ABSTRACT
The forest arena, with resources, benefits, actors, organizations, and associated ways of knowing, ways of doing and motivations, is a vital part of Swedish society. Despite diverse competing claims and interests, at various times sets of implicit and explicit agreements and game rules have been formed. Such 'forest social contracts' cover what are seen as the main challenges, what are agreed as the best ways of knowing and doing, and what the common direction should be. Moreover, in the long run forest social contracts tend to stagnate and impede society's capacity to change and adapt to ongoing transitions, thereby eroding sustainability. Understandings become obvious; coalitions of involved actors become cosy and informal; and ways of knowing and doing become routine. Thus, even in periods when a specific forest social contract dominates the forest arena, transtemporal thinking and reflexivity are important.
