Facts: This is how much the county administrations get
Contribution to the county administrations and a couple of other actors for this year’s work with wetland measures for protected areas and programs for threatened species and habitats.
Västra Götaland: SEK 14,680,000
Skåne: 13,165,000
Jönköping: 10,761,000
Örebro: 10,050,000
Östergötland: 6,800,000
Värmland: 6,465,000
Halland: 6,355,000
Gotland: 5,956,000
Uppsala: 5,740,000
Jämtland: 5,618,000
Södermanland: 4,569,000
Dalarna: 4,533,000
Kalmar: 4,240,000
Västerbotten: 3,950,000
Västmanland: 3,010,000
Västernorrland: 2,545,000
Norrbotten: 2,530,000
Gävleborg: 2,200,000
Kronoberg: 2,175,000
Stockholm: 1,740,000
Blekinge: 1,485,000
Tyresta Foundation: 120,000
Lapland administration: 70,000
Source: Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
Including previously decided, this means, among other things, that the county administrations in Västra Götaland, Skåne, Jönköping and Örebro have 10–14 million each for wetland efforts this year.
Large areas of wetlands need to be recreated to cope with several of the country’s climate and environmental challenges at the same time. The money for the county administrations focuses on the habitats of species, measures for wetlands with nature worthy of protection and contributes to reduced climate emissions.
100 million per year
The county administrative boards have applied for the money and in the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision grants are granted for 2023 through 2025.
“Now we also know that the government is planning permanent funding for Sweden’s wetland work. Our ambition is to distribute around SEK 100 million per year going forward,” explains Conny Jacobson, manager at the Environmental Protection Agency in a press release.
The initiative was launched by the previous government, but the new government has followed the same line and made it permanent.
This year, SEK 118.8 million will be granted.
In total, the county administrations are planning over 600 initiatives and an area of at least 148 square kilometers is affected.
“Most Endangered Species”
This year, it is estimated that around 35 square kilometers of wetlands can be restored or newly created with the help of the grants. This concerns, for example, measures for both climate and biological diversity, such as closing ditches in marshland or removing overgrowth from previously dug-out land.
Support is also given to, among other things, initiatives for fens (a type of mineral-rich mire), coastal meadows and rare frogs in southern Sweden.
“Several of the measures will contribute to preserving some of Sweden’s most endangered species that depend on functioning wetlands,” says Bo Nilsson, administrator at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.