LANDPATHS

Citizens’ jury in Voxnadalen: residents’ priorities for municipally-owned forests

1 October 2025 /

In autumn 2024, 22 residents from Ljusdal, Ovanåker, and Bollnäs gathered to discuss the future of municipally-owned forests within the Voxnadalen Biosphere Reserve. Their task was to weigh the many values of the forest and recommend how these should be prioritized and managed. The result is an important indicator of how local citizens view forests and forestry, as well as democratic processes in landscape management.

Participants listen to presentations. Photo: Judith Lundberg-Felten

Broad participation

The citizens’ jury, which took place over two days in Alfta, Ovanåker municipality, was carried out through a stratified random selection from a pool of 5,000 invitees. The selection aimed to reflect the diversity of the population. Participants were compensated for their time and provided access to expert knowledge on the subject.

The central question guiding the jury’s work was:

Which of the forest’s various values should be prioritized in municipal forests, and how should they be managed to achieve these values?

Residents’ priorities: recreation, biodiversity, and identity

After discussions and knowledge-sharing, a majority of participants agreed that the municipality should primarily prioritize creating spaces for recreation, strengthening biodiversity, and preserving and developing regional identity in its forests.

Other important values highlighted included climate benefits, opportunities for berry and mushroom picking, consideration for future generations, tourism, and local employment. In contrast, economic values such as income, hunting, timber production, and raw materials for industry were generally deprioritized by most participants, though still considered important by some.

An especially interesting observation was that values linked to exploitation and the local economy increased in priority during the process, suggesting that discussion contributed to a more nuanced understanding among participants.

Visit to the forest. Photo: Johan Hammerlund

Opposition to clear-cutting and support for local benefits

After lectures and small-group discussions, the jury examined different forest management methods. A clear majority expressed opposition to clear-cutting in municipally-owned forests. There was also strong support for:

  • Timber from these forests being used locally
  • The proportion of protected forest increasing
  • Forests being made more accessible to residents
  • Municipalities testing new and innovative forestry methods

The jury emphasized the need to balance ecological, social, and economic goals in forest management. Forests are not seen merely as an economic resource, but also as a place for quality of life, ecosystem services, and cultural identity.

Lessons from the process

The jury’s work was evaluated both internally and by external stakeholders. The deliberative method proved capable of handling complex issues in a constructive and informed way. Politicians and officials particularly highlighted the breadth of perspectives contributed by the citizen’s jury, in contrast to more traditional consultation methods.

However, the method was considered resource-intensive, with a cost of about SEK 500,000, covering process management, participant recruitment, compensation, and more. At the same time, it was seen as valuable and with strong potential for application in other policy areas, especially where complex interests are at stake.

Carrying out the process within the framework of a biosphere reserve was judged to be crucial for both implementation and continued follow-up. The biosphere reserve’s networks, knowledge, and long-term perspective enabled broader anchoring of the jury’s results.

Participants in group discussions during the jury process

A shared vision for sustainable municipal forestry

As a conclusion, participants were asked to formulate individual visions for the future of Voxnadalen. These were compiled into a shared vision approved by the entire jury:

“n a future Voxnadalen and the wider areas of Ljusdal, Ovanåker, and Bollnäs, we create a sustainable and profitable relationship with forest resources, where all stakeholders are included.

The vision emphasizes that municipalities should encourage residents to spend time in the forest for greater well-being, arrange cultural events and activities in forest environments, increase self-sufficiency, and promote reuse and everyday experiences instead of consumption. Special focus was placed on moving parts of schooling into nature, where children can learn about the values of the forest and gain insights from those who have worked in it. Involving children and young people in responsible forestry was considered central to achieving a better balance between ecological, economic, and social values.

The report and process were carried out in collaboration with the Voxnadalen Biosphere Reserve and serve as an example of how UNESCO biosphere reserves can function as arenas for experimental and inclusive community development.

Download the report here (in Swedish):

Samtal om skogen – VoxnadalenDownload

Governing Multifunctional Coastal Landscapes: Lessons from Nämdö

9 September 2025 /

In the most recent issue of Ocean & Coastal Management, Charles Westerberg, Michael Gilek and Lucas Dawson from the LANDPATHS programme, together with Ralph Tafon from Södertörn University, published the article Governance challenges and opportunities for multifunctional marine and coastal landscapes: A comparative case study of Nämdö National Park and Nämdö Biosphere Reserve in Sweden.

The article examines governance challenges and opportunities in the Nämdö Archipelago outside of Stockholm, where two major environmental initiatives are being implemented in parallel: a National Park, led by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), and a Biosphere Reserve, initiated by a local NGO, Nämdö Green Archipelago.

Map of the Nämdö archipelago showing the proposed location for the Nämdö Biosphere Reserve (thick black line) and the Nämdö National Park (thin black line with dashed fill). The National Park will constitute the core area of the Biosphere Reserve. (This figure is taken from the article).

The study applied the Institutional Analysis and Development framework developed by Elinor Ostrom in combination with a systems perspective informed by interviews with residents, municipal officials, NGOs and national authorities. The objective was to understand how governance structures and institutional processes influence implementation outcomes in multifunctional marine and coastal landscapes.

The main findings from the study were:

  • The National Park process has been constrained by rigid institutional procedures, perceived limited inclusion of local knowledge and insufficient communication with residents. While the National Park offers strong legal protection, these features seemingly fostered mistrust and resistance at the local level.
  • The Biosphere Reserve initiative has generally been more positively received. Its flexible governance structure and consideration of local socioeconomic and cultural perspectives have strengthened legitimacy and local support. However, dependence on project-based funding and voluntary engagement creates uncertainty about its long-term sustainability.
  • Despite their differences, both models face common challenges in relation to resource mobilisation, political continuity and effective knowledge integration.

The findings suggest that neither governance model on its own is sufficient to address the complexity of multifunctional coastal landscapes. Instead, a hybrid governance approach which combines the enforcement capacity and institutional stability of National Parks with the participatory and adaptive strengths of Biosphere Reserves, may offer a more promising way forward.

For SEPA, this means exploring ways to introduce greater flexibility and inclusivity into National Park processes, while simultaneously ensuring stronger institutional support for, and collaboration with, local Biosphere Reserves. Doing so would improve alignment between international biodiversity commitments and local values and priorities.

On the water in the Nämdö archipelago. Photo: Charles Westerberg.

The Nämdö case illustrates that the success of marine and coastal governance depends on adaptive, inclusive and resourceful frameworks. We therefore recommend that SEPA draw on these findings in the ongoing development of the Nämdö National Park and in future conservation initiatives across Sweden’s marine and coastal landscapes.

Read the article in full here (Open Access): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107787

For more information, contact Charles Westerberg or Michael Gilek who work in the Marine and Coastal Landscapes subproject.

LANDPATHS at conferences down under

25 June 2025 /

Programme leader Malgorzata Blicharska (Gosia) is in Australia presenting LANDPATHS at two international conferences. While down under, she is also presenting work from the EU project NEXOGENESIS and Formas-funded project PUDDLE-JUMP, and promoting a new book.

First stop was Brisbane, for the 32nd International Congress for Conservation Biology 2025, hosted by the Society for Conservation Biology. Gosia presented the paper ‘Multiple understandings of multifunctional landscapes supporting biodiversity in Sweden’, co-authored with several members of the LANDPATHS team. The paper was presented in a session on Conservation Law and Policy, moderated by Helene Marsh (James Cook University).

Presenting at the ICCB conference in Brisbane.

While at ICCB, Gosia presented a poster on ‘Aligning policies and practice: addressing governance and capacity gaps in the implementation of ponds and wetlands in Sweden (results from the PUDDLE-JUMP project). She also organised a symposium on ‘Large and Old Trees – Ecological and Cultural Significance’. This is linked to an book on Large and Old Trees that Gosia is editing and which will be published soon. The symposium included presentations on: The decline of large old trees: threats, interactions, and conservation actions (Elle Bowd), Public safety considerations constraint the conservation of large old trees and their microhabitats (Arkadiusz Frohlich); The importance of large and old trees for fungi and fungi for large and old trees (Elle Bowd); and Writing the Jōmon Sugi: Literary Representations of Japan’s Most Famous Tree (Jon L. Pitt).

Arkadiusz Frohlich presenting his work on the conservation of old trees.

The LANDPATHS paper was also presented at the 11th Ecosystem Services Partnership World Conference in Darwin. The conference theme was ‘From global to local ecosystem services: pathways to Nature-based Solutions inspired from Down Under’ and the LANDPATHS findings were discussed in a session on ‘Importance of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in sustainable development of rural communities: livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and nonmaterial values’.

Presenting LANDPATHS at the ESP World Conference.

While at the ESP conference, Gosia also presented a poster about ‘Bridging Science and Policy: Integrating Ecosystems into the Water-Energy-Food
Nexus for Sustainable Resource Management (from the EU NEXOGENESIS project).

It was not all work though, and Gosia managed some fantastic trips out into the Australian nature during her trip.

Gosia in the Blue Mountains

Aboriginal paintings in the Kakadu National Park

Meeting the locals

The LANDPATHS article presented at the conferences is currently under review in Journal of Environmental Planning and Management:

Blicharska, M., Dawson, L., Gilek, M., Hedblom, M., Hilding-Rydevik, T., Karlsson, M., Powell, N., Sandström, S., Tickle, L., Öhman, F., Glass, J. “Multifunctional landscapes – an overview of the concept in research and practice in Sweden”.

SAVE THE DATE: Experience sharing and learning workshop – forest landscapes

10 June 2025 /

Governance and management towards more diverse forest landscapes in the Gävleborg region

We invite you to participate in a workshop aimed at strengthening efforts to diversify forest landscapes in the Gävleborg region. The workshop is part of the research programs LANDPATHS and Mistra Environmental Communication. The focus of the day will be on issues related to governance, management and learning in times of uncertainty.

? Date: October 1, 2025
? Time: 09:30 – 15:00
? Location: Högbo Brukshotell, Hans Hiertas v 5, 811 92 Sandviken

In a time of war, climate change, biodiversity loss and a changing political landscape, questions about how we govern, manage and use our Swedish forests are being cast in a new light. Against the backdrop of a more uncertain world, it is becoming increasingly important to promote different functions and values in the landscape.

Recently, there have been a number of initiatives to shift from clear felling to less intensive forest management practices. Although industrial felling still dominates, there are important examples of alternatives to felling that challenge institutionalized norms and help to legitimize new ideas and developing new conceptions of forests and forestry.

The aim of the workshop is to explore how we can work within existing governance and management structures to empower initiators, facilitate networking and enable more people to act in ways that increase forest diversity. During the workshop, participants with different interests and knowledge in forests, from the private and public sectors, will discuss and think together about the following questions:

  • Who are the key actors driving the diversification of the forest landscape?
  • What kind of initiatives, innovations and relationships do these actors promote or discourage?
  • How can their roles be strengthened?
  • What room for action exists within existing governance and management?

We hope you will join us to share your insights and help develop governance and management that strengthens the diversity of the forest landscape.

Please register via the following link: https://doit.medfarm.uu.se/bin/kurt3/kurt/8886732 by 30 June 2025.

If you have questions, please contact Thao Do.

Imagining otherwise: the struggle for alternative urban futures in south east Uppsala

4 June 2025 /

Envisioning urban futures is as much a social and political act as it is a spatial one. It involves negotiating how we want to live together, what values we prioritise, and whose voices are included in shaping those futures. In the case of south east Uppsala—where a large-scale development plan includes 21,500 new housing units, a train station, and tramlines—this act of collective imagining has become a site of contestation.

A future vision for south east Uppsala 2025

Whose vision shapes the city?

Insights from our workshop held on 28 March 2025 revealed not only sharp critiques of the Uppsala municipality’s plan but also a deeper tension around whose visions for the city are allowed to shape its future.

A central finding from the workshop discussion is the constrained capacity for collective urban envisioning. The pre-determined scope and parameters of the municipality’s proposal cast a long shadow over what was intended as a co-creative, open-ended exercise in urban imagination. The plan’s dominant framing seemed to set the agenda in a way that inhibited local stakeholders—residents, civil society actors, and others—from articulating alternative imaginaries of what the area could become in the future. While green spaces were generally appreciated during the discussion, they were often mentioned as “the icing on the cake” rather than central elements. As a result, discussions centred less on collaboratively creating desirable visions and more on shared concerns around the top-down nature of the formal planning process.

From critique to collective action

This sense of exclusion is echoed in the prevalence of critical narratives directed at the municipality. Many participants voiced concerns over the sheer magnitude of the proposed development and pointed to a lack of meaningful public consultation during the early planning phases. There is also a widespread perception that environmental concerns—such as the preservation of nearby natural areas like Lunsen and Årike Fyris—have not been given adequate weight. These criticisms reflect not only discontent with specific aspects of the plan but also broader concerns about transparency, public participation, and the democratic legitimacy of the planning process.

These critiques stood in stark contrast with the municipality’s assertion that citizen dialogue had been conducted thoroughly and that public opinions were incorporated into the planning process. During the workshop, a political representative emphasised the need to balance individual preferences with broader sustainability objectives—an approach that would inevitably involve difficult trade-offs. At the same time, there are clear calls for more innovative thinking, long-term planning and a landscape perspective that accounts for both local values and global challenges.

Re-imagining planning through co-creation

Interestingly, the workshop conversations also revealed strong place-based resistance among certain local residents, often manifesting as Not-In-My-Backyard (NIMBY) sentiments. Such responses speak to deep emotional and historical attachments to place. They highlight the underlying tensions between place-based attachments and the municipality’s overarching urban development ambitions. Resistance in this context is not necessarily about opposing urban development, but perhaps more about opposing a vision of development that feels imposed and disconnected from local identities and values.

Together, these findings suggest that creating opportunities for shared imagining among diverse stakeholder groups is key to making urban landscape management inclusive and co-creative. Such collaborative envisioning can complement formal planning frameworks by fostering spaces where community-driven ideas and narratives can meaningfully shape urban futures. Furthermore, the findings call for a shift in focus – from solely critiquing the structural limitations of formal planning to recognizing and embracing individual and collective agency to bring about change, even within those constraints.

The case of south east Uppsala is not just a technical matter of infrastructure, housing density or the encroachment on nature and green spaces. It is also a question of how to strike a balance between formal planning institutions and decisions made within representative democracy, and the potential that arises from innovative, co-creative approaches to imagining the collective future of multifunctional urban landscapes.

For more information, contact Thao Do (Uppsala University) in the Future imaginaries project.

New report summarises the results of Nämdö archipelago citizen jury

27 May 2025 /

A new report summarizes the results from the citizens’ jury in the Nämdö Archipelago. The citizens’ jury was organized through a collaboration between the non-profit association Nämdö Green Archipelago (NGA) and LANDPATHS. The purpose was to establish priorities and deepen knowledge for the work of creating a biosphere reserve in the Nämdö Archipelago.

The citizens’ jury brought together 25 participants with various connections to the Nämdö Archipelago, ranging from permanent residents to part-time and holiday residents. Participants were recruited through an invitation letter sent to all households in the Nämdö Archipelago, as well as through digital channels and posters placed in strategic locations. This was followed by a selection process aimed at recruiting a broad diversity of opinions, demographics, and connections to the area. Participants received financial compensation for their involvement and were offered other forms of support to facilitate participation (language buddies, childcare, etc.).

During the process, experts contributed knowledge in fields such as sustainable community planning, business development, conservation, biodiversity, culture, and infrastructure.

The process was led by the consulting firm Kairos Future, which also designed the process in collaboration with NGA and researchers from LANDPATHS. The citizen jury discussions mainly took place in small groups, each led by a group facilitator.

After two days of deliberations, the participants proposed the following priorities for NGA’s work on the planned biosphere reserve:

  • Permanent residents
    Promote an increase in the number of permanent residents in the archipelago, especially by creating more opportunities for small-scale businesses such as local food production.
  • Conservation / species balance
    Promote greater biodiversity and a balance of species. Specific actions mentioned included reducing the deer population, restoring more wetlands, and creating habitats for predatory fish.
  • Digital meeting place
    Create a digital platform to increase youth participation in the development of the Nämdö Archipelago.
  • Marine Centre (“Havsrum”)
    Work towards establishing a Marine Centre in connection with the planned national park.
  • Community activity centre
    Work to establish a multi-purpose community centre on Nämdö.
  • Consultation
    Act as a consultative link between local residents and government authorities.
  • Renewable Energy
    Facilitate the establishment of renewable energy solutions.
  • Drinking Water
    Promote more sustainable use of and better access to drinking water.

The citizens’ jury also created a shared vision for the archipelago’s development. The results will serve as the foundation for NGA’s continued efforts to establish a biosphere reserve in the Nämdö Archipelago.

Read the report here, Swedish (PDF):

2025 05 Nämdöskärgårdens medborgarråd – RapportDownload

If you have any questions, please contact Tim Daw (Stockholm Resilience Centre).

Long-term perspectives, dreams, and prerequisites for multifunctionality and biodiversity in Härjedalen

14 April 2025 /

An engaged group of 20 people, primarily consisting of farmers from farms around the vast region of Härjedalen, gathered in Hede on a sunny Monday in early April. The topic of the day was imagining futures for agriculture in Härjedalen.

Participants gathered at Wemer Wärdshus in Hede, Härjedalen. Photo: Johanna Tangnäs.

Challenges and opportunities in the area

There are many challenges in terms of infrastructure and financing, but also very clear advantages and strengths. The region is rich in biodiversity, has favourable conditions for natural grazing, and many of the country’s remaining active mountain pastures (fäbodar) are located here. Keeping the landscape open, continuing with natural grazing, and cultivating the land in a wise manner are crucial for ecosystems, but also for ensuring that people can continue to live and make a living here, even for future generations.

Our research has shown how policies and support measures (mainly from the EU) highlight the importance of the work being done in small-scale agriculture and local communities. At the same time, the existing support systems and structures at both the European and national levels are not particularly favorable for the landscape and the forms of land use that exist in Härjedalen. Furthermore, it has become clear that farmers themselves are not sufficiently consulted on what they need in order to continue, and how they can contribute to biodiversity and strengthened food production in agriculture.

The questions discussed during the day focused on desired futures and possible paths to reach them:

  • What positive futures for agriculture can you envision – in terms of production, livelihoods, living conditions, and nature?
  • How can future agriculture in Härjedalen continue to produce food and contribute to biodiversity?
  • What could enable these positive futures – what changes are needed in support systems and conditions?
  • What does the EU’s agricultural support mean for the development of good futures for agriculture in Härjedalen?
Late winter hills in Härjedalen. Photo: Johanna Tangnäs.

A wide range of participants

In addition to farmers, a few other business owners participated (many combine farming with other businesses in Härjedalen), along with two representatives from the municipality, one from the Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies (Hushållningssällskapet), one from the Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF), one from the Association for Swedish Pasture Culture and Outland Use (Förbundet Svensk Fäbodkultur och utmarksbruk), and four researchers from the Landpaths program: Johanna Tangnäs, who moderated the day; Tuija Hilding-Rydevik, who planned and prepared the workshop together with Johanna; Tommy Lennartsson, who contributed knowledge about multiple land use in Härjedalen’s contemporary and historical agricultural landscape; and Neil Powell, who supported the group in discussions and conversations about the future.

Recurring themes in the discussions

A summary of the desired scenarios and proposals that emerged during the day will be presented in various forms throughout the year. Some recurring themes included: a stable, long-term, and more holistic form of support that encourages and enables young people to take over; support for various forms of farming based on local conditions; and a general desire for more of the infrastructure needed for natural-grazing-based farming to thrive – such as local slaughterhouses, dairies, and someone to collect the milk. There was also a strong wish for better protection against farmland being bought up and then left unused, ungrazed, or even uninhabited.

The next step will be to summarize the proposals that came up during the day and hold a brief follow-up meeting at the end of April with all participants. The proposals and visions of the future, together with other results from the research program, will form the basis for input to responsible national authorities and for continued research.

For more information, contact Johanna Tangnäs.

Film on Nämdö Archipelago’s Citizens’ Jury

20 February 2025 /

In fall 2024, the Nämdö Archipelago Citizens’ Jury brought together 25 participants to discuss priorities for the planned biosphere reserve over two weekends. The film documents the purpose of the citizens’ council, how it came about and gathers the voices of participants and researchers who examine the process.

Imaginaries workshop on urban greenspaces in southern Uppsala

23 January 2025 /


Landpaths researchers within subproject urban landscapes and future imaginaries discussed the future of greenery in southern Uppsala with citizens and stakeholders during a short workshop in Sävja, southern Uppsala at the end of November 2024. The development of southern Uppsala has been a topic of discussion and public resistance after the municipality announced its plans to build housing for 50 000 new inhabitants in southeastern Uppsala that is currently inhabited by 10 000 people, by 2050 and a tram line connecting the southeast and southwest of the city.

Early in the morning of a grey and rainy Thursday in November, the café at Linnés Sävja filled with lively conversations between about 25 participants, including members of local outdoor associations, people working in culture and education, and representatives from different interest organisations. All had been invited by the urban landscapes and future imaginaries sub-projects within LANDPATHS to a workshop to discuss the future of green spaces in southern Uppsala. 

Divided into five groups of about six people each, the participants greeted each other and were welcomed by Lara Tickle, postdoc in the urban landscapes subproject. Thereafter, Marcus Hedblom, professor in landscape architecture at SLU Uppsala and leader of the urban landscape subproject explained the latest scientific findings on the importance of urban green spaces.

Marcus Hedblom presented research on human health effects of urban green spaces and Lara Tickle welcomed the participants. Pictures: J. Lundberg-Felten

Urban greenspaces important for human health, biodiversity and temperature control

In cities, 57% of all outdoor recreation happens in green urban spaces within a distance of 2km from the citizen’s home. Therefore, careful planning of the distribution of greenspace is important. The beneficial effect of greenery such as forests on human health has been shown to stem from visual appearance, sounds (e.g. bird song) and even scent. Children play more actively and creatively in forests as compared to playgrounds, where play takes on a more competitive nature. 

Although fostering biodiversity is encouraged in urban green spaces, 51% of all green areas in cities are still lawns (managed grass). More effort is needed to add variety, especially as it is now known that both mental and physical diseases such as chronic inflammation, allergies and depression are increasing among the urban population and green spaces are a remedy for these city-life symptoms. In the light of climate change and longer heat waves in summers, green areas are also crucial since they provide shade and lower the ambient temperature. 

Despite the fact that these positive effects are known and policies for creating urban green spaces exist, they are often not well integrated in practice and sustainability discussions become too frequently focused on grey elements (buildings) rather than green spaces.

Challenges for Southern Uppsala

Having listened to this information, the participants were asked to think about their own vision for southern Uppsala, and which opportunities and challenges they foresee. They were also asked to formulate a headline that they would like to see in the news in 2050, to describe the green spaces in Uppsala and how the urban landscape has changed since the completion of the planned development in southern Uppsala. 

Given the ongoing heated debate about the planned development, the awareness of challenges was clearly sensed during the discussions. Participants mentioned a desire for more long-term perspectives during city planning, better knowledge among decision makers, a willingness to scrutinize current norms and improved integration of ecological, social and sustainability aspects in the planning phase, and enhanced participation among citizens. 

Participants are discussing visions and summarizing their ideas on paper. Picture: J. Lundberg-Felten

An opportunity for multifunctionality

However, opportunities were also described, such as the proximity of southern Uppsala to an established nature reserve (Lunsen) that can be integrated as ‘grown green space’ with high biodiversity, the possibility to work with nature to foster integration in this neighborhood that has a significant contribution of immigrants, an opportunity for citizens to become active and to influence the decisions that are made, and an opportunity to connect culture and nature and create green multifunctional activity spaces. Participants proposed imaginary newspaper headlines for such scenarios that read “Uppsala succeeded in combining biodiversity and city development”, “Uppsala municipality rethinks city planning”, “Southeastern Uppsala – where citizens get to decide” and “The forest as a place for integration”. 

Next steps

Another workshop will take place in March 2025, to continue the development of the visions for the area, and identify possible ‘seeds of change’ that would help the opportunities become a reality.

Report from Day 2 of the Citizens’ Jury on municipally-owned forests in Voxnadalen

12 December 2024 /

What values should we prioritize in municipally-owned forests, and what forest management methods can best create these values? These are the questions that the Voxnadalen Citizens’ Jury was tasked with addressing. The forests that were discussed in this process are owned by Bollnäs, Ljusdal, and Ovanåker municipalities.

On November 23 2024, the participants of the Voxnadalen Citizens’ Jury gathered for a second time at Hälsingegård Ol-Anders in Alfta, filled with expectations and reflections from the first meeting that took place two weeks earlier. The first meeting focused on ecosystem services and sparked many thoughts, and there was eagerness in the room on day two to continue the discussions.

Människor runt ett bord diskuterar vid andra träffen av medborgarrådet om skogen
Discussion about the forests during the day’s meeting at Hälsingegård Ol-Anders

Forest Management and Administration

The second day focused on the management of the forests. Participants listened to presentations from representatives of all three municipalities, who explained their current forestry practices. There was a lot of interest from the audience and many questions.

These discussions were followed by a overview presentation of different forest management methods. Erik Nyberg from Sveaskog spoke about clear-cut forestry, Annevi Sjöberg from Plockhugget AB described close-to-nature/continuous-cover forestry, Anna Jansson from the County Administrative Board of Gävleborg talked about nature conservation, and Erik Lundh from Bollnäs municipality outlined the municipalities’ planning work, which sometimes includes forest land development.

Deliberations and Conclusions

The participants had a strong interest in the forest as a place for culture and education. They described the forests as an important place for children and young people to experience and learn from. Many highlighted that the forestry industry is important for the regional and national economy, and discussions frequently focused on how this affects other values of the forests, such as biodiversity. The role of forests in replacing fossil-based products and fuels led to reflections on whether reducing consumption should actually be the priority. The forest’s role as a source of healing during difficult times in life was also a recurring theme.

There was a curiosity among the participants about alternative forest management methods (non-clear cut methods), and the presentation on close-to-nature and continuous-cover forestry generated considerable enthusiasm, even though there was some skepticism about the ability of this method to generate financial income.

Post-it lappar på ett stort pappersark med en tabell som deltagarna har använt för att lyfta fram olika aspekter om skogsbruk
Notes on advantages and disadvantages of different forest management methods

Participants also discussed the municipalities’ roles in developing new management methods. Given that the current income from municipal forests is relatively low, it was considered reasonable to experiment with methods that can address multiple forest values appreciated by the residents. Many also expressed the view that more of the timber from municipal forests should be used locally, although some doubted the efficiency of this approach due to the current lack of infrastructure for processing and selling forest products.

At the end of the day, participants presented their main arguments for or against the various management methods and explained their reasoning. Several politicians and officials from the respective municipalities were present to hear the results.

The results of the process are now being compiled and will be presented to all interested parties at Voxnadalen Biosphere Reserve’s annual open meeting, which will take place in the spring of 2025.

Inspelningsapparater liggandes på ett bord. Alla samtal spelas in för att analysera processen.
All discussions were recorded and will now be analysed to feed into the research process

Research on the Process

Several LANDPATHS researchers from Stockholm University, Uppsala University, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences observed the process and documented how it functioned in practice.

The researchers are interested in better understanding how this type of local dialogue and deliberative decision-making can support the creation and management of multifunctional landscapes.

Rummet med deltagare som diskuterar vid tre olika bord
In-depth discussions during day two

What is a Citizens’ Jury?

A Citizens’ Jury involves a randomly selected group of citizens who listen to various perspectives, opinions, and expert knowledge on a matter of public interest and then engage in in-depth discussions. This method differs from other forms of citizen engagement, such as citizen dialogues. In a Citizens’ Jury, participants are chosen based on criteria that ensure broad representation of the general public within a small group. The process usually concludes with a collective decision or set of recommendations. These types of processes have been employed in several countries to address complex issues, including sustainable development and climate change.

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