The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) will receive 750 million SEK less than requested to distribute to county councils (länsstyrelser). Swedish Outdoor Association (Friluftsfrämjandet) and the Swedish Tourist Association (Svenska Turistföreningen) are now strongly criticizing the government’s outdoor policy.
The government’s budget means, among other things, that the county councils will receive 48 million kronor less this year than last year for the renovation of nature reserves and national parks. This follows a two-thirds cut in funding last year. Hiking trails, barbecue areas and nature conservation projects will disappear after the government’s cuts, warns Swedish Outdoor Association (Friluftsfrämjandet), pointing out that broken hiking trails, full toilets and garbage were already noted last year, which will lead to fewer Swedes having access to nature.
– This is economically wrong. It will also have consequences in other areas that you might not think of when you hear about the conservation handshake. Perhaps because outdoor life in general has had a weak voice, says Kristina Ljungros, secretary general of the Swedish Outdoor Association, in a press release.
Daniel Skog, sustainability manager at the Swedish Tourist Association (Svenska Turistföreningen), also believes that Swedes want to get out more, but that resources are needed to welcome them.
– There are more people outdoors, and that is very positive. But we also need more resources to welcome them. Otherwise we’ll get more wear and tear, more litter and more people who don’t know about public access rights if there’s no money to inform them about them, he says.
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