Sustainable use of land and water

The research theme

Natural areas are of crucial importance for outdoor life in Sweden, as well as for activities in the borderland between sports and outdoor life – such as orienteering. While spending time in nature is important for our well-being, health and environmental commitment, it risks having a negative impact on other species and their habitats. Effects that could be irreversible.

A lack of knowledge base

There is a lack of knowledge about sports and outdoor recreation as an area of interest for the overall planning and management of land and water in Sweden. In addition, planning takes place at different scale levels – national, regional and local – and it is a difficulty to establish functioning links between these levels.

Different physical conditions in different areas

The land and water requirements for sports and outdoor recreation apply to both areas that can be used on a daily basis, such as urban environments, as well as areas that are used at a longer distance from the everyday environment for stays during longer holidays. for example, marine and coastal environments or mountain environments. Therefore, it is important to be able to work with planning and management with different visitor groups and in different geographical areas with different physical conditions.

Analyze the effects of negative influences

We wanted to expand the knowledge base in sports and outdoor life in physical planning and in decisions concerning the management of land and water. It was about questions such as; What are the ecological effects of sports and outdoor recreation? How can spatial planning help to reduce the negative impact, and at the same time increase participation in nature stays in all population groups? What impact do new forms of use have on soil and water?

Deepen knowledge of sports and outdoor life

Together with actors in physical planning and management, we developed processes and forms to introduce and include knowledge about sports and outdoor life. We also wanted to contribute to improving the links between different scales in spatial planning, as well as taking health and equity issues and social cohesion into account.

By developing knowledge about physical and ecological impacts, and at the same time increasing knowledge about the possibilities of different planning and management solutions from a holistic perspective, our work contributes to strengthening the conditions for a more sustainable development!

Result

Read about the theme's results in the final report on Mistra Sport & Outdoors phase 1 (pdf)

Read about the theme in Mistra Sport & Outdoor's final popular science report (pdf) in Swedish

Research group

• Marie Stenseke, theme leader, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Gothenburg
• Sara Borgström, Deputy Theme Director, Associate Professor in Sustainable Urban Development at the Royal Institute of Technology
• Sandra Wall-Reinius, Deputy Theme Leader, Associate Professor of Human Geography at Mid Sweden University
• Erik Andersson, Professor of Science for Sustainable Development at Stockholm University
• Rosemarie Ankre, PhD in Spatial Planning at Mid Sweden University
• Olga Milinchuk, PhD in Tourism Studies at Mid Sweden University
• Peter Fredman, Professor of Tourism Studies at Mid Sweden University
• Andreas Skriver Hansen, assistant Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Gothenburg
• Axel Eriksson, PhD student (now PhD) in Tourism Studies at Mid Sweden University
• Oskar Abrahamsson, PhD student in Human Geography at the University of Gothenburg
• Kristin Malmcrona Friberg, PhD student in strategic sustainability studies at the Royal Institute of Technology and the Stockholm Resilience Centre
• Oscar Jacobsson, Postdoctoral Fellow in Human Geography at the University of Gothenburg
• Amin Rastandeh, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Royal Institute of Technology

Learning groups

In the theme Sustainable use of land and water , there were four learning groups. A national learning group, one that focused on the coastal landscape, one that focused on the mountain landscape and one that focused on peri-urban (peri-urban) environment.

The learning groups worked to develop knowledge and solutions within the following questions:

How can we manage the environmental impact of sports and outdoor life on land and water environments in planning and management?  

• How do sports and outdoor recreation facilities and activities affect soil and water environments in different landscapes?
• How can environmental impact be managed in relation to the need for accessibility and shared use of land and water environments in different landscapes? 

The National Learning Group consisted of the following actors:

• The Swedish Sports Confederation, Jonnie Nordensky
• Orienteering Federation, Joacim Ingelsson
• The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Sanja Kuruzovic and Camilla Näsström
• The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Hannah Wallin
• Swedish Association of Outdoor Organisations, Elisabeth Rytterström
• Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, Maria Åslund
• LRF, Angelica Billevik
• Swedish Forest Agency, Mattias Sandberg
• Researchers: Dimitri Ioannides and Cecilia de Bernardi, Mid Sweden University and Marie Stenseke University of Gothenburg
• Facilitator: Åsa Sund

The mountain landscape learning group consisted of the following actors: 

• The Swedish Sports Confederation, Anna Ottosson Blixt
• County Administrative Board of Jämtland, Annica Ideström and Katharina Amundsson
• Berg Municipality, Malin Bernhardsson
• Åre Municipality, Maria Gyllner and Natasha Skott
• Swedish Tourist Association, Maria Persson
• Researchers: Sandra Wall-Reinius, Rosemarie Ankre and Axel Eriksson, Mid Sweden University
• Facilitator: Åsa Sund  

The learning group Coastal Landscape consisted of the following actors:

• Swedish Canoe Association, Jonas Forsmark and Eiler Jansson
• Friluftsfrämjandet, Hans Rengman
• The West Coast Foundation, Linus Kron
• City of Gothenburg, Urban Environment Administration, Ingela Gustafsson and Helena Engvall
• City of Gothenburg, Sports and Associations Administration, Martina Persson
• Kungälv Municipality, Andreas Dahlqvist
• County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland, Marja Nordin
• Researchers: Marie Stenseke, Oskar Abrahamsson and Oscar Jacobsson, University of   Gothenburg

The Peri-Urban learning group consisted of the following actors:

• Friluftsfrämjandet Region Mälardalen, Ylva Schöldberg
• Järfälla municipality, Erik Håff and Peder Curman
• LRF Mälardalen, Håkan Lindström
• County Administrative Board of Stockholm, Kristin Ekblom
• Region Stockholm, Elisabeth Mårell
• Swedish Sports Confederation/SISU, Pasi Rosenqvist
• STERF, Maria Strandberg
• City of Stockholm, Helene Pettersson
• Swedish Equestrian Federation, Elin Gustavson
• Researchers: Sara Borgström, Kristin Malmcrona Friborg, Amin Rastandeh and Anja Moum Rieser, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Erik Andersson, Stockholm University
• Facilitator: Karin Svärd Hertel