nordic countries have extensive forests with large and growing tree biomass that captures substantial amounts of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2). Nordic forests also play a key role for biodiversity, containing a wide range of complex ecosystems which are habitats for more than half of all known native species and almost half of all threatened species in Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Forests also provide important recreational opportunities for people in the Nordic countries and supply the basis for the economically important forest sector.