Private forest owners’ management decisions significantly impact the development of forest values in Sweden. This study explored the potential to develop environmental values on privately owned land in southern Sweden. Data were collected through interviews with 23 forest owners and analyzed with semantic  content analysis.  The interviewees  owned estates  of productive, predominantly coniferous forest ranging in size from 10–825 ha. They were aged 36–84, and 26% were female. Results showed that  there  is  considerable  potential  to  develop  environmental  values  on  private  land  since  1)  Forest owners   demonstrated   multi-functional   views   of   primarily   social   and   emotional   dimensions surrounding  forest  ownership,  and  the  mindset  of  combining  goals  enables  many  different  values to  be  developed,  2)  Desired  management  showed  numerous  ideas  that  could  bring  a  diversity  of benefits,  and  3)  Practical  management  included  various  production-favoring  measures,  but  even more   for   environmental,   social,   cultural,   and   emotional   purposes   that,   largely   unnoted,   bring environmental  conservation  benefits.  All  forest  owners  perceived  barriers  to  management  and ownership,  categorized  primarily  to  structural  or  surrounding  society  factors.  Financial  incentives, policies   encouraging   forest   owners’   initiatives,   an   adequate   supply   of   resources   and   sound management  advice  are  suggested  measures  to  reduce  barriers  and  facilitate  the  development  of environmental  values.